Page 21 of The Convict Gets His Girl

"Oh?" The woman's dark brows rose. "Am I in trouble again?"

Jewel laughed and shook her head. "No, just wanted to ask if you'd like to do lunch or dinner sometime this week? Being new to town, thought you might be lonely too."

Taylor grinned as they shook the pastor's hand and moved outside and down the steps. Jewel put her sunglasses on, the sunlight amplifying her headache.

"I'd love to. My friend, Lucy, teaches yoga a few times a week at the studio in town. We can do an early dinner and then go to yoga together?"

Jewel turned to face Taylor and continue their conversation. "I'd love that. Yoga is great for my joints, and moving these past few days has been brutal on my back."

Taylor nodded and said, "Oh, you need to talk to Holly, then. She's a great masseuse and owns the yoga place. If I were you, I'd book an appointment with her ASAP. Here, let me give you my number, and I can connect you."

Jewel spied Hunter approaching from over Taylor's shoulder and smiled as she handed her phone over. Suddenly, she felt the eyes of everyone hanging out outside the church and remembered their big breakup that Christmas.

Jewel took a deep breath and smiled tightly as Hunter stopped beside them.

"Jewel, Taylor," he said deeply.

Jewel's brows rose. "Oh, you two know each other? I wasn't sure. I was about to introduce you." She laughed nervously, glancing at all those staring at them.

Taylor explained how they'd met at the Electric Cowboy a few weeks ago, and handed Jewel her phone as she asked, "How do y'all know each other? You said you moved back home, so does that mean y'all grew up together?"

Jewel nodded and shifted on her feet. Her knee buckled, and she grabbed Hunter's forearm for stability. She answered quickly to distract them from her awkwardness in heels. "Oh yeah, we dated for a few years before I went to college."

"Oh, I see. And now you're back in town," Taylor said, stepping away slightly.

Jewel nodded, "Yeah, working with my dad and sister. They've built up the veterinarian business and have asked me for years to come help, but I wasn't ready to leave Houston until now."

"That's so great that you get to work with family."

Jewel nodded, but another woman with a baby boy in her arms called for Taylor. Taylor waved and told them goodbye, saying, "That's my friend Lucy, the one I told you about. We'll chat soon, yeah? I have to go." She took off swiftly after the other woman.

Jewel glanced at Hunter, then paused, the stares from others falling away at the look on his face. She knew that look, had grown up with that look for years before he finally looked at her like that.

Her emotions had been wild this past year with all the changes, uncertainty, and chaos of her life changing. But she felt nothing but friendly curiosity at that look on his face. She smiled in relief as she glanced at Taylor, then back at Hunter, noticing that he didn't look away from the other woman until she drove out of sight.

"She's sweet," Jewel said. "I'm glad I'm not the only new girl in town."

"You're not new," Hunter said, finally looking down at her with a frown.

She shrugged. "Fifteen years is a long time to be gone."

Hunter jerked his chin to the side of the church where the shadows offered shade from the hot Texas sun. "So Chase keeps telling me."

Chase stood alone, hands in jean pockets, hiding behind his sunglasses. No one approached him or offered a smile. A few of the older ladies walked in a wide berth away from him too, which made her mad.

Her nostrils flared. "We can't just let him be left out. Come on."

Hunter snorted but let her tug him by the arm toward Chase. "Is that how it happened? You felt sorry for him being left out?"

Jewel's step faltered, and she was glad she was still hanging onto him. "I told you, it was an accident and just… happened," she said lamely.

She tried to analyze his tone of voice, but she could only tell that he wasn't angry. Sarcasm could cover a multitude of emotions.

Hunter didn't even bother replying, but she barely noticed as they drew closer to Chase. He'd grown taller in the past few years, had filled out in a way that should be a sin.

When she'd left, he'd been a skinny, nerdy teenager. Now, he was built like a linebacker and had perfected the moody, brooding anti-hero, his body language saying stay away or else.

The three of them stood in awkward silence, then Jewel sighed. "Well, so much for breaking the ice and learning to get along again."

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