Page 95 of Forever After All

“You think he’s okay?” Jess asked when he was out of earshot.

“Don’t know. He seemed okay when we went to bed last night.”

Jess sighed. “Has he heard from Jameson this morning?”

“Probably not or he would have filled us in.”

“Maybe that’s why he needed a run. To get his mind off of it.”

“No, he runs with Thane every morning.”

Jess’s eyes widened. “Every morning?”

“Unless the snow is too deep. I’ve seen them running in the rain and snow before,” Linc said as he poured a cup of coffee.

“Wow. That’s intense.”

“Probably why he’s still fit for a man pushing fifty.”

“Probably why he hasn’t throat punched some of the stupid wranglers he has to work with.”

Linc coughed as he took the first sip of coffee. He chuckled as he wiped his mouth. “Ain’t that the truth. I gave him my fair share of grief when I started too.”

“You mean to tell me you weren’t perfect.” Jess placed a hand over her heart. “I had no idea.”

Linc rolled his eyes, took another sip of coffee, and hummed. “Hey, this is really good.”

“You sound surprised.”

“I’m not. You’re good at almost everything.”

Jess held up a hand. “I’m not good at making polite conversation.”

“Are you saying our conversations aren’t polite, Miss Patton?”

Oh no. Why did his voice change? Why was he looking at her like that?

Was he flirting?

Her lungs froze, and every muscle in her body tensed. Despite the fear of passing out due to oxygen loss, Jess couldn’t help but bask in the warmth of Linc’s stare.

“I don’t think either of us have been accused of being too polite,” she finally said.

Linc rubbed his jaw and looked up at the bare trees. “Polite. I’ll have to give that a try sometime.”

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Paul said as he jogged back into the clearing.

“That was fast,” Jess said, offering him a mug.

Paul held up a hand to decline it. “I just heard from Jameson. They can’t stop her labor, and they’re preparing for her to deliver.”

Jess stood. “Now?”

“Soon,” he said. “I might be able to make it back if I leave now.”

Linc stood and set his coffee on a rock. “I’ll ready the horse while you pack up.”

“I’ll put some food together for you to eat on the way,” Jess said.

---