Page 98 of The Rogue

“Ah.” I watch his hesitation and decide to go a little rogue as the nanny who should never, ever ask this question. “What was your mom like?”

His unchanging expression tells me he was already thinking about her.

Jackson stands and moves to a dusty shoebox under his nightstand. He sits on the floor, cross-legged and pulls it open. He digs through birthday cards and loose paper, then pulls out a photograph. He hands it to me without looking.

A slim woman with red hair cascading down her shoulders and deep brown eyes smiles into the camera.

“She’s beautiful.”

Jackson shrugs. “You’re prettier.”

His comment makes me look at the photo again, studying her features. There’s a resemblance there. Not much on the eyes since mine have more of a golden hue, but the wild red hair, petite figure. Even the way she smirks.

I tuck this new information away. “I know she pops in every now and then,” I say softly.

“I don’t like it. She makes me uncomfortable.”

I wince, remembering what Levi told me about the lies she’d make him tell. “I know.”

“Grandpa says not to take it personally. He says everything she does is to mess with Dad, not me.”

A knot forms in my chest. I’m not the maternal type, but something about his sadness makes me want to crouch down and tuck him under my arm. So I slide off the bed and do just that. “I think he’s right.”

A figure at the door catches my eye. A sweat-stained cowboy leans against the frame, arms crossed. Levi’s hard eyes dip to the photo in my hand. His jaw works tightly.

I open my mouth to say God knows what, but he doesn’t let me.

“When you two are about done, dinner’s almost ready.” He strides off and down the stairs.

23

The bar is crowdedtonight, so I slide into an empty booth at the Inn. Dad’s training Ethan behind the bar, but he’s not as swift as Tessa was back there.

Always quick on her feet.

Dad passes me a bottle that matches his and sits across me. “What happened?”

“Just stopped by for a drink. And maybe an apple pie to go.”

“Apple pie, huh? Tessa loves my apple pie. What’d you do?”

I take a swig and sigh. “I was a dick at dinner.”

“Oh you mean one of the few times that woman eats during the day? Smooth move.”

I glare at him, wary about the fact that Tess barely touched her food. “You’re not helping.”

“If you told me what set you off, maybe I will.”

“Earlier tonight, Jackson showed her a photo of Lilly.”

He grunts, rubbing the stubble on his jaw. Then folds his hands on the table andwaits for me.

“I was headin’ to his room and stopped short when I heard him say you’re prettier.”

He nods once. “So he sees the resemblance.”

“She did too.”

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