Page 109 of The Moment They Can't Forget

“I’m coming to visit, so we can talk more soon.”

“Going where to visit?” Brody asked when he put his phone back in his pocket.

“My father’s condition is getting worse. I’m going to be tested to see if I can give him a kidney.” JD walked back to his car.

“I thought you decided you weren’t doing that, and seeing as your dad was an asshole, you didn’t care?”

“I changed my mind.” He opened his car door.

“Don’t do this because of Zoe and Sawyer, man. Stay and talk. This is a huge deal, JD,” Brody said, his face lined with worry.

“No, really? I had no idea.” His voice was loaded with sarcasm.

“Talk to Zoe and Sawyer before you go.”

“I don’t think so. I’ll be back, but I think a little space is the right thing to do for everyone, Brody.”

“What about The Gnat?” Brody sounded desperate now.

“Birdie, Cill, and Nina can run it, and to be honest, they usually do.”

“If I wrestle with you and take those keys?—”

He put a hand on Brody’s shoulder. “I need to do this. I have to talk to my mom and dad. I should have done it years ago, but I walked away and didn’t look back.”

“You’re running away again,” Brody said.

“No, I’m doing what I should have done. I’m also giving Sawyer space to cool down and Zoe time to work out her feelings.”

“I don’t like it,” Brody muttered.

“Just tell her I’ll be back. Please."

JD left before Brody could say another word. Arriving home, he packed and then rang Bradford, Lyntacky’s lab technician, and asked him to move in until he returned. Bradford was happy to do that and said he would watch the place and look after his animals and Vi.

He left the huge laminated list of feeding instructions he’d created on the kitchen bench for Bradford and what he needed to do every evening before turning in. He then headed back over to the stables to see how Roman was doing. Potato and he were next to each other. Potato couldn’t see her new buddy, but the recent addition seemed calm when JD looked in on him.

“I’ll be back soon, but Bradford and Vi will look after you until I return,” he said to his animals before heading out the doors to climb into his car.

As he drove, he made a few calls to ensure his business ran well for however long he was away. Next, he called the vet to check on Roman tomorrow and asked her to organize someone to trim his hooves. Last, he booked a plane ticket to Denver.

He then headed to the airport, letting thoughts about the steaming pile of crap that was currently his life roll around inside his head.

As his flight took off three hours later, he let himself think about what he’d left behind. He was no fool and knew this pain in his chest was love. The stakes had never been higher for JD. Losing Zoe would change his life completely. Her big idiot of a brother, too, was important to him. He just had to hope that with time and distance, they realized how much he meant to them too.

Chapter30

Zoe looked at the husband and wife standing across the counter from her and wondered whether she’d still love JD Hopper as fiercely in twenty years as she did now. It was weird now she’d acknowledged it how strong the feeling was inside her.

Since the day Sawyer had found them kissing, she felt different. Like a weight was off her shoulders, even if nothing was settled between JD, Zoe, and her brothers. She felt a small kernel of hope that maybe it would.

“I’m not having red walls in my bedroom, Dee,” Red Heckler said to his busty blond wife.

“I like red, which you should know, as it’s your name, and the good Lord alone is surely the only one to understand why I still do.”

Dee wore a skintight pair of jeans that would have taken Zoe at least ten minutes to pull on. It’s amazing the woman didn’t put her back out. Her shirt was white and had the Rollaway logo. It was open almost to the waist. Her tank top was a pale baby blue and cut low. She wore fake eyelashes that were so long, they created a breeze when she blinked.

“You look nice today, Delores,” Bart Matilda said from behind them.

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