Page 15 of The Cowboy's Second Chance Bride

How to get out of dodge ASAP—in 1 hour or less:

1.Get my bags.

2.Check out of the hotel.

3.Catch the next flight home. Even if I have to have a dozen stops before Dallas, get out of this stupid city now!

Home was where I could safely process all that I was feeling. I told myself that I could never like this new Cal and was lucky we hadn’t gotten married. I never could have lived a life with that guy. Even while feeling sorry for him.

Seeing Cal was like experiencing the death of a friend all over again. He looked like the someone I once loved, but he was a doppelgänger, the evil twin version, and I found myself mourning the loss of my friend Cal all over again.

And then there was the guy at the elevator, that Cal had showed a spark of the one I once knew. A flash of something had flitted in his eyes that with anyone else, I would have interpreted as hurt or confusion. But hurting Cal had never been my role, only his.

I speed-walked through the hotel lobby, aiming for the bank of elevators, but stopped short when I caught sight of a long-legged gentleman sitting in a chair near the elevators, holding a Stetson. I made a beeline for him.

“I could punch you in the nose.” I stood before him, arms akimbo.

Jace Shepard dropped his hat onto the chair next to him and put up both hands. “I swear, Sabrina, I did not tell Morgan to hire you. I told her you weren’t a good fit.”

“And yet she sought me out.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Did you know I was in town?”

He shook his head.

“Why are you in town?”

“I came when I heard Cal got shot. I swear he’s got a death wish. You know, every year we do a fishing trip. This year, he canceled to take this Peru job, which half his team had voted to not take. And he got shot. So I came to make sure he was okay and then maybe drag him away from here, someplace where I’d hope to knock some sense into him. Now this attack from his dad is just gonna make it all worse.” Jace picked up his hat and brushed off the seat next to him.

I sank into it with a weary sigh. “His dad is doing this?” I didn’t know why I was surprised. Half my business was from people trying to escape controlling parents.

Jace nodded as he shifted to face me. “I bet you were blindsided by Morgan approaching you.” His brow was knitted with concern.

I let my head fall back to rest against the edge of the seat. I looked at the ceiling as I replayed the events in my head. “I knew one day, somehow, our paths would cross again. I just thought it would be different than this. So when Morgan asked me to meet with him, I saw that as a sign.”

“Why? Did you think you could get him back?” His voice was soft, the question gentle.

I didn’t have to think about that for one second. “Yeah, I’ll admit revenge had crossed my mind.” I’d called it closure, but revenge would have been sweet.

Jace startled and drew in a breath with a hiss. “Judas Priest, Sabrina, I didn’t mean get him back revenge-style. I meant win him back.”

I rolled my head to the side to look at him and laughed. “You know, I didn’t even think of that. He made it clear back then that he didn’t want me.” I shrugged a shoulder. “So I let go of that a long time ago.”

He placed his hand over mine and squeezed. “I’m sorry if this brought up buried stuff. I really did try to warn them off you. I never want for you to get hurt.”

I smiled softly. “I know. And you can make it up to me when I come out there in a few weeks. You can let me take your kids home forever.”

“Done,” he said with a laugh. “Meredith called this morning. Jonah cut Nathan’s hair. She says it looks awful. Big chunks missing everywhere. And this on the heels of the Sharpie incident. We’re ready for some peace and quiet.”

The Sharpie incident had been the twins drawing all over each other using the colored markers. On their arms, legs, and faces. Know what erases a Sharpie mark? Nothing but time.

“It’s like your children aren’t supervised.” I winked, knowing they were.

“Give them three minutes alone, and they could take down an entire city.” He shook his head in resignation.

“Aside from seeing Cal, you know, they offered me twenty-five K for a few weeks of work with him. Change his image and all that.”

Jace gave a low whistle. “Damn, that was like offering a map to a lost trail rider. I bet you snatched it up.”

“I’m gonna ignore that fact that you might be implying I’m lost with this goal of mine. But yeah, that money would have replenished my empty coffers, which, as you know, is a requirement for the adoption agency.”

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