Page 17 of Jake

“We do. We want a good relationship with the people of Gillette, so we find events that we can contribute to, and go participate.”

“What’s this one?”

“They’re going to have a demolition derby in town. Some of the guys have picked up an old beater, and have spent their free time fixing it up, putting a change in it. We’ve entered it. It’s not much but it will be fun.”

“Who’s driving?” She thought about the men she’d met and who was most likely to be that kind of dare devil. It wasn’t until he didn’t answer right away that she realized what he wasn’t saying. “Aaron?”

“Yeah?” His voice had turned hesitant.

“Please tell me you’re not driving.”

The silence coming across the line spoke volumes. But he didn’t just ignore her. He did respond, just not in the way she’d hoped.

“Sorry, Lynnie. I was the only one willing to get behind the wheel.”

Heather felt like her brain shorted out as the nickname she hadn’t heard in more than ten years registered. No one had called her that but him. And she never would have admitted it then, but she’d liked it. She had given up on ever hearing it again. Now, it made her eyes water, and her insides turn to goo.

When had she become so soft and sappy?

13

Jakelistened,wonderingifhe’d just screwed things over with Heather. He didn’t know which part was worse, confessing that he was going to be driving the car for the demo derby or calling her by the smart-ass nickname he’d dubbed her with back when they were freshman.

He didn’t check to see if the call was still connected, he could hear her breathing on the other end of the line. He didn’t check on her. He just waited.

It took her almost ninety seconds to speak, and even then, her voice was soft and breathy as if she didn’t believe what she’d heard. “You remembered.”

“I never forgot, Lynnie. You still got a thing for gummy worms and red hots?”

She laughed. “Of course, but—“

“No sour worms,” he finished the last of that phrase along with her.

They laughed together. The sound made him wish he didn’t need to be here for the next week. It made him wish his brothers would go back to Tucson, despite how impatient he’d been for them to get here.

“You know,” she said after a moment. “I get that you are tied up there, but I don’t have anything holding me here. I can come down there and spend some time with you.”

Jake opened his mouth to say no but stopped before he got the words out. He did want to see her. And without waiting long enough so he had time to get away and get all the way up to Dickenson.

But where would she stay? He didn’t think she’d be up to setting up a tent in the back field with the visiting club.

“I’d love to see you, Lynnie. But I live in a bunkhouse. I don’t have anywhere for you to stay. I mean I could find you a tent if you want to set up in the pasture like our visitors from the original chapter, but somehow, I don’t think that’s your style.”

“Yeah, not really.” She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “How far is the ranch from town?”

“About a half hour. It’s not too bad, but I don’t want you coming down and spending money on a hotel, at least not for more than a single night at a time.” He didn’t tell her that if anyone was spending that money, it would be him. He didn’t want her putting a charge on any of her cards, just in case that douchebag Mitch had people watching her accounts in an attempt to find her.

“I don’t want to do that either. I don’t want to spend too much money until I have some coming in again. I’ve got something else in mind.”

“What?” He wondered what she was thinking.

“No. Let me see if I can get it to work out before I tell you what I’m thinking.”

Jake took a deep breath and shook his head. He knew better than to push for an answer before she was ready to tell him. He wasn’t sure if there had been anyone more stubborn in the entire school than Heather had been when she’d made up her mind about something.

“All right, but if I can help with something, you’ll let me know, right?” he said, hoping she’d agree. Sometimes she got something so set in her mind she wouldn’t take what was freely offered. He hoped she’d gotten past that but knew better than to count on it.

“If I think you might can help, I’ll say something. I’ll even let you know what it is before I jump in feet first. I’m not as impulsive as I used to be. I just want to make sure it’s feasible before I share.”