Page 65 of Simply Yours

Twice.

Three times.

Maybe he wouldn’t answer. Maybe he was too busy. Maybe this was stupid?—

“Hello?”

His voice came through the line, breathless and slightly rough, as if he’d been running. She heard the faint rustling of wind, the distant sound of something creaking, like a gate or a fence.

“Hey,” she said, forcing a cheery tone even though her nerves coiled tight inside her. “Are you busy? Do you have a second to talk?”

“Depends.” His voice was dry, laced with something that sounded dangerously close to irritation. “Are you going to spike my breakfast with a candle, give me a pack of Depends, slip me a prescription for Viagra—which, knowing my siblings, would actually be blue jelly beans—a six-pack of Ensure, or a nice plastic case to put my dentures in?”

Caitlin blinked, her lips twitching despite herself. “Well, no,” she drawled, stretching out the words, “but those are creative—aren’t they?”

“They’resomething,” he muttered. “Which is why I’m spending the day out in the field checking the fencing. It’s boring, only takes one person, and—most importantly—I don’t have to listen to a bunch of people cracking jokes about my knees aching, my back giving out, or whether I’m due for a hip replacement.”

Ah.There it is.

Caitlin bit her lip, immediately recognizing the mood he was in. He wasn’t just grumpy—he was sulking. Brooding. Nursing his irritation like a stiff drink. And yet, beneath the sharpness in his tone, she heard something else, too. Something tired.

Something…lonely.

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

“Oh,” she whispered, unsure how to step around the invisible tripwire she suddenly felt between them. “If now is a bad time, I can?—”

“Caitlin.”

Her breath caught at the way he said her name. A rough exhale. A weary surrender.

“Hearing your voice has been the best moment of my birthday so far,” he admitted, softer now. The edge in his voice dulled just a fraction. “And I’m sorry I’m grumpy.”

Her heart did something traitorous in her chest.

“Well,” she murmured, choosing her next words carefully, “how about a small kidnapping?”

There was a beat of silence. Then?—

“A kidnapping, huh?” His voice lost its earlier stiffness, amusement curling around the words like smoke. “I won’t fight very hard.”

Caitlin smiled, warmth creeping through her as she reached for her keys. “Good,” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

The morning sunbathed the world in gold, rising higher into a sky so blue it was almost blinding. The air smelled like freshly cut grass, warm earth, and the lingering sweetness of honeysuckle drifting in from the fence line. It was the kind of day that begged to be savored—perfect for a birthday, even if the birthday boy himself wanted nothing to do with it.

This time, she didn’t hesitate. “Good,” she smiled, her voice laced with mischief. “See you in a few—and no hay bales were injured in this attempt. I promise.”

Jason’s deep chuckle rumbled through the phone, and she grinned as she ended the call. That sound did things to her—things she wasn’t about to admit out loud.

Minutes later, she pulled onto the gravel driveway, her tires crunching against the stones as she waved at Toni, who was peering through the window like a nosy neighbor with far too much free time. The front door creaked open just as Jason stepped around the corner, looking as exasperated as ever.

“Hey Caitlin, are you going to come have cake with us tonight?” Toni asked, her grin wide and knowing.

Caitlin hesitated, a small pang of something unsettling curling in her chest. Jason hadn’t mentioned anything about her joining them.

“Uh…” she started, but before she could formulate a polite excuse, Jason’s voice cut in, firm and decisive.

“Yes,” he said, tossing the words over his shoulder like it was a done deal. Then he shot a pointed look at his sister. “You should have asked her the other day instead of now. What if we had plans already?”

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