Page 83 of The Convict Gets His Girl

He shrugged. "Access to computers, movies, books. The warden of that place was female, and that influenced a lot of our options. Lots of romance novels and romcom movies. She was like that lady in pink in the Harry Pothead movies, but if that lady actually cared and wasn't evil."

Jewel burst out laughing and slipped her sunglasses on as the sun shone brighter. "Harry Pothead?"

Chase grinned and reached for his breakfast. "Sorry, force of habit. That's what we called him in prison."

Jewel shook her head. "Fascinating."

Chase hunched his shoulders and peered out the window. "I don't know about that. Tell me more about Destini and plants. After she talked with the farmers, what happened?"

Jewel let the subject change occur, knowing she couldn't push him for too much information all at once. The memories had to be painful, and she didn't want him to hurt. She… cared about him.

Her heart raced, and her mind shied away from analyzing that more. Instead, she launched into the new topic.

"She did a presentation at school on hydroponics. Then she used that to convince me to start a small hydroponics experiment at home. Just herbs at first—lettuce, spinach, peppers. Destini was fascinated by how precise yet unpredictable it all was."

"Because the pH has to be right, but plants don't always yield the same results time after time?" Chase asked.

Jewel's brows rose in surprise. "That's almost exactly what she used to complain about. How did you know that?"

He shrugged. "I was really into science in middle school. The teachers challenged me with extra projects, and I looked into water once."

She shook her head. Before having Destini, that sentence would've sounded weird, but now, she understood exactly what he meant. "Destini used to do that too. She's in the Gifted and Talented program, so there werealwaysprojects. With the hydroponics project, she said it was like solving a puzzle where the pieces constantly changed shape."

"Plants don't follow rules," Chase murmured, more to himself than to her. His eyes grew distant, reflecting something deeper than just agricultural theory as he stared out the window at the rising sun.

Jewel agreed with him. "No rules, no perfect formula. Sometimes seeds didn't sprout. Sometimes they'd flourish in the most unexpected conditions. She so wanted to control the outcome of every plant, would religiously chart the results and tweak her processes."

Chase's laugh was short, almost bitter. "Learning that you can't control everything is one of the hardest lessons in life, especially when you're young." The weight of his own unspoken experiences hung in the air between them.

The highway stretched out before them, rolling like a ribbon of asphalt cutting through the Texas landscape. Chase shifted in the passenger seat, stretching his legs as the topic shifted again.

"Thanks for getting me back in time for church," he said, breaking the silence. "I didn't want to leave Destini today, but with Hunter's engagement to Taylor, I think it's best to show up at church."

Jewel shrugged and winced. "I didn't exactly tell Dad and Gemma that I'd miss church today, so it's fine. After you told me about their engagement last night, I figured we both need to show our support of them."

Jewel glanced over, calculating the time and the GPS, catching his profile against the passing scenery.

"So you're happy for them?" he asked, carefully neutral.

"Of course," she said, her fingers relaxing on the steering wheel. "They're good together, but how is your mom handling the news? I saw how stressed Taylor was with your mom's recovery and helping cook at the ranch."

Chase went still, the kind of stillness that suggested discomfort. "Not sure, since I've been avoiding my mom the past few days. The way she responded…"

Since she read the letter at the house saying Chase was Destini's dad.

The statement hung between them, unsaid but powerful as they both thought back on it. Had it really only been a few days ago? The morning sunlight slanted across the dashboard, casting long shadows.

Chase cleared his throat and rubbed his hands on his pants as they drew closer to Crimson Creek. "Church today is a strategic move to help break the ice with Mom. With lots of people around, family and friends will be celebrating Hunter and Taylor's engagement. It'll take the spotlight off me being a disappointing screwup yet again. Everyone will be looking at Hunter instead."

The self-deprecation was raw, unfiltered. Jewel heard the mix of pain and protection in his voice.

"You're not a screwup, Chase, but I can understand where you're coming from." Jewel's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Honestly? I've been dodging Dad and Gemma like the plague the past few days too. But in small towns like ours, rumors spread faster than wildfire. Hell, they've probably already talked to your mom. I'm sure there's a shit storm brewing."

Chase let out a surprised chuckle, a sound both weary and amused. "Two peas in a pod, huh? Both of us avoiding clearing the air with our families."

She nodded, a wry smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. The tension in the truck softened slightly, a shared understanding passing between them.

The church parking lot was already half-full when they arrived. Pickup trucks and SUVs lined the neat rows, their gleaming surfaces reflecting the late morning sunlight. Chase tensed visibly as they walked toward the white clapboard building, its steeple pointing skyward like an accusatory finger.

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