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Jenna’s eyes snapped to his face. His tone had softened, as if he was trying to understand what she was feeling. He couldn’t. Sure, they grew up in the same town, but their childhoods couldn’t have been more different. Not to mention, Colt went off and made it big. Despite his rebellious past, he was basically considered a damn celebrity back home. Well, more like an urban legend. Talked about, but never truly seen. All Jenna remembered was that Colt had some “issues” before leaving town after graduation. After his parents died, Colt had gotten into some fights and got cited for a Minor in Possession. These “issues” weren’t really talked about aside from a few random gossipers back home every once in a while. Jenna glanced at his strong chest again. The man left an impression, that much was still true.
Aside from his senior year mishaps, Colt McCade and his band of buddies came from good stock. He was best friends with Ryder Diamond, for goodness’ sake, the man whose ancestors settled Diamond, Kansas. Jenna came from a mama who broke up marriages and a papa she’d never even met.
“How would you know about my credentials?” she demanded. “You haven’t been around Diamond in nearly ten years.”
“Yes, I have.”
Jenna’s brows creased.
His eyes remained forward, locked on the road and the darkness they were plowing through. “Only for a night here and there. I never made a big deal about my arrival.”
Over the last decade, Jenna remembered Lily’s mentioning that Colt visited home from time to time. But Jenna never actually saw him. Thus reaffirming the urban legend. He must have at least seen his buddies though. Huck, Ryder and Sebastian all still lived in Diamond and from what Jenna understood, they were all still best friends and kept in contact with Colt.
“Why not?”
He scoffed and shook his head. “A reputation is a hard thing to shake.”
Jenna swallowed hard. She knew that to be true. But whatever reputation Colt had back home wasn’t anything horribly damning. From what she gathered, he was viewed as a playboy with a wild streak. Someone who turned heads, but no one hated him or anything. Miranda Justice, her mother, had a similar reputation, only people weren’t subtle with their negative feelings toward her. And they transferred a lot of them to Jenna, warranted or not.
He turned onto a dirt road. “So did the state outright deny you?” he asked, changing the subject back to her.
“Well, no. They said they’d convene with the Diamond school board later this summer to discuss the distribution of funds and who will head up the program.”
“See! So you’re in the running.”
Somehow Colt’s words cut through the gray screen of despair she had put up. Okay, so she’d gotten upset and thrown a bit of a pity party. But there was still hope. And if there was one thing Jenna could be, it was poised.
Making a vow early on to never be in the same sentence as her mama, let alone class, Jenna worked tirelessly to outrun the reputation Miranda Justice had bestowed. She could do this. She would convince the state and the school board she was the best candidate to direct this program. And when the funding came in, not a single child in Diamond would be turned away. Including Abigail, a little girl Jenna taught last year. Between the girl’s sad eyes and lack of support and kindness at home, Jenna recognized that despair Abigail carried around with her. It was the same thing Jenna dealt with when she was young. She was tired of watching Abigail, and other kids, go home to nothing.
The board wanted responsible and upstanding? Jenna had that in spades. And if that’s what it took to run the program, Jenna would make sure she was the epitome of demure.
“Where are we going?” she asked as the pickup slowed. Tall grass lined each side of the narrow dirt road and without her glasses, all she could see was an expanse of land stretching out before her and into the night.
“You can sleep it off at my place.”
“I have a hotel and my flight leaves tomorrow morning.”
Colt nodded as if he knew this already. Of course Lily would have filled him in on all the details. Damn it, she would have to tape that girl’s mouth shut when she got home.
Jenna raised her hands to smooth pieces of hair back into the tightly coiled bun on the crown of her head. A burning sensation shot up her knuckles and she hissed.
Colt looked down at her hand. “Ah shit, sugar, you’re bleeding.” He gripped her hand and brought it into his line of vision, glancing between her knuckles and the road.
“I’ve never punched anyone before.”
Gently, he brushed his fingertips over the raw skin. A devilish grin split his handsome face, causing all that blond scruff to dance along his jaw. “I’m sorry you’re hurt, but I’ve gotta tell ya, JJ”—he kissed her little battle wound—“you have a sexy right hook.”
Chapter Two
Colt walked out of the bathroom carrying his makeshift first aid kit and headed toward the kitchen table. This was not how he’d seen his night playing out. He had just come off a nationally televised eight seconds atop Big Sampson and was cleaning up, waiting for the newest buckle bunny to take him for a different kind of wild ride, when his baby sister had called, freaking out about JJ.
Now, he watched the normally uptight brunette roam around his house, walking between the living room and the kitchen. For the first time, Colt really appreciated the open floor plan of his home. It allowed his eyes to follow JJ’s every move. There wasn’t much for her to examine, though. He was a pretty simple guy and liked the basics—a plasma television and a comfortable couch.
“Did you pick that chair out yourself?” JJ pointed at the oversize purple lounger in the corner. It was hideous, with gaudy flowers embroidered all over it.
“Lily bought that damn thing last time she and Alex were here.”
JJ’s lips turned up in a slight smile. “Let me guess, it’s her reading chair.”
