Page 8 of The Convict Gets His Girl

Chase shifted on his feet next to the table, waiting for Hunter to show so they could play poker and eating chips like they were candy. Hunter had had a hell of a week, and Chase didn't know how to get the answers he needed while making sure his brother was alright. First, he'd stayed overnight with a girl at the sale barn, and Chase's stomach was all up in arms over the idea that it was Jewel.

He wasn't jealous, but what if they were getting back together? They made more sense than he and Jewel did.

He rubbed the back of his neck. Fucking hell, he'd not even talked to her. It was ridiculous to jump to conclusions.

No, he needed to talk with Hunter, see if he even knew about his relationship with Jewel and straight up ask if he'd been with Jewel on Monday.

His other brothers' laughter washed over him as Hunter stomped up the front steps, and the door finally banged open.

Parker said, "Finally, you're here!"

Hunter glared and smarted off, which led to Landry making a smartass comment. Hunter swiped a beer, and Chase silently catalogued the signs of his anger mounting. The tightness around his lips. The flaring of his nostrils. The lowering of his eyebrows that wasn't quite a frown but clearly showed his distress.

He'd had to learn the signs early in order to form the correct response to people. He'd read a book in prison that had explained that other people hadn't had to learn these signs but just instinctively knew them.

He didn't quite believe the book. Surely everyone had a mental file labeledHow to Read Emotions.

Hunter grumbled and complained as Landry and Parker tried to get him out of his bad mood. They fixed their plates, loading up nachos into heaping piles, although he kept his distance from Hunter.

When Parker remarked on it, Chase said, "Wasn't sure if he'd gotten all the shit off from earlier. A horse had diarrhea all over him."

Landry laughed and snapped his finger. "That's what that smell is!"

Hunter growled again as the guys made fun of him, someone asking what Hunter's problem was.

"You're normally such an even keeled guy," Kendall said.

"I don't have a problem," Hunter said.

Chase rolled his eyes and pushed, trying to get the information he needed. "He's been stomping around the ranch for days, ever since he stayed out all night with a girl on Monday."

"Oh, the plot thickens," Parker said, rubbing his hands together.

Landry grinned. "Did you finally run into Jewel?"

Ah, the million-dollar question that had been plaguing Chase all fucking week. He ground his teeth together and waited.

Hunter's arms went wide as his emotions reached their breaking point. "Why is everyone fucking focused on Jewel coming home?"

Parker shrugged. "We weren't born yesterday, Hunter. We know y'all need to sort things out. Either y'all are going to get back together, you'll have an explosive argument—again—or you'll both be mature adults and be friends. My money's on y'all getting back together, since you've been waiting for her to come home since forever."

Chase's gaze sharpened on his oldest brother. Had he really been single this whole time because he was pining for Jewel? The last remaining fumes of hope that he and Jewel could pick up where they'd left off began to fade on the Texas breeze. He wouldn't step between them again.

Hunter yelled, "What? Fuck you!" And the rest of their brothers diffused the tension with laughter and smartass remarks. Then they all stomped outside through the sliding glass door to the balcony where Nick had set up the poker chips on the outdoor table.

When Chase was left inside with Hunter, he said quietly, "You don't have to take it out on them. That's just the way they are. Like little girls with gossip."

Hunter leaned his hands on the table and closed his eyes, breathing deeply before he replied. "I'm trying not to, Brother, but watch your tone. I'm already on edge, and I don't want to lose it on you too."

Something shifted inside him at Hunter's words, and Chase sighed. It was time to come clean and rip off the Band-Aid. Hunter needed it as much as Chase did, and he couldn't keep analyzing the best way to have this conversation.

He put his plate on the table and strode to the front door, even as his stomach threatened to rebel with nerves. "Well, come on then. Let's get this over with."

Hunter asked, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Chase pushed the front door open, and Hunter followed as Chase stretched his arms and popped his knuckles, shaking out the nerves and trying to control his already racing heart. He hoped this wouldn't change things forever with his brother, but he was so fucking tired of watching and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"You've been on edge since Tuesday afternoon, but that morning over breakfast, you clearly were on a post-orgasmic high. So either you tell me what went wrong and pissed you off all week or we throw down and get it out of our systems."

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