Page 27 of The Convict Gets His Girl

Guilt clawed at Jewel's insides, an unwelcome companion. She closed her eyes briefly, willing strength into her voice. "It's complicated, sweetie," she whispered, her gaze dropping to her trembling hands, "but it's well overdue."

"Mom, it doesn't make sense to uproot everything now," Destini said, her words quick and earnest. "I can finish out the school year living with Aunt Liz and Uncle Joe. The internship will start next summer, and if I get it—Mom, do you understand what that means for my future career with NASA?"

Jewel hesitated, her breath catching in her throat. She knew all too well what it meant for Destini; it was the chance of a lifetime. But how could she explain the urgency of her own needs without revealing the truth? She couldn't bring herself to say more, to burden her daughter with the weight of her illness.

"Destini, honey, I know it's an amazing opportunity, but?—"

Destini cut her off mid-sentence. "I've already talked to my counselors here—I went with Carmen to freshman orientation—and they said I could graduate early if I homeschool."

Destini continued, undeterred as the excitement mounted in her voice. "If I graduate with a homeschool diploma, then I could focus all my energy on the NASA internship, show them what I can do, and then they'll hire me full time by the time I'm eighteen."

Each word from Destini's lips was like a nail in Jewel's resolve. The image of her daughter, so vibrant and full of potential, refusing to let anything stand in the way of her dreams, clashed with the reality of Jewel's silent struggle. It reminded her so much of Chase when he'd decided to graduate early and join her at A&M. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could be as brave as her child, as him.

Anger bubbled to the surface at being denied her girlish dreams of them going to college together, and the fact that Destiniwantedto be away from her was like pouring salt into the wound.

"Destini, we can discuss this when I see you next weekend, but the move to Crimson Creek is already said and done. We're not staying in Houston." The words cut through the phone line like a knife, sharper than Jewel intended.

She winced, knowing from the past few years how Destini would react to that tone of voice, yet unable to stop herself from speaking them. Her hand trembled as she gripped the device, her heart racing with the sudden fear of her daughter slipping away.

"Mom! You're not even listening to me!" Destini's voice cracked, a mixture of frustration and hurt clear in her tone.

"Destini, it's not that simple. We've talked about this. Crimson Creek is where we need to be right now." Jewel's attempt at calm authority was betrayed by the quiver in her voice.

"You just don't get it, do you?" And with that, the line went dead. Jewel stared at the phone, the silence suddenly oppressive. She had wanted to soothe, to explain, but she had driven a wedge between them. Again.

These teenage years were almost worse than the terrible twos. She was fifteen going on thirty and thought she knew everything. It'd been so much easier when she'd been a toddlersaurus.

Jewel's chest tightened, and she felt the harsh fluorescent lights of the vet's office closing in on her. She needed air—now.

Shoving the door open, Jewel stumbled into the heat of the Texas sun, seeking the cool reprieve of the building's shadow. Leaning against the weathered bricks, she tried to steady her breath, only to have it catch at the sight before her.

Her brows rose in surprise. Chase rode up casually on his horse, a stark reminder of a simpler life she once knew. She really didn't want to deal with him right now and all the emotions he brought up. Yet she couldn't seem to make herself escape inside.

As he dismounted with the ease of long practice, Jewel's frayed nerves splintered into pieces. She wanted to launch herself into his arms, have him hold her and tell her they'd get through this phase with Destini together. Wasn't that ridiculous?

He smiled easily without a care in the world and touched the tip of his baseball cap. "Morning, Jewel. Fancy seeing you here."

Anger spiked within her that he could be so happy when her life was one constant storm, and she crossed her arms and popped a hip. "It's like I work here or something. Imagine that. Having a job."

He frowned and took off his sunglasses as he strode closer to the awning of the vet clinic. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She shrugged, her entire body aflame with anger, frustration with Destini, and the ever-present sexual tension that seemed to flare anytime he was near. The way his jeans clung to his hips, the green t-shirt making his biceps pop, and the old baseball cap he used to wear in high school a perfect frame for his square scruffy jaw.

She blinked and scowled. "So much for your grand plans of going to college and being a millionaire. You're just a ranch hand, same as everyone else."

He paused, looping the reins over the hitching post Henry insisted on keeping. "Where's this anger coming from?"

Her hands fisted and her feet widened. "I'm not angry, just frustrated."

"At me? For working on my parents' ranch? Yet you're working for your dad, so…" His voice drifted off as he stared at her, his eyes hidden behind the sunglasses.

Her nose wrinkled. "It's nice to have a built-in job, isn't it? Guess that makes us two peas in a pod."

His jaw tensed as he frowned, tucking the sunglasses into his t-shirt. "If you're worried about either Hunter or I being able to pay for child support because we're justranch hands, you can stop. Nothing to worry about from either of us on the money front. We'll take care of Destini."

Jewel growled, her anger bubbling to the surface. "That's not what I fucking meant. God, Chase, why do you always try to push yourself in where you don't belong? I said I can fucking take care of my daughter, and I meant it."

"Whoa, what's really going on here?" Chase's brow creased in concern as he stroked the horse's nose. "You okay? Is this really about me or is something else going on?"

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