Page 52 of Her Rugged Guardian

“You’re incorrigible. I’m serious though. I totally understand there’s a lot of work to be done and I’m not made of money, but I have enough savings to try and turn everything around. But I need someone I can count on. Someone I can trust.”

Jake exhaled. “Of course I’ll help you. I’ll let Garrett know in the morning. What about the winery?”

“I’m meeting with a wine expert tomorrow. Whatever the hell that is. She let all her workers go. While the vineyard appears to be in decent shape, I’m not certain about the winery.”

“I’ll think you’ll find everything in order.”

“You had a hand in providing assistance with that as well. Didn’t you?”

The way he held up his hand as if taking an oath made me laugh. “Yep. Scout’s Honor.”

“Were you ever a Boy Scout?”

“Nope. I was on the ice from the time I was three years old.”

“Wow. That’s young.”

“My father required it.”

I could tell it was a sore point. “Were you close with your dad?” I also sensed it was a topic he didn’t like talking about.

His hesitation confirmed it but at least he didn’t shut down, taking another sip of his scotch and staring at the flames. “Our relationship is complicated. He’s a tough man. I honestly don’t know how my mother puts up with him.”

“Women do what they feel they need to do sometimes. I think that’s why after my mother made her decision to divorce my dad, she wanted to rid her life of everything she was used to. Coming here was a new beginning. It was something I didn’t understand until recently.”

“Yeah, maybe that was why I was drawn to Margaret,” he said with reverence in his tone. “She was strong enough to get away from a toxic environment while my mother followed my father around like a puck bunny.”

“Your father played hockey?”

“Yep. For Vancouver.”

“Didn’t I hear that’s where you wanted to play?”

His laugh was as bitter as any sound I’d heard from him. “That was my father’s dream to be honest with you. Don’t get me wrong. I love the game of hockey. It’s in my blood. I just wanted to do it on my own.”

“Ah. I get it.”

“He managed to talk my brother into trying out for the team. Riley’s not ready for it. That much I know.”

“What about you? If you had a second chance to play again professionally, would you?”

“Honestly? I don’t know. That’s the truth.”

“What about firefighting?”

He laughed. “Not on my radar. I don’t know what I want to do when I grow up.”

“Facing the truth about ourselves can be the most difficult thing we have to do as adults.”

“What’s your truth, sweet lady?”

“My truth is that I allowed myself to fall into the same hopeless spiral by loving a man who could never love me that my mother did.” I was shocked the words came easily. “I won’t let that happen again.”

“Then you should stay away from me. I’m not the kind of man who knows how to love.”

The change in his tone was unnerving. “I think you’re wrong, Jake. You just don’t allow yourself to see what a fabulous guy you are.”

His smile was a sweet reward. When he wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, the hold possessive, I tingled all over. He had that kind of powerful effect on me. He leaned forward and I tilted my head. Only this time, he kissed me on the forehead, his fingers digging in. I wanted nothing more than to cling to him, to beg him not to shut down, but who was I to talk?

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