Page 37 of The Wayward Son

“How you doing, Jade?”

“Great.”

He came to her and shook her hand. “Welcome back to the ranch.”

“Thank you. I hear congratulations are in order.”

“Yeah. I’m a husband and a father.”

“You’re married to Joey. That’s so wonderful.”

“Somehow, we made it back to each other. And got a bonus in the form of Finn.”

“I can’t wait to meet them. Or Finn. And Joey, again.” She smiled. “It’s all a little confusing.”

J.T. looked at Sawyer when he came up next to Jade.

“Shit, brother.”

“I know.”

J.T. shook his head. “If that doesn’t convince you to rethink a boxing career, I don’t know what will.” He shook Sawyer’s hand. “Welcome home. I hope you’ll be here a while.”

“Is the work piling up?”

“That’s part of it. But mostly, I’m ready to kick your ass at darts again.”

Jacob came from the kitchen. “You all better get in here before the food gets cold.”

Jade was sitting between Sawyer and Sage, feeling happily overwhelmed by all the conversation going on around her. The O’Connell family, in her mind, was perfect. Of course, they were the only real family she’d ever known. And even though she wasn’t born into it, she felt like she belonged. She loved them all, and she was glad to be back.

Sawyer nudged her. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m just listening.”

He leaned toward her ear. “You better eat while you listen, or Granddad will have your ass.”

She picked up her knife and fork and cut into the pork chop on her plate. “Wouldn’t want that.”

J.T. was sitting across the table from her. “So, what have you been up to, Jade?”

“Well, for a while after I left, no good. But after a year of traveling the northwest, I landed in Seattle and went to UW.”

“That’s cool. What’d you study?”

“I got a business degree with an emphasis on hotel management and hospitality.”

“Hmm. Interesting.” He took a drink of his iced tea. “Maybe you could give Joey a few pointers on running the inn. She’s kind of flying blind right now.”

“Of course. I’d love to.”

“Sawyer can bring you by the place tomorrow. You can meet Finn and see what Joeys’ done to the old Bradford place.”

“I always like that place. Although Sawyer and I were pretty convinced it was haunted.”

Jake cocked his head at her. “I hope you two weren’t among the kids that broke into the place and hung out. And by that, I mean partied.”

Sawyer laughed. “We weren’t quite old enough to be welcomed to the parties, Dad. But we went inside a time or two.”

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