Page 85 of Mustang Summer

“Feel better?”Brock wiped his hands off and set the bag of trash in the backseat.

Her belly was full and her farm boy was next to her.“Yeah.I do.”

“Do you?”

She studied him.“You don’t believe me?”It wasn’t like Brock to question what she said.

His gaze left hers to stare at the fence beside her window.“I wasn’t sure.I’m remembering what my mom taught me.I’ve really only been around my family most of my adult life and I’ve…gotten lazy.”

“Brock, you’re anything but lazy.You don’t quit moving from sun up to sun down.”

He tapped his temple.“My mind.I exercised it my whole life and then got lazy.I couldn’t read you and defaulted to just the facts, didn’t account for human nature.I’ve been hiding under my cars for too long.”

“You’re not a robot.”

He gave her a sad smile.“I told my family.”

She gasped.“No way.”But when she stopped to think about it, she relaxed.“It didn’t matter, did it?”

“No.”He inhaled, his expression introspective.“Yes.They’ll be more respectful toward my mom.”He lifted a shoulder.“They’ll still be overprotective bastards.”

She touched a fingertip to the brim of his cap, wishing she could caress his face but it didn’t feel like the right time.“Why did you tell them?”

His gaze left hers again.“Cash said something about my mom.None of them knew about all the therapy.Then he mentioned that the guys wouldn’t let you spend our money.”Hardness glinted in his eyes.“I won’t have my cousins talk about you like my aunts and uncles trashed my mom.”

Pleasure curled its way into her with his words, but it was cut off by doubt.Did he want her around?Like long term?

“Were you serious?”he asked suddenly.“You didn’t conspire to steal from me?Our relationship wasn’t fake?”

“Absolutely real,” she whispered.She gave in and stroked his cheek.“Can I kiss you now?”

A genuine smile stretched his lips and he leaned in.She brushed his hat to the side and pressed her lips against his.

Parked in the middle of a small-town gas station lot was no place to make out, no matter how badly she wanted to.And they had serious issues to deal with first.

Reluctantly, she broke away from him.“Let’s go sort this mess out.”

Chapter19

Josie crossed her legs to attempt a comfortable position, but it was a lost cause.Sitting on Brock’s lap would be the ideal spot, but since they were visiting Jesse, not a good idea.She and Brock sat side by side, but she’d scooted close enough to nestle into his side.

A month had passed since the stolen Shelby debacle.Things were finally settling into a new normal, although Brock had been warning her about the upcoming harvest, when he would be out in the fields, manning the combines, and not around much.

She updated Jesse and marveled over how his face had softened, his shoulders had relaxed, and he listened without interrupting—as much.His constant anger at the world had simmered with all the time he could do nothing but think.She’d expected him to rage about what Bill had done, how he’d chosen Gage over the boy he’d raised, but instead he shook his head.

“So, that’s it.Gage gets the garage and pays off the old man’s debt, and Bill goes back to work for him?”He slanted his gaze at Brock, who sat next to her.“Thanks for dropping the charges against Bill.”

“You’re welcome.”It was Brock’s automated response, but it was an honest one.She’d left it up to him about what to do.All he’d cared about was getting his car back, then he’d asked Max to break down how it’d affect Josie if he pressed charges.

Josie hadn’t been sure what she wanted.Bill thought he’d been protecting her; his heart may have been in the right, stupid place, but his head careened into the pathological.

The final decision was to drop the charges.Josie had officially quit her job and moved out.Brock had helped her haul her stuff and store her brother’s things and what little was left of her mom’s.

“So where are my belongings now?”Jesse popped a brow.

“In my long garage,” Brock answered.“You didn’t have much.We put in it a corner and tossed a tarp over it.”

Jesse snorted, but it lacked heat.“I appreciate it.”He leveled his attention on Josie.“And you officially moved to Moore?”

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