It was a possibility, and yet it didn’t freak him out as it once would have. He wasn’t on his own anymore. He had West and Beck as backup. And he had a woman and daughter who needed him to keep his shit together, so he would. It was as simple as that.
“Jase,” Daphne said from her perch on the couch. She sighed. “What if I decide not to move here? What then?”
He kicked into a fast pace and plowed a hand through his hair. “I might move into the city.” He wanted to be near Hope. But would Brook Lynn be willing to move with him? Just pack up everything and say goodbye to her sister? Could he even ask her to?
She’d never left Strawberry Valley and had never really wanted to. This was her home, the only one she’d ever known. She had roots here. And shockingly enough, he now did, too.
“How long have you and Brook Lynn dated?” Daphne asked, tracking him with her gaze as he moved back and forth, back and forth.
“Not long.” Not long enough to ask her to uproot her entire life.
He remembered the way she’d looked at him today, with reverence and awe. Every cell in his body had reacted, burning with those same emotions themselves. How was he supposed to live without her?
“Is she the one?” Daphne asked.
He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “Yes. I love her. I’d have her physically attached to me, if I could. But I won’t miss any more of Hope’s life.”
Daphne’s shoulders sagged.
“I told Hope about prison,” he said. “This morning before you woke up.”
“Oh.” She blinked in surprise. “She didn’t mention it to me.”
“I don’t think it mattered to her. She took it better than I expected.” She’d asked him why he was sent there, and he’d told her that he’d hurt someone for hurting someone else. How wrong he’d been.
Did they make you eat dog food in prison? she’d asked. I watched a show where the guard made the inmates eat cans of dog food.
He’d almost laughed at the innocence of the question. She couldn’t have imagined the horrors he’d actually endured in there, but no, dog food wasn’t among them. He was so grateful that she hadn’t been—wasn’t—scared of him over the revelation.
All his worries for nothing. After hearing his answer she’d raced off to catch a butterfly, constantly glancing back to make sure he watched. All she’d wanted was his attention.
“I’m glad,” Daphne said. “And I’m sorry. I really am. I handled things poorly over the years.”
“You did what you thought was right. I can’t blame you for that.”
“You should.” She pushed out a breath. “Tyler called me a liar. Said he couldn’t trust me.”
“Give him time. He’ll either forgive you or move on. And if he moves on, you’re better off without him.” Easy to say. Jase would never be better off without Brook Lynn.
Car lights shone through the window. He rushed to the front door. Outside, a dog barked. Feminine laughter echoed. His heart pounded against his ribs. With desire. With relief. His girls had returned safely.
He battled the urge to rush out and sweep them both into his arms, an eternity seeming to pass before Brook Lynn and Hope made it to the porch, a dog in each of their arms. Both animals were of indeterminate parentage. Brook Lynn’s had salt-and-pepper scruff and a lower jaw that protruded over the upper. Hope’s was solid black with half an ear missing.
“I called,” he said, his gaze drinking her in. She had never looked more beautiful to him, illuminated by the golden light of the moon, as if cut straight from a dream. “No answer.”
“Oh,” Brook Lynn replied. “My bad. I turned the cell to silent.”
“The barking made her ears hurt,” Hope said matter-of-factly.
He released what remained of his fear and panic on a long, heavy breath and decided not to waste another second feeling that way. There were other things he could be doing. “Do your ears need to be kissed all better?” he asked softly.
Hope heard and cringed. “Gross!”