Page 36 of Love Somebody Like You

“Lord, if you can use me here, then I’m available.” Her words bounced around the car’s interior. “But please don’t let them think I’m being pushy. And if it’s all the same to you, I’d really like Jackson not to think I’m doing this for him.”

She exited, noting how still and quiet the house appeared, although she could hear the low murmur of voices from an open window. Someone was home. She braced within. Then climbed the steps and knocked on the door.

* * *

Jackson closedhis eyes as his brothers’ voices pummeled through his brain. It was so easy for them. They’d each escaped the ranch to live the life they’d dreamed. And he’d been the patsy, letting them go, fueling their dreams, while he was stuck here working himself to an early grave. He’d found a gray hair last night, ensuring yesterday had ended as it had begun—badly.

“I still don’t understand how this could happen,” Mitchell said. “What were you and Ellie doing that you never noticed how bad she was getting?”

“We’ve been busy on the ranch, thank you, Mr. I-only-talk-to-my-family-when-I-don’t-have-a-game,” Ellie said.

The video call revealed a few smirks from Dermott and Cooper, neither of whom were enamored by their famous brother’s insistence that today’s meeting take place another time. When Jackson had protested, saying their mother was more important than hockey, Mitchell had instantly replied that of course Mom was more important, and if they had to do it today, could they do it now before his scheduled hockey charity event. Of course, time zones from one side of the country to the other didn’t make it easy for Dermott, who was dealing with a new baby, but Mitchell always tended to be a little one-eyed at times.

“I don’t remember her being so bad at Christmas,” Dermott said.

Jackson knew his eldest brother’s relationship with their mom was fraught at best. It had been ever since Dermott had chased his dreams of horticulture instead of taking on the ranch. Dermott’s arrival at Christmas with his wife Mindy and stepson Jon had proved an amazingly good reunion. But given the many years that had passed between his visits, it wasn’t any surprise the man could barely recognize his own mother, let alone have any clue how much she had deteriorated.

“The doctor has seen that she’s changing. He’s concerned, which is why we need to plan what to do next,” Jackson said. “Together, as a family.”

“I still don’t see what the drama is,” Cooper said. “So we get Mom to a specialist. Get a nurse in. Whatever. Get it done.”

“I’m with him,” Mitchell said, yawning. “Look, just pay for it, okay? The ranch can afford it, can’t it?”

Jackson stayed silent.

“Jackson?”

He chewed his lip, glanced up at his sister. Knew a crushing weight of disappointment wash over him as he finally said, “Yeah, about that.”

“What? What’s happened? Why are you looking like that?” Mitchell demanded. “Why is he looking like that, Ellie?”

Ellie shrugged, her frown reflected in her eyes. “I don’t know. Jackson?”

He exhaled heavily. “Things aren’t going so well here.”

“What do you mean?” Cooper demanded. “I thought—”

“Finances have been a little tough lately.”

“How tough?” Mitchell asked.

“Tough,” he said shortly. So tough, he was expecting the realtor to call in at any time.

“I don’t get it.”

No. He bet the hockey millionaire didn’t have a clue how people in the real world lived.

“So what are you saying?” Cooper asked. “What’s happened to the buffer? Isn’t the ranch supposed to be in profit by now? I thought that was your plan.”

“Plans don’t always work out.”

“But what about this famous bull of yours? The one who was going to be the baby daddy of half the calves in the neighborhood?”

He swallowed. “He fires blanks.”

Cooper blinked. “Are you for real?”

“Yep.”

---