Page 15 of Wrangling a Texas Hometown Hero

He didn’t know why a lump formed in his throat. “I won’t.” He tipped his hat. “See you, Mel. I hope you find a good home for Jelly Roll.” He turned and headed to his truck that he’d parked down the road behind the long line of other cars and trucks. He had almost made his getaway when Decker called his name.

“Jace!”

He thought about pretending like he didn’t hear him, but he figured he’d been enough of an ass for one night. He turned and waited for Decker to catch up with him.

“You’re leaving?”

He nodded. “Yeah. It’s a long drive to Galveston.”

“You can stay the night with us.”

The last thing Jace wanted to do was stay in the house Decker had inherited from their grandparents with him and Sweetie. “Thanks for the offer, but I told my mama I was going to be there tonight. She’ll worry if I don’t show up.”

Decker stared at him. “There are these things called phones, Jace. Maybe you’ve heard of them.” When Jace didn’t say anything, he sighed. “Are you ever gonna forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Deck.” He meant that. He didn’t blame Decker for being smarter than he was and hanging on tight to Sweetie.

“Then stay the night. You can call your mama. I know she’ll understand. In fact, she’ll be thrilled. She’s been hoping we can mend our fences.”

Jace wished he could. But while he didn’t have problems with Decker, he still had problems seeing him with Sweetie. Tonight had been a perfect example. He’d been fine until he’d seen them dancing together and looking so happy and in love. The pain he’d felt had been real. He couldn’t explain it and he sure as hell didn’t want to feel it. But he couldn’t help it. And since he was already struggling with the pain of losing football, he couldn’t deal with the pain of losing love too.

“Look, Deck. I really appreciate the offer. I’ll take you up on it some time. Just not now. I just . . . can’t now.”

Decker’s eyes turned sad before he nodded. “Okay, Jace. I’ll let it go.” He leaned in and pulled him in for a hard hug. “I love you, man.”

Jace held him tight. “I love you too.” He thumped him on the back before he drew away. “I’ll call you.”

“No you won’t. I’m always the one who calls you.”

Jace smiled weakly. “Okay. Call me.”

“You’re damn right I will. I mean it, Jace. I’m not gonna let you hide from me.”

“As if I could. You were always better at hide-and-seek than I was. You even found me when I hid in Nana’s chest. I thought no one would find me hiding under all of her skeins of yarn.”

“I didn’t. When I opened it the first time, I didn’t see you at all.”

“Then how did you figure it out?”

Decker grinned. “Papa ratted you out. I think he figured you won at everything else, he’d help me win at hide-and-seek.”

Jace had won more than Decker had, mostly because Decker hadn’t played sports or enjoyed competing. Maybe that’s what was so upsetting. Decker had never cared about winning. And yet, he’d won when it counted.

He thumped Decker on the arm. “I’ll be seeing you, cuz.”

Decker’s smile faded. “I hope so.”

With nothing else to say, Jace turned and headed to his truck.

Chapter Five

“So how did Mimi convince you to move back home?”

Hallie finished dumping the shovelful of horse poop into the wheelbarrow before she turned to the open door of the stall. Daddy stood there looking as big and intimidating as he always did, but she’d learned a long time ago to never show how much her daddy intimidated her.

Or how much his opinion mattered to her.

She went back to shoveling poop. “She thought you might need some help with the ranch. From the looks of these stalls, you do.”

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