Teddy shrugged. “ForTiaEvie. If she loves you like I think she does, it’ll break her heart if you leave.”
“But she told me to leave.”
“She’s upset. Understandably so.TiaEvie values honesty, but she has a big heart. She will forgive you.” He gave a little smile. “Oh, maybe not right away, but she will. Not if you turn tail and run though. Think about it, Jake.”
“Is he stayin’?” Antonio appeared in the doorway to the bunkhouse, his big frame blocking out the sun, but only momentarily, as he stalked into the room.
Was it his imagination, or did the big man seem bigger? Yes. Yes, he did. And intimidating, so much so, that Jake took a step back, his muscles tightening, as the man approached him.
Without a word of warning, Antonio curled up his fist and let it fly, catching Jake in the face.
Jake staggered back from the force of the blow and reached for the post of the bunk so he wouldn’t fall flat on his ass, but missed and fell on his ass anyway. His eyes watered from the pain. The man packed a hell of a punch.
“You deserved that.” Antonio loomed over him, breathing heavily, his mustache fluttering with every breath. “I told you that if you ever hurt Miss Evie, you’d answer to me.”
“You did.” Jake held his hand to his nose, gingerly touching it. He wasn’t sure it wasn’t broken—it didn’t feel the same as the last time it was broken—but it still smarted, making his eyes water. He glanced at Teddy from his position on the floor. “You want a go, too?”
“No, I don’t think that’s necessary.” Teddy extended his hand, his smile spreading, obviously pleased seeing Jake on his ass. And who could blame him?
Jake grasped the offered hand and rose to his feet, warily watching as Antonio went to the ice box, chipped away at the block of ice that had been delivered yesterday, and wrapped the pieces in his handkerchief. He returned and held it out. “Here. Press this against your face.”
Jake did as he was told. The ice felt good against his skin. Cold. Soothing. “Thank you.”
The big man nodded. “De nada.”
“So, what’s it going to be, Jake?” Teddy drew his attention. “You gonna stay and fight for her? Or are you gonna turn tail and run like a coward?”
“Think carefully, son,” Antonio counseled. “Evie would never give up so easily.”
“No, she wouldn’t,” Teddy added with a wry chuckle, “but thenTiaEvie has more plain stubbornness than anyone I’ve ever known. She’d dig in her heels and do what needed to be done.” The man gave him a sidelong glance. “Are you staying?”
Jake didn’t have to think. He already knew his answer. “I’ll stay.” It was the right decision. At least, it felt right in his heart, but there was still the matter of getting Evie to forgive him. That wasn’t a forgone conclusion. Teddy had spoken the truth. The woman was as stubborn as a mule—maybe even more so. And then, there was Erik King. Just because he decided to stay, didn’t mean that King had given up on him. “What about King?”
“What about him?” Teddy shrugged. “If he dares to shows up here, we’ll take care of it.”
The simple comment stunned him. No one, not in all the years he traveled this earth, stood up for him like that. He’d always fought his own battles, and here was this man telling him he wouldn’t be alone. It was unexpected and humbling and maybe even made him feel like he was worthy. “Are you sure? You don’t know him or what he’s capable of doing.”
“Doesn’t matter. We Silvas don’t run from a fight. Never have. Never will.” Teddy grinned, closed the trunk and sat on it, then pointed to the bunk beside him while Antonio pulled up a chair and slid into it, the wood creaking just a bit. “Now, let’s figure out what you’re gonna do to winTiaEvie back. I promise, it isn’t going to be easy.”
Jake sank to the mattress and eyed his visitors…now apparently his co-conspirators. Was it his imagination, or did Teddy and Antonio seem to be getting blurrier? He blinked several times, which didn’t help at all. In fact, it seemed to make his vision worse. He gingerly touched the skin around his eye. Yes, it was swelling up nicely, which was causing his fuzzy vision. He brought the handkerchief filled with ice up to his eye and nose and placed it gently against his skin. “Are you sure you want to help me? I seem to recall you telling me to stay away from her, so why now?”
“Let’s just say I’ve had a change of heart. And I do want to help you.” Teddy jerked his thumb toward Antonio. “Hedoes, too. Heath and Esteban will help. Uncle Charley and Aunt Felicity as well.”
“Even Hilde,” Antonio added, “though I would be wary of her cast-iron skillet.”
“Why?”
“Because we’ve never seenTiaEvie happier,” Teddy admitted, “and I, for one, want to see that again. I think she deserves it.”
“I don’t know what to say except thank you.”
Teddy laughed then, not a little chuckle either, but a full-blown, deep from his gut, laugh. “Oh, don’t thank us yet.”
CHAPTER 18
Evie let herself intoPequeña Casaand closed the door behind her. She just needed a little time alone, and God knows she couldn’t find that at the homestead.
Two weeks had come and gone since the morning he told her he loved her, then revealed the truth about his past and why he’d come to the ranch. Teddy had told her Jake was staying, that they couldn’t afford to lose another ranch hand, and Jake had become too much a part of Montaña del Trueno.
