Page 18 of Love, Hate, Love

“I’m sorry. That had to have been tough.”

“Yeah, it was bad. My mother had always been a homemaker, and my father had worshipped the ground she walked on. Bought her everything she wanted, whether he should’ve or not. He’d handledeverything. Once he was gone? Things got really messy.”

“But then you moved to New York?”

“My mother found another man to take care of her when I was sixteen. He came from New York, so that’s where we went. He called the shots and we jumped.” I didn’t want to sound bitter, but there was no way to discuss him and keep that tone out of my voice.

“You don’t like him much, huh?”

“Nope, and even less now than I used to.” I took another long, deep breath, this time so I didn’t explode with the secrets I was so tired of keeping. “That’s enough about me for the day. What about you? Your family from here?”

“Yeah, only about twenty miles or so from here, but I don’t see them much.”

Now she was the one looking off into the distance.

“You want to talk about it?” I asked.

“Not even a little,” she said. “You?”

“I’ve already said more than I can stomach in one day.”

“I’d say let’s go grab a beer, but we know how that turns out, and we don’t need to get Kade all hot and bothered again. He’s already met his quota for the decade,” Missy said. “I do have a piece of strawberry shortcake back at my room, and some kick-ass tea I’m willing to share.”

“Considering I can’t leave this ranch, I don’t have any other plans I can think of, so I’d love to take you up on that.”

Chapter9

Leah

It was Sunday night.Kade knew tonight was the night I was supposed to make my calls. He was the one who’d just rattled it off from the list of rules and made me sit there and listen. Even convicts were allowed phone calls. He could’ve made it easier and come to me. Nope. He’d make it hard, of course. Well, fuck him. I was using the phone whether he liked it or not.

I walked over to the house, past the office that was dark and empty, and went to the front door.

“Kade!” I yelled as I knocked, peeking through the window.

When there wasn’t an answer, I went from knocking to pounding.

“You’re not ignoring me!” I hit the door hard enough that the glass rattled.

We were probably far enough away from the bunkhouse that no one else heard me yelling, at least not yet. If he didn’t answer the door soon, I’d be screaming so loud the people in the next town over would hear.

I peered inside. The living room was dim but the fire was casting a glow and there was a light coming from farther back near a hallway.

I spun on my heel, checking for his truck, which was parked right where it always was. Then I noticed a small car behind it that hadn’t been as obvious. It was some sort of little white coupe. When I got up on my tiptoes and angled myself, I could see a crystal hanging from the rearview mirror.

I was standing out here, getting colder by the minute, and he was getting laid. That was why I wasn’t making my phone calls.

I was wondering where Missy had put those eggs from today when a flicker of movement drew my attention back inside the house. Kade was walking toward the door, barefoot, and more importantly, shirtless. His jeans were not even buttoned up and there didn’t appear to be anything on underneath them.

Dammit, I hated this man. I’d told myself that he couldn’t possibly look as good as he’d appeared in a t-shirt. Like, no one could look that good unless they worked out every day. I guessed the ranch was workout enough, because he looked even better than I’d feared. I’d seen personal trainers with more fat on them. When was the last time this man had seen a plate of pasta? Or even a single noodle?

I was staring so hard at his body that it took me a second to notice he was glaring at me as he approached.

Oh, he’d better not be looking for a fight. The way I was feeling right now, it would be like starting shit with a grizzly having a bad day.

He swung the door open. “What the fuck are you doing banging on my door on a Sunday night? I told you not to come here.”

My cheeks were burning at the reminder I was too lowly to go to the house. The added reminder of my lowly situation only increased the rage.

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