“A gun?” He looked at her in stunned surprise. She definitely didn’t look like the gun-toting type. “Why on earth would you have a gun in your pocket?”
“I didn’t know what kind of people you were. I wasn’t even sure I’d find Justin here. I wasn’t about to drive into a place where I’d never been before without some sort of protection for me and my girls. Besides, I got your address from a cyberfriend and my sister was afraid I might wind up at the home of some pervert sitting around in his underwear and stalking women over the internet.”
“I’m definitely not a pervert, but if Jeffrey and Kerri weren’t living with me, there might be times I’d sit around in my underwear,” he replied with a wry grin.
He felt himself relaxing a bit, some of his irritation passing. None of this was her fault, and he’d be a jerk to punish her for his brother’s actions or inactions.
He was rewarded with her smile, and her beauty with that gesture warming her features struck him square in the gut. He quickly focused his attention back on the road.
Okay, he could admit it to himself, he felt a little burn of physical attraction for Grace Sinclair. He shouldn’t be surprised. She was a beautiful woman, and it had been over a year since Jake and the woman he’d been seeing for almost six months had called it quits. Just because Grace attracted him didn’t mean there was a chance in hell that he’d follow through on it.
She was Justin’s issue, not his. And the very last thing Jake wanted in his life at this moment or at any time in the future was anyone who might need him. The last thing he needed was another issue to solve. He was totally burned out in that area.
He slowed his speed as they entered the city limits of Cameron Creek. Unlike a lot of the small towns in Oklahoma that were dying slow, painful deaths, Cameron Creek was thriving and growing. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason for the anomaly other than the fact that the city council of Cameron Creek worked hard to make it a pleasant place to live. It also helped that on the south side of town was a large dog food factory that employed most of the people in the area.
“Hopefully I’ve just bruised it and it will be fine in an hour or two,” she said as he parked in front of the attractive little hospital’s emergency room entrance.
“You still have that gun in your pocket?” he asked as he shut off the engine. She nodded. She used her right hand to reach in her left pocket and pulled out the revolver. “It would probably be best if you didn’t carry it into the emergency room. Do you mind if I lock it in the glove box?”
“You promise me you aren’t a pervert?” she asked with a touch of teasing in her voice.
An unexpected burst of laughter escaped him. “I promise,” he said as she offered him the gun. With it safely locked inside the glove box, they left the truck and headed through the emergency entrance.
Thankfully there was nobody in the waiting room and Grace was immediately whisked away to be seen by the doctor. Jake lowered himself into one of the waiting room chairs and tried to tamp down his aggravation with his brother.
There were times Jake dreamed of selling the ranch and leaving Oklahoma. There were days the thought of being on a deserted island all alone was infinitely appealing. But the vision was only appealing for a minute. He loved the ranch and would probably never leave.
Still, he’d thought that once he survived his childhood years life would get easier, but the death of his parents hadn’t changed anything. His responsibilities had only gotten heavier.
He was tired, and the only thing he wanted now was for the doctor to fix up Grace so she could be on her way home. He’d encourage his brother to do the right thing and then Jake would wash his hands of the whole mess.
He wouldn’t mind spending a little time with his nieces, eventually. But before that could happen Justin and Grace were going to have to figure things out. And that had nothing to do with him.
He’d spent most of his life shouldering responsibilities to make life easier on everyone else around him. Now what he wanted more than anything was just to be left alone.
It was almost an hour later that Dr. Wallington came out to greet him. Jake stood and shook the older man’s hand. Dr. Wallington had been their family doctor for years.
“Grace wanted me to come out and let you know she’s fine. X-rays showed no break, although her shoulder is severely sprained. I’m putting her in a sling to immobilize it for a couple of days and I’ve given her some pain medication. In the meantime she shouldn’t do any driving or lifting and I’ve told her if it isn’t better in three or four days she should come back in.”
Jake smiled, nodded and thanked the doctor while inwardly cringing at the news. There was no way he could put Grace in her car with three babies to return home. She was going to need help, and plenty of it.
A weary resignation rose up inside him. All he’d wanted from life was a little peace and quiet, but any hope for that flew out the window. His life was about to be turned upside down with the invasion of three little girls and a woman who disturbed him in a way no woman ever had before.
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