Page 60 of Crossed Lines

He nods. “Well, if you want to do something before you leave, I can be available.”

“She’s busy,” Jade interjects. I nearly choke on a laugh.

I attempt to recover. “What she means to say is I’m working every day until I leave. I appreciate the offer, though.”

“Yeah. No problem. If you come back next summer, you know where to find me.” He winks before he walks off, and I look down at Jade, who is watching him with her little nose scrunched up.

“What was with the attitude, ma’am?” I ask.

“He’s trying to steal you from my daddy.”

I try not to laugh, but she’s so serious and so angry about it that it’s hard not to. “Jade, no one is going to steal me from you, ok? As far as your dad, I’m not actually his, so technically⁠—”

“But he has a crush on you!”

“Did he tell you that?” I ask.

“Yeah. He gave you the heart cupcake and everything.” I’m surprised he said anything to Jade about us, but I can’t ignore the little flip my belly does finding out that he might have admitted to his daughter that he likes me. That feels like a big step.

“I know he gave me a heart cupcake. It was delicious. But…”

“But what?”

“Well, Jade, I’m leaving in five days. I’ve gotta go back to school. And I’m going to Italy, remember?”

“Yeah, but you’ll come back, won’t you?” she asks.

It’s the question that keeps popping up in my head, and I’m still not sure exactly how to answer it. But looking into Jade’s big brown eyes, the same eyes as her dad, I find myself leaning in one particular direction.

“Of course I’ll come back. Blue Haven is my home after all. But I don’t know what that means for me and your dad, ok?”

“Ok.” Her voice is flooded with sadness, and I hate it. I’m starting to understand why some parents will do whatever it takes to make their kids happy, because seeing them sad is the freaking worst.

“I’m sorry, Jade. I don’t want to lie to you. I like your dad a lot. He’s one of the best men I’ve ever met. But I don’t want you to get your hopes up for something that might not happen.”

“Alright, ladies, you ready?” Beck comes up behind us. He looks from my concerned face to Jade’s sad eyes. “What happened?”

Jade sighs. “Nothing.” And then she stomps toward the horses.

Beck looks to me for an explanation. “Ace said he was available to hang out if I was interested. Jade got upset because, apparently, you told her you had a crush on me, so she seems to be under the impression that we’ll be together at some point. I had to explain to her that it’s unlikely.”

“Shit.” He takes off his hat, running his fingers through his hair before putting his hat back on.

“Yeah.”

“Sorry you had to deal with that. I’ll talk to her tonight,” he says.

“Alright.”

Then he looks over his shoulder at where Ace is cleaning one of the horse stalls. “And that little shit. I already told him once you’re off limits.”

I laugh. “Well, I guess he had to see for himself. Don’t get your panties in a twist, though. I told him no.”

“Still pisses me off. Maybe I shoulda fired him like I wanted to.”

“You wanted to fire him?” I ask with a laugh. “For what?”

“Looking at you. Touching you. Thinking he’s good enough for you. Take your pick.”