Page 33 of A Cowboy's Trust
“Can I ask you something?”
He glanced around to see what had spooked her. “What’s going on?”
Jinx hesitated. “I need a favour,” she said finally. “Would you move into the house? Please?”
Jake’s hand stilled on the horse’s flank, surprise flickering in. “Move into the house?” he repeated. “Why?”
Jinx shifted from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable. “It’s nothing specific, really. I just… That new guy, Don. He reminds me of someone I ran away from. I don’t like him. I figured I was being overly sensitive, but Sasha and I were talking about something else and she reminded me that I’m allowed to be picky about what happens in my world.”
“No more explanation needed.” He trusted Jinx’s instincts. She’d been through more than most, and if something about the new guy set her off, that was reason enough to take her seriously.
But still, it surprised him that she’d askhimto move in, especially since she and Declan were close.
“You sure you want me in the house?” he asked gently, not wanting to push but needing to understand. “We can ask Declan. He won’t mind either.”
Jinx flushed slightly, looking away. “No,” she mumbled. “I’d feel better if it was you, that’s all.”
Jake studied her for a moment then nodded. He wasn’t about to press for more. If she needed him to stay in the house, then that’s what he’d do. “No problem,” he said. “I’ll move in tonight.”
Relief washed over her face, and she gave him a small, grateful smile. “Thanks, Jake.”
“No thanks needed.” He nodded at her. “I’m glad you have a good friend like Sasha.”
“Me too.”
He didn’t ask any more questions. It wasn’t his place to pry into Jinx’s reasons. If she had secrets, that was her right. His job, as he read it, was to keep everyone safe—and if moving into the house helped with that, then so be it.
Right after supper, he and Declan went out to the old barn at the edge of the property and worked with the ranch hands.
“Sorry for the late night, but I have an order of extra feed coming in early, and with the possible weather, it can’t sit outside. If we prep tonight, we’ll be ready for tomorrow.” Declan pointed to the pile of lumber that arrived late that afternoon. “That was supposed to be here five days ago.”
“Can’t be helped.” Don shrugged. “I know which end of the hammer to use if someone else cuts and measures.”
Tony mostly looked at the floor, but he nodded his agreement and followed orders.
They put up multiple rows of shelves for pellets and feed along the inside wall of the animal rescue. It wasn’t hard physical labour, but finicky as they fit the shelves against a crooked vertical wall and under a staircase.
Sacrificing their family time and the time with Tansy was hard, but in the end, Tony spoke a bit, and even Don seemed to lighten up and crack a smile.
After they said good night to the guys and headed to their own apartments, Declan laid a hand on Jake’s shoulder and squeezed firmly. “It wasn’t what I wanted to be doing, but you know what I kept thinking? I bet Jeff didn’t always want to listen to me tell him everything about horses that I knew, every single night.”
Jake laughed. “Yeah, you were pretty one tone at one point in your life.”
“I’m much more rounded now,” Declan said without a hint of amusement. “Now I can talk about horsesandthe price of hay.”
Which meant Jake was snickering softly and in a much better mood when he slipped into his small apartment to pack a few things. Declan was right. It had been worthwhile, and for once, Don hadn’t acted odd.
Didn’t change the fact Jake was moving into the house. Jinx had asked, Jinx would get.
It didn’t take long—a duffel bag of clothes and a bunch of odds and ends he wanted. Those he shoved into the nearest half-empty box he found in his closet. He ignored most of the rest?—
The stack of letters tipped over into view when he grabbed the box.
I wonder where Melissa is these days?
Then he kicked his own ass. “Brilliant, Einstein.”
That’s why he’d gotten rid of the letters in the first place. Or mostly gotten rid of them. Maybe he should toss the entire batch.
