Page 35 of One Lucky Cowboy

Grace’s lips pressed tight, and she nodded, putting the last of the glass dishes in the farm-sized fridge. She nodded to the doorway that led to a long hallway with vaulted ceilings. It was magnificent and decorated tastefully, a blend of modern and farmhouse chic. Jill followed.

“This house was the one the boys were born in.”

“It’s stunning,” Jill remarked.

They’d switched topics, but she could be patient. She’d like to know about Bennett and Jax’s feud, but not enough to pry. Grace was so kind and giving, the last thing Jill wanted was to get on her bad side by pressing for dirt on her family.

“Not the original floor plan, of course, but when Bennett made his first big deal, he had the home leveled and this beautiful one put up in its place.”

“What an amazing gesture.”

Grace smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “It was. But it wasn’t what I wanted. My memories were tied up in this place, and when he leveled it, he destroyed all the moments I cherished watching the boys grow up in the home. I know their childhoods were hard for them in different ways for each of them. Their father was … tough. And I get Bennett had to do it so he could start fresh. I also know the home I knew wasn’t always filled with laughter or calm voices, but I made sure it was filled with love.” Her gaze turned wistful, as if she could see her sons young again, chasing each other like Gander chased a hummingbird. “For a long time, I wouldn’t set foot in the new house because I couldn’t feel it anymore, the life we’d made together.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I think you do.” She walked them to a second-story balcony off the master suite that took Jill’s breath away. The reds and browns of the canyon were highlighted by the setting sun and looked like they’d been brushed with Technicolor. The views included the canyon, the creek, and every field north of the set of three homes. Bennett had built her a palace with million-dollar views. He’d do the same for Maggie if she’d let him. But what was he building for Jax? And did Jax want it, or would it be a prison in the shape of a Texas castle?

“This is pretty spectacular, though.”

“That’s the thing,” Grace said. “Bennett has a way of trudging over people’s dreams to give them what he thinks they want, and even if there’s some resentment—or in Jax’s case, a lot of it—eventually, most people end up coming around and realizing the heart that went into Bennett’s decisions.”

“So Jax just needs to be patient and see where his brother leads him?”

“Maybe. Or maybe Bennett got it wrong this time. His priorities have changed.”

“Maggie and the baby?”

Grace nodded, sitting on the refurbished cedar balcony swing, then patted the seat next to her.

“Jax is a free spirit and always has been. He’s got a different way of thinking than the rest of us, which is what makes him so special. Bennett wants to bulldoze a path for his little brother, but Jax likes to wander until the right one materializes.”

Jill nodded. That was the most accurate assessment of the man she’d heard yet.

“Do you think they’ll ever find a way to work together?” she asked. Because she’d seen Jax on the back of that mare the other day. If he could do more of that, maybe he wouldn’t leave.

“I don’t know,” Grace said, her gaze on a hawk overhead scanning the ground for signs of its own dinner. “If Bennett can close his head and listen to his heart and Jax can be brave enough to ask for what he wants, maybe. But he can’t get there alone.”

Grace met her gaze, and Jill felt a shiver roll down her spine. This is what the prey must feel like under the hunting gaze of the hawk.

She nodded, understanding the unspoken context of Grace’s comment.

“I’m glad I get to spend the next month here. It’s magical.”

“It really is. The city’s a vibrant place to be, but it doesn’t have this,” she said, gesturing to the hawk in a nosedive toward the earth at breakneck speed.

Jill held her breath, only exhaling when the bird pulled out of the dive, a mouse in his beak.

“No, it doesn’t. Thanks for not making me fight like that for my dinner,” she joked.

“You’re welcome here any time, dear. You’re Maggie’s family, so you’re our family. And I’m pretty sure my youngest agrees. Don’t you, Jackson?”

Jill swallowed a gasp. She hadn’t heard him climb the stairs or come out onto the balcony. “Didn’t catch the question, but sure, Mom.”

Grace stood and gave her son a quick hug before stretching. “I’m headed into the den to read my latest book club novel. If you hear a loud thump, it’s only me tossing the thing into the trash. Where Jenine gets these books is beyond me. Don’t get me started on who publishes the drivel. Give me a good romance or mystery, please and thank you.”

She kissed Jill’s cheek, then closed the door behind her.

“She’s amazing,” Jill said. Her hands were clasped tightly behind her back, so she didn’t close the gap between them, pull Jax down to her, and kiss him into oblivion. “You all are,” she whispered.

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