Page 27 of Long Road Home

Toby’s lip slid between his teeth and he looked at me uncertainly.

I tilted my head toward the living room. “Go, kiddo. It’s okay.”

He left, and as soon as Jordan watched him disappear, he came to me, moving slowly.

But God. He was beautiful. His face was wrecked with the emotion of the last twenty-four hours, but that did nothing to diminish the beauty of him.

“Toby told me your sister’s getting married. To Cooper Hawke?”

He must have caught the awe in my tone because he smirked. “Yeah. Crazy, long ass story I’ll tell you about another night.”

“Your parents must be thrilled.”

That smirk diminished. “Um. No. They died, both of them a few years back. Another long story I’ll tell you about another night.”

“Oh God.” My hand went to my chest. I knew that pain. He’d always been close to his parents. Their whole family was. “I’m so—”

“Sorry. Yeah, I know. Everyone was. Rebecca and I are good now, though. She runs the ranch.”

My grin relaxed. “Like she always wanted. Good she has that.”

“It’s good she’s finally got something good in her life, definitely.”

I frowned at the odd statement and decided to leave all the heavy for another night like he suggested. I’d had my fill of it.

He was at the counter now, one hand on it, eyes down at my phone and then he lifted his head. “I thought you said it was over with you and that guy, Des.”

I’d told him it wasn’t any of business. Still wasn’t. But his brows were creased in that way he had when he was worried, at least that’s the look he used to have when he was worried.

“Jane,” I clipped before I could stop it.

Des.It was too beautiful off his full lips. It was too familiar.

It must have been all of that combined that possessed me to continue. “He’s important to Toby. He’s the only man I brought into his life and they’re close. And he wanted it to be more serious, I just…after Tillie’s death, I realized he wouldn’t be that for me.” I looked at my phone. The sweetness in Paul’s voice along with telling me he loved me. “I think he misses Toby. Maybe he’s having a hard time letting go.”

That worried frown on his face lightened and my heart thumped a wild beat.

It had always been Jordan for me. Always. Paul wasn’t just the only man I’d brought into Toby’s life, he was the only man I’d had since Jordan. It’d taken years to move on enough to even consider dating again and then it’d taken longer to find a guy I thought would be decent enough to my son.

This. Jordan in front of me. Looking so nice, not shouting at me or scowling or clenching his fists because he was so pissed at me.

It threatened to unravel me.

He turned away from me and pushed off the counter. “Got some guy time to catch up on. You going to hang with us?”

“I don’t have to. If you want time alone—”

“We’re shooting fake guns and probably going to be shouting down the house. Not having heartfelt conversations. I was wondering if you had plans.”

I laughed a little at that. “Right. Because I have so many friends here to reconnect with.”

It was a cheap shot. A bitchy one I regretted as soon as it left my lips. It brought back that scowl to Jordan’s face, but it wasn’t at me. He knew. He knew how horrible everyone was to me regardless of how much he tried to protect me from it. Hell, he had to have heard it at the funeral, too.

“Right,” he muttered. “Got people to shoot with my boy.”

Something hazy flashed in his eyes and he turned to me, worrying his lip and I braced for whatever was about to come. “I’m still pissed. Not gonna lie about that, and I said this morning I’ll try to get past that for Toby’s sake. But I also want you to know, I don’t want that for Toby. I don’t want it for us. No good seeing his mom and dad shouting all the time. I might fuck that up, but I want you to know I’m trying. Half the shit I’ve said to you…I’ll do my best to check my anger and see if we can find something good for him.”

He spun and hurried out of the small kitchen, and it was a damn good thing I’d braced before he spoke.

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