Page 57 of Major Love

Yeah, I think to myself,it just got worse.

Chapter 14

Jason

I frown down at my phone from my seated position on Casey’s back porch, thumb hovering over the unanswered message as my knee bounces up and down.

Doesn’t make sense,I think to myself.Sunday should be here by now.

I got to Casey’s place at around seven this morning, and I must have just missed Sunday because the coffee pot was boiling – something that I only noticed because she’d left a clean mug out for me right beside it, and I can’t deny that it made me smile, balming the disappointment of not catching her before she headed out.

I know that she doesn’t drink coffee, so the thought of her filling a pot just for me? It means a lot.

I glance up from my cell, checking out the work that Knox and Madden helped me fix up in Casey’s yard, the installation fully secured, along with all of the backfilling. I swipe a palm down my stubble, satisfied that Case is going to be stoked when he sees it, not only because he’s been talking about having one of these since back when we were in high school but because I know it’ll enable well-deserved family time for him, Haven and Tuck.

A vibration in my hand has my attention snapping downward, only to exhale gruffly when I see that the call is coming from Knox.

I click accept and get to my feet, leaning against a wooden beam as I take in the yard.

“Yeah.”

Knox’s voice comes through the line a little muffled due to the recent snowfall’s connectivity issues. “Took the crane back to Walker’s. Mad and I are heading to the ranch.”

I nod, eyeing the tarp that we resecured over the installation. We’re going to need to send up some prayers, hoping that if we get any more snowfall it doesn’t fuck up the work we just did.

Luckily, the annex at End of the Road Ranch is almost done. And I guess Madden won’t mind working a weekend on it, seeing as it’s for him and his girlfriend Kitty to move into.

After almost half a year of pretty much living with his future parents-in-law, Madden can’t wait to have a place for him and his girl that’s totally private.

“Thanks, man,” I reply. Then, after a moment, I smirk and ask, “Did Walker say anything?”

Knox snickers through the glitching line. “Thought we were crazy for driving that thing out in the snow. But he knows how you ride in the mountains so, after that, he just accepted it.”

I chuckle quietly as I push the back door open with the large curve of my shoulder.

Knox waits a beat before asking, “So. You got plans tonight?”

I muscle in through the narrow doorway, glancing toward the wooden table that I set up over an hour ago.

Empty plates, empty glasses – the signs of a date that isn’t about to happen.

I drop my eyes and trudge toward the kitchen, slipping my cell between my ear and my shoulder.

“Was meant to have plans right now,” I admit, washing my coffee mug before setting it on the rack. I stare at the coffee pot that Sunday set up for me long and hard before making my way to the front door. “She isn’t here.”

I lock up the cabin and trudge down the snow-covered steps toward my truck.

“Think she stood you up?” Knox asks.

I drop down into the driver’s seat, tossing my cell onto the passenger side.

“She texted this morning when there was decent cell service at Casey’s place.” I kick the engine to life and shrug. “She seemed up for it then.”

And this time Knox pauses for another reason entirely.

Because if someone makes plans in this town and doesn’t show for them when we’re approaching blizzard-season, it’s usually not because they just changed their mind.

It’s because they can’t get there.

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