Chapter 8

Chapter

Eight

Cade descended the stairs, his neck hot. Jacey had assumed he would push her to sleep with him. Sheesh. What had he said or done to lead her there?

The truth was, he didn't have another bed in his house and no way was she sleeping on the floor in the guest room. He'd have to change out the sheets on his bed, but he could deal with that later. Even seeing her in his bedroom, closet, and bathroom made him wonder if he'd been smart to agree to have her stay.

His protective instincts toward her were off the charts, but his desire for her was just as strong. He would never play with fire or disrespect a lady. He'd have to be very careful to keep firm boundaries with her staying here. Even with her memory loss, she knew how desirable she was. Maybe that was why she'd questioned him about sleeping arrangements.

The food was spread out on the counter, the grocery sacks twisted together like Millie or his mom would do. There was fresh fruit and veggies, nuts, cheese, frozen chicken, homemade bread, and a plastic-wrapped platter of cookies and sweet breads.

Clint and Easton weren't in the living room or kitchen.

He surveyed everything, then started putting the fresh goods in the refrigerator.

The front door opened and Easton and Clint came in, stopping just inside the door but shutting it behind them. They didn't take their hats off—not disrespect necessarily, more that they weren't staying long.

"The sensors and cameras are set up," Clint said. "Nothing fancy, but at least we'll know every time a deer or cougar comes into your yard." A smile managed to settle on his face, obviously an unfamiliar expression in Cade's presence.

Cade was able to summon a smile as well. When was the last time he'd smiled at Clint Coleville? Not in the last year, that was certain.

"Or something more nefarious like Catherine Oliver's henchmen," Easton said.

His smile dropped, but he planned how he could take on mercenaries to protect Jacey.

He rubbed at his neck and regarded the two men. "Thank you. Tell Millie thank you. I do have food, but this is very kind." He lived far enough away that he never had a well-meaning neighbor drop cookies off. Of course his own mama sent him home with leftovers, breads, and desserts from Sunday dinner, but this was a lot of food, and so like Millie Coleville. He missed that lady.

"She was happy to do it," Easton said. "Started baking and sent Dad running to the store with a list the moment we told her we'd found Jacey and she was fixing to stay up here with you."

Cade chuckled. "Sounds about right. Thank you. "

They both nodded. Clint tilted his head to the phone on the counter. "Can you keep that with you? I have the cameras and sensors downloaded to my phone and that one."

Cade nodded, though he felt a little put out by Clint insisting he set up so much digital security. He reminded himself Clint was simply acting as the bossy sheriff, not the annoying former friend who had stolen his girlfriend.

The shower turned on upstairs and Cade forced himself not to think about that enthralling woman getting in his shower. It was a very conscious decision to shove the idea to the side.

"You good? I know this is a lot," Clint said.

"I volunteered," Cade said, probably too shortly. Clint knew he was more than capable. "I'm happy to do it. I feel very protective of her."

Clint's eyebrows rose and Easton muttered, "You and every other man in the world."

"Are you interested in Jacey?" Cade asked, turning to face Easton square on. He'd lost the friendship of one Coleville brother because of a competition over a beautiful woman. Was he about to lose another? That would sting.

"Of course I am." Easton took his hat off, gripping it with both hands and shooting him a challenging look. He might be four years younger, twenty-eight to Clint and Cade's thirty-two, but he was strong and could fight. "One of the most beautiful and famous women in the world who can tease, laugh, and keep a positive attitude despite being displaced and unloved by her own family. She's willing to get her hands dirty—cook, clean, feed calves, or muck out a stall like she's no better than anybody else. Jacey's a fugitive who's been manipulated and abused by her own mother but is more emotionally resilient and kind than anybody but our own mama." He shook his head and gave a grunt like Cade was the slowest man he'd ever met. "You find me a single man around that wouldn't be interested in, and protective of, a woman like that."

Clint said nothing, and Cade didn't know what to say. He had seen glimpses of everything Easton was saying in the perplexing beauty upstairs in his master suite. He already felt as if she could be more important to him than even Sheryl had been. And he hadn't lived in the same house as her for the past year, protecting her and falling deeper and deeper for her like apparently Easton had.

He exchanged a glance with Clint, and it hit him. Was he swooping in and stealing Easton's love, like he'd accused Clint of with Sheryl? He knew the honest truth now, had known it for a while but hadn't acknowledged it. Sheryl had expertly played both of them, neither of them knowing she was dating the other as Cade had been deployed and Clint had been here. Cade had carried a grudge for a year and blamed Clint for stealing his girl. Ironically, she'd dumped Clint shortly before her and Clint's wedding and left town six months ago.

How was it that he could so easily tell Jacey that her misunderstanding was ‘forgiven and forgotten' but hold anger in his heart toward one of his formerly closest friends for over a year now? It was a lot of baggage and angry words and him trying to start fights with Clint while he was still injured, which Clint had wisely walked away from.

He drew in a breath and said a prayer for the right words. Was it time to put that pain and anger behind them? If they could, Jacey falling down his mountainside might be more heaven sent than he'd even realized.

"First of all, Easton. You and Walker have been very good friends to me. You haven't given up on me, and I've never told you how I appreciate all the visits and adventures you two force me to go on. Thank you."

Easton nodded. "Of course. You're our friend."

"Thanks again. Second, if you and Jacey have a relationship that she'll remember after the amnesia, I don't want to tread on that. I … know where that leads. You could stay with us and help me protect her."

It was a horrific concession to make. At least he hadn't said he'd give up any chance with her. He hadn't been drawn to even Sheryl, dating her mostly long distance but for over six months, like he was to Jacey, who had only dropped into his life this morning. She needed him and he already needed her. She was the perfect mix of sweet, flirtatious, smart, fun, elegant, and beautiful. If she and Easton were truly dating, he'd have to give up pursuing her. That ripped at his gut.

"Ah, sheesh, Cade." Easton shook his head. A muscle in his jaw worked. "I wish I could jump on your offer and claim Jacey and I have a relationship and she needs to come home with me or I need to stay here. Truth be told, Walker and I both have crushes on her, but she's never shown partiality to either of us. Treats us more like brothers." His shoulders drooped.

"Oh. All right." Relief filled him. She wasn't dating Easton. He snuck a glance at Clint, whose jaw was tight. Cade could imagine Clint thought he was taking shots at him, but that wasn't how he meant all of this. "What do you think, Clint?"

"I appreciate you being honest, Easton." Clint nodded to his brother, his eyes partially shaded with his hat. "From everything I've seen, Jacey is comfortable here, has a connection to Cade, and will be safe here and better able to heal without all the noise and busyness of the family and crew down at the ranch."

They were leaving her here. With him. If he fell to the ground and started shouting ‘hallelujah,' it would be too telling. He held his ground and simply nodded his thanks.

At that moment, the shower turned off. His senses prickled. She'd be stepping out of his shower, drying off with one of his towels. His mouth went dry. Maybe Easton should stay. He rubbed at the growth on his jawline. But he didn't want to be competing with the charming Coleville brother, a famed bull rider in his own right. Cade wanted Jacey all to himself.

I promise to keep my thoughts and hands in line , he told heaven above. Please help me keep her safe and help her heal.

The problem was, how long would she stay? A day? A week? He couldn't imagine he'd be blessed with a month. His house and life would be lonelier than ever once she left.

"Thank you," he said to Clint. "Are you okay with that, Easton?"

"I wish I could make you promise not to get close to her, but … I've seen with my own eyes how she looks to you, wants to be in your space, touch you. Hopefully they'll catch Catherine quick and I'll get my shot again. I mean, what woman has ever been able to resist me for long?" He grinned, back to his usual teasing self.

Cade nodded and splayed his hands. "Agreed."

He meant about the ladies flocking to Easton. He should've agreed to the hope of catching Catherine quick. Truth be told, he wanted more time with Jacey. Was he being the ‘selfish girlfriend-stealer' that he'd accused Clint of being a year ago? Easton had readily admitted he and Jacey weren't in a relationship. Cade wanted Easton to be happy, but he wanted Jacey to choose him.

The ironic thing was she'd leave town much quicker than Sheryl did. There was no way a high-class, wealthy lady like Jacey Oliver would feel enough of a pull to the mountains and a certain cowboy to stay here once her mother was captured and her brother, the famous Quaid Raven, came for her. She only wanted to be with Cade because of the amnesia. He was the first person she'd seen. He'd taken care of her, and she had an attachment to him. It would disappear when her memory came back or fade quickly when her former ritzy life presented itself.

Movement sounded upstairs. He might only have a few moments before she came out. He wanted to tell Clint he was sorry.

Jacey really was a gift. She'd given him a clarity of vision to see how to forgive the man he'd harbored such jealousy and anger toward. He'd even realized he was being unjust to Clint, something he hadn't wanted to admit previously. His frustration should've been directed at Sheryl, but the respect his dad had taught him for women was ingrained too deeply, and it had been easier to blame Clint for double-crossing him and ruining his shot at happily ever after.

"Clint," he ground out.

Clint's gaze honed in on him, his blue Coleville eyes bright and unnerving.

"I need to …" Cade pulled in a breath and pushed it out. This was rough. He'd never imagined it would be this rough, but until now, he hadn't imagined he'd drop his pride and admit he'd been wrong. Maybe Jacey wasn't such a gift. He almost smiled at his thoughts, but he had to get this out. "Apologize."

"Apologize?" Clint stared at him like he had two heads. He edged toward the door and held up his hands. "No. Just because I brought some food up here and you're helping us protect Jacey doesn't mean you need to clear the air between us. "

"Sheesh. Can you make this any harder?" Cade hurled at him.

"Harder?" Clint snorted derisively. "She broke me harder than she broke you. At least you only had six months of being duped. I was a year in, a ten-thousand-dollar diamond ring, house plans, a foundation dug, my mama's heart invested, and weeks from marching down the aisle. You wanted me to hurt and pay for her playing both of us. I have. Humiliation, agony. I've been brought to the dust. Don't go apologizing now that we're temporarily fighting for a common goal."

Clint swung open the door and marched through it, not bothering to slam it behind him. He didn't need to. His words were enough.

Cade was stunned, though he shouldn't have been. All the words he'd fired at Clint and punches thrown over a year ago … Cade had come home with a shiny medal, an abruptly ended military career, and a non-functioning knee, hoping his love would be there for him. When he realized Sheryl was dating them both, he had been furious and even more broken. In his mind, his sweet, devoted girlfriend could never have done that to him. He'd been convinced Clint had swooped in and tried to steal his girl while he was fighting for their country. She'd been crafty, and with Cade originally meeting her on a weekend home when Clint was out of town supporting Easton and Walker at the NFR finals in Vegas, and then being deployed and trying to develop a long-distance relationship, it had been easy for her to play them. It had been, and was still, a mess.

He should've realized a simple apology wouldn't fix the friendship they'd shattered. He couldn't take all the blame, but he could take a lot of it.

Easton grimaced. "Sorry, bro." Then his gaze traveled up the stairs and his face softened into a welcoming smile. "Afternoon, beautiful."

Cade followed his gaze. He'd thought Jacey was gorgeous with dirt smudges on her face, a knot on her head, torn clothing, and no makeup.

In a white fitted T-shirt and jeans that outlined her trim legs with her hair curled and her lips shiny and her eyes even bigger and bluer with those long lashes … she was breathtaking.

He should've been jealous and annoyed at Easton complimenting her and the sweet, hesitant smile she gave his friend. Instead, he was sick to his stomach. He'd ruined one Coleville friendship fighting over a beautiful woman who only ended up leaving them both in the dust.

What did he think was going to happen this time? Jacey wasn't meant to be in the backwoods of Montana, and Easton stared at her like she was the prize bull-riding belt buckle—shiny and irresistible and something he had to win.

She was much more valuable than any prize on earth.

But Cade was remembering exactly why he'd determined not to date this past year. No matter how incredible and alluring the woman seemed, all he had in store for him was fractured relationships, a shattered heart, and loneliness when Jacey walked away.