Page 93 of Kayla's Cowboy
CHAPTER NINETEEN
JACKSON TAPPED ON Morgan’s door the next morning before the sun had risen. “Hey, sleepyhead, we’ve got to get going if we’re going to see everyone before they leave.”
The door popped open and his daughter, fully dressed, grinned at him. “I’ve been up for an hour.”
“I’m impressed.”
“So am I.” Then her bottom lip trembled. “I just wish they weren’t going.”
“Me, too.” He pulled her into a hug before they went down to eat a quick bowl of cereal.
Kayla was largely responsible for the quiet, friendly mood between him and his daughter. Maybe he would have figured it out eventually, but she was the one who’d opened his eyes to the problems, which was why he’d finally been able to start doing something about them.
When they arrived at the Garrison house, the kids were carrying their duffel bags out to stuff into the cargo area of the Volvo. With the exception of Kayla, they all looked half-asleep. No doubt she’d already gone out for a predawn run, giving her skin a healthy, sexy glow. It was only in her eyes that there were shadows.
Jackson drew her aside. “Please think about what we discussed last night,” he pleaded, gazing intently into her face. “I’m not giving up on us.”
“I thought we finished that conversation,” she answered.
“I’ll never finish with it. I’m just asking you to trust me one more time, please. Trust yourself. Trust us.”
Her lips tightened before she turned and called, “Come on, guys. We need to say goodbye and get on the road.”
Keri and Sandy thanked the Garrisons for hosting them, and Jackson for all the fun at his ranch. DeeDee threw her arms around his neck, sniffing a little, before hugging Morgan, too. Jackson looked at Alex and the two of them sort of bumped shoulders.
There were hugs and kisses all around with the Garrisons, neither of whom pretended to have a dry eye at the farewell. And in the middle he spotted Morgan giving her brother a hug, as well. Morgan stepped back, blinking furiously, and Elizabeth put an arm around her shoulders.
But Kayla simply smiled as if Jackson was a mere acquaintance before climbing into the Volvo.
“You’ll let me know when you get home safely?” he asked, leaning in to look at her.
“I’ll email.”
Email? That was no substitute for hearing her voice.
Watching the SUV disappear down the dark road left Jackson with a twisting pain in his gut.
* * *
ALEX DIDN’T FEEL so great.
Running away had been a lousy idea that had somehow turned out okay. For a while he’d been afraid he’d messed up his whole family. But now he was leaving half his family in Montana—the new part of his family.
DeeDee was sitting in the middle seat and she turned to stare at Alex with unusually wide eyes. She almost never cried, but if she did, he had a feeling she’d be doing it right now.
“Mom, when’s the next time we’ll see... Grandma and Grandpa?” He’d almost included Jackson, and that was weird.
“No plans yet,” his mom said. “But I’m sure it won’t be too long, and you can phone or video call with them whenever you want.”
“Uh, okay.”
His phone signaled that he had a text, so he pulled it out and found one from Morgan.
Alrdy ms ur ugly face. When ru coming bak?
Don’t know, he texted back.
Sucks.
Duh. Gotta go.
He turned off the phone since Mom always said it was rude to be in a group and ignore them while texting. As he put the phone away, he heard crackling and remembered the envelope Jackson had given him as they were getting into the car. Alex opened it and found a note. Outside it was still pretty dark, so he turned on a light to read it.
Alex,
I hope you’ll feel comfortable keeping in contact with me. Take care of your mom and your sister.
—Jackson
On a small card Jackson had printed his home number, cell phone and email address.
Carefully, Alex put the card in his wallet. When he looked up, DeeDee was staring again.
“Jackson gave me one, too,” she whispered.
“Good, then you won’t have to bug me for it. Squirt.”
“You’re soooo funny.”
“Let’s put on a movie,” Keri suggested.
Sandy was taking the first turn in the front seat so she couldn’t watch, but Alex started Wild Hogs on one of the built-in DVD players in the headrest, and in a while he almost forgot the hollow feeling he’d gotten when they drove away from Schuyler. He knew he’d miss Grandma and Grandpa, and Morgan, of course. But he hadn’t expected to miss Jackson the way he already did.
* * *
KAYLA FOCUSED ON the road ahead, her eyes stinging. Seeing the emotion in her grandparents’ faces had nearly made her cry. She’d hated saying goodbye to them, as much as they’d hated seeing her leave.