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“OH, PLEASE,” NAT
E HENDRICKS said as they walked down the block toward the Stud Farm. “That chase scene sucked it, big time.”
Shane rolled his eyes. “I don’t think it was written to stand up to the analysis of actual cops. Come on, when that train flew over the road? That was awesome.”
“It was pretty damn awesome,” Walker agreed.
Shane tried not to shoot the guy a glare. When Cole had suggested catching a movie on Saturday afternoon, he’d invited both Shane and Jenny’s new boyfriend, Nate. But on their way out of the apartment building, they’d run into Walker, and Cole had invited him, as well.
The guy was fine. Shane had known him for a few years, and he seemed decent enough. Except for the fact that he’d flirted with Merry. And she’d flirted back.
Shane bit back a growl. He’d sat on the far side of their group at the theater, three seats away from Walker.
But there was no reason for jealousy. Flirtation meant nothing after what he and Merry had done. She’d flirted with Walker, yes, but she hadn’t had sex with him. That she’d saved for Shane.
So it didn’t matter. But he was still happy when Walker said a quick goodbye and jogged up the steps of the Stud Farm. Nate said goodbye as well, and Shane and Cole dropped into the two ancient metal chairs that sat beside the front steps.
“So when are you planning to build the house?” Cole asked.
Shane had told him that he’d inherited land from his grandfather and planned to build on it, but he hadn’t said more than that. “Everything’s still caught up in probate, but hopefully this fall.”
“That’ll be great for you. Are you still renting storage space for your carpentry stuff?”
“Yeah. Not to mention boarding my horse. It might take me a couple of years to get it built, but it’ll get there. How’s life as a ranch owner?”
Cole smiled with the satisfaction of a man whose life was falling perfectly into place. Shane wasn’t sure how much of that satisfaction could be credited to the ranch. “I can’t complain. Took a damn long time, but I’m finally just where I want to be. Don’t sweat a couple of years. It took me a dozen.”
“Yeah, but you’re an old man now. Hardly able to enjoy life at all.”
There was no mistaking Cole’s grin this time. He definitely wasn’t thinking about the ranch. And hell, if Shane could have that kind of happiness every night, he’d be smiling, too. Hell, one night of it and he already found his gaze going a little hazy at the memory.
“Still no word from your brother?” Cole asked.
“No. Nothing.” He and Cole had been acquaintances in high school and friends later. Cole knew part of the story. Hell, everyone who’d lived in Jackson then knew that Shane’s dad had disappeared. It had been a much smaller town.
“What do you think he’s up to?”
“Hell, I have no idea. He was really into motorcycles. Maybe he’s working in a shop. Maybe he’s been cruising around the country this whole time. Maybe he’s dead.”
“Fuck, man. He’s not dead. You would’ve heard something.”
“Yeah,” Shane said, but he didn’t believe that. Anything could’ve happened to Alex in fifteen years. If he’d fallen into drugs and died on the streets, no one would’ve bothered tracking down his long-lost family.
No, Alex was gone. Maybe not dead, but just as out of reach as their father had been for all these years. It was just Shane and a mother who couldn’t get out of her own head long enough to live a life.
Whatever pleasure he’d had with Merry last night, whatever joy he found in her presence, he couldn’t have more than that. Maybe he’d never leave Jackson, maybe he’d never run, but just staying in one place was hardly a commitment. Hell, even when his dad had been here, he’d had a girlfriend. Dorothy Heyer, otherwise known as Mrs. Greg Heyer. There’d been rumors about them for months, about all the time Shane’s dad had spent with the young woman married to a rich old rancher. It had been an open secret confirmed by their disappearance together.
And Shane’s grandfather hadn’t been any better. His first wife had died in a car accident, but not before she’d walked out on Gideon and his cheating ways. Jeanine had lasted much longer, but only because she’d turned a blind eye, ignoring his philandering until he’d finally kicked her out for “the love of his life,” Kristen.
Shane’s own history didn’t inspire confidence, either. He’d never been in love. He’d never even been close. Hell, he could barely stand to be around his own mother anymore. No, despite the temptation to make it something more with Merry, he was destined for a solitary life. He’d build his house out in the middle of nowhere. He’d have a place to work. A shop. A barn and pasture for horses. That was all he needed. It was all he could handle. A wife and kids would be nothing but a long-term investment in disappointment and hurt. It would only be that much worse if he fell for a nice girl like Merry.
He and Cole sat under the blue sky, wrapped up in what must be very different thoughts. Cole was a man who would settle down. His biggest challenge would be talking Grace into it, but Shane had a feeling he’d succeed. Grace was damned prickly and tough to deal with, but she’d gentled a little in the past few months.
As if to refute his very thoughts, Grace exploded out the front door, the red tips of her hair flying as she looked back and forth. When her eyes locked on Cole, she bounded down the stairs. “I need a ride!”
“Okay. Where?”
“Merry had some trouble out at the ghost town and I’ve been trying to call her for two hours but the call won’t go through. I’m worried.”
