Page 110 of Sweet Like Whiskey

I let Jackson bring me to bed. I let him grab dinner for us from the ranch house, the both of us eating with our plates resting on the sheets. I let him handle the cleanup alone.

And when he comes back to bed, I ask him to keep me warm.

Chapter 26

Jackson

“He’s looking better,” my mom says, twirling a sprig of dried lavender between her fingertips. “He’s got his glow again.”

I grunt, watching as Ash kneads a large ball of dough inside the ranch house kitchen. His sling is off, finally, and per his physical therapist’s instructions, he’s back to regular activity, barring any discomfort. His posture isn’t as loose as it was before the accident, but my mom is right. He looks happy again.

It’s an immense relief, even though I know he’s far from recovered. And even then, he may not ever be without some pain.

I try not to let the thought get me down, knowing Ash doesn’t want my pity. Never that.

“Just don’t go working him too hard,” I tell my mom, turning away from where we were spying in the hall.

She makes an amused sound as she follows me back into the dining room. Lavender is spread along one end of the table like a blanket of purple, and my mom returns her sprig to the pile. “Jackson dear, pretty sure out of the two of us, I’m not the one who’s at risk ofworkinghim too hard.”

“Oh, gross,” I mutter, picking up my hat.

“There’s nothing gross about sexual intercourse,” my moms says. “It’s a perfectly natural—”

“Ah, ah, ah,” I say, willing my ears to close up. I hold up a hand, suppressing the shudder that wants to roll throughout my entire body and soul. “What’s gross is talking toyouabout it.”

My mom plucks up another lavender sprig, opening her mouth to say something I’m sure would be scarring, when my dad walks into the room.

“Hey now,” he says, snatching the lavender from her hand. He starts collecting the rest, handling the dried buds carefully. “Did anyone say you could play with myLavandula?”

Hands full, my dad walks out, and my mom glances my way.

“He is the strangest man,” she says simply.

“You married him.”

She sighs, sounding happy about that. “I did. Twice.” As I reach the back door, she calls out, “You’re glowing, too, Jackson. It’s a damn good sight.”

I grumble, waving my hand over my shoulder as my mom laughs at my retreating back. Shaking my head, I put on my hat and head for the horse barn.

My brothers are inside when I arrive, Remi sitting on a crate outside the tack room and Colton leaning against the wall, feet crossed at his ankles. He pushes upright when I walk in and holds out his arms.

“Let the secret meeting of the brothers commence,” Colton proclaims loudly.

Ignoring my brother’s ridiculousness, I grab another crate and plop down across from them. “Thanks for coming.”

Colton drops his arms. “Yeah, yeah,” he mumbles, clearly sore about me not playing along. “What’s going on?”

I rub my jaw. “Lawson.”

Colton nods as Remi hums.

“He’s been off,” our youngest brother says.

“He has,” I agree.

Colton looks between the two of us, brows drawn. “His wife announced she wanted a divorce and had him move out the next day. Of course he’soff.”

I shake my head. “It’s more than that. He’s going through something, and he won’t talk to me about it. Has he talked to either of you?”

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