Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“You’ve got to go to the cops,” Cole said, his voice low. “There’s proof now, and I’m sure he had someone shooting at you as well—”
“Gladys Roberts wouldn’t be working for them,” Owen broke in.
Cole frowned at him. “I’m not talking about that shooting, but the other one.”
“There was another shooting? Why didn’t you tell me?” Owen snapped, but JB was still too overcome with anger to reply. He’d taken the truck in to be repaired and hadn’t thought of sharing what had happened with Owen.
Cole was nodding. “Yes, someone shot at us when we were returning from the Jenkinses’ ranch. They were on Logan’s land.”
“Fuck.” Owen planted his hands on his hips and glared at JB. “I have to agree. It’s time to pull the authorities in.”
JB nodded. “I will. I mean, I am, going to call them. This has gone too far.”
Cole’s expression eased with relief. “The poison was purchased out of the country, which is one reason we had such a difficult time finding the information.”
“Why couldn’t that bastard have built his resort where the llama farm is? Saved us all this headache?” JB grumbled.
Cole smiled. “Probably because it doesn’t have the lake and isn’t as pretty as your land. Even I’m taken in by all these rolling hills.”
JB hoped he was very taken in by them. Hoped he’d decide not to leave. But Cole’s next words threw cold water onto those thoughts.
“Rowe also told me the man who’d been after me was put in jail. It’s safe for me to go home.”
JB could feel Owen’s gaze on him then, knew his friend was silently urging him to say something, but all JB could do was nod.
“I’m going to go check on the new calves,” Owen muttered before striding out of the office. He threw a pointed look at JB over his shoulder that screamed Talk to him.
But JB couldn’t bring himself to say a word because his heart had frozen. Just minutes ago he’d convinced himself that he needed time. More time to convince Cole of so many things, but the opposite happened. He was out of time.
JB looked at Cole to find him quietly watching him, those blue eyes full of something JB couldn’t read.
“Well,” he eventually said, his voice gruff. “I guess you’re probably relieved.”
“I wasn’t as worried as Rowe, but yeah. You can finally get your place to yourself.”
He should ask him to stay. Should say something—anything—to get the man to stay, but all the words tangled in his throat. He worked to swallow the lump of them, feeling as if that frozen heart of his was shattering.
“There’s some fencing that needs my attention, so I guess I’d better get after it.”
“See you at dinner, then?” Cole asked.
“Yeah, see you then.” JB plopped his hat on his head and marched past Cole. Maybe he could figure out a way to unravel his words before they met again for dinner.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Cole couldn’t shake the feeling that JB was acting strange. He’d been quiet all through dinner, barely meeting Cole’s eyes. Cole had a feeling he knew what was wrong, but he wanted to hear it from JB himself. He stared at the man as they did the dishes, noticing the tense shoulders and jerky movements. Maybe give him some space? Nope. He couldn’t do it.
Leaning his hip on the counter, Cole loosely held the dish towel in his hands. “Okay, spill. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” JB rinsed a plate and handed it to Cole. Again, he didn’t meet his eyes.
Cole dried it and put it into the cabinet. They didn’t use the dishwasher when it was just a few dishes, and he’d come to enjoy the time he spent in this small kitchen with JB. Lots of opportunities to brush up against him while trading jokes and witty remarks. He loved JB’s sharp, twisted mind. He never quite knew what was going to come out of his mouth.
But this JB worried him. “You’ve avoided me all day and now you’re acting weird.”
“I wasn’t avoiding you,” JB said defensively. “I was dealing with the police, you know that.”
“Hey,” Cole set down his kitchen towel and put his hands on JB’s shoulders, turning him so they could look into each other’s faces. The sun was setting outside, and color streaked across JB’s features. He was a gorgeous man, and Cole’s stomach tightened. “Talk to me. Please.”
Finally, JB looked at him, sadness in the twist of his mouth. “I told you they were looking into it.”
Alarmed by the downturn of JB’s mouth, he tilted his head and squeezed his hands. “Don’t talk to me about the police, tell me what’s going on in that intriguing mind of yours. Talk to me.”
“I can’t,” JB whispered. He looked into Cole’s eyes and suddenly his expression sort of just caved in. His shoulders slumped and his eyes flooded with pain. “Don’t go.”