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The two men chuckled, until they both saw their wife was frowning at them. They were instantly quieted.
She fixed Jackson with a stern stare. “If you’re still into sowing oats, do it with local girls who know what they’re getting into. Leave Miss Greene alone.”
He wanted to tell Aunt Maude that he knew Jessie was the one, but he couldn’t. First, he needed to talk to his brothers. Well, at least all but Austin.
Jackson felt a hand come down on his shoulder and squeeze painfully tight. He turned to find the last person he wanted to see this morning.
Austin’s eyes were dark and narrowed. “What the hell were you thinking? I told you to check out the new investigator, not screw her. As dumb as you can be at times, even I wouldn’t have guessed you could’ve fucked up so badly.”
“Austin, mind your tongue.” Aunt Maude’s tone was sharper than Jackson had heard in years.
“Don’t talk about Jessie like that, Austin, or so help me—”
“The dads left me in charge of the mine. I won’t back off. Think, Jackson. She has the authority to shut the mine down if she deems it necessary. Don’t you get it? We’ve been virtually incident free until last week. Now, we have three freak accidents in four days straight. This is a shit storm, and you’re sleeping with the enemy.”
“She’s not our enemy.”
“Boys, that’s enough. Seems to me you’ve got something to work out.” Uncle Grant motioned to the door. “Take it outside. I don’t want your aunt’s breakfast spoiled by some argument between two of our favorite nephews.”
“I have an order to place for Jessie before I leave.” Jackson waved Samantha, Norma’s youngest daughter, over. Then he turned to Austin. “I’ll meet you outside.”
“Make sure you do. I have much more to say about this matter.” Austin turned around and bolted out the door, just as Samantha stepped next to Jackson.
“What’s up with Austin? He’s more gloomy than normal, even for him.” Norma’s daughter had become quite the beauty since graduating high school. She placed her hip
against his. Nineteen and quite the tease. Normally, he enjoyed her flirtations, but something about it now made him uncomfortable, knowing Jessie was waiting for him at the Hotel Cactus, he supposed.
He shuffled a couple of steps away from Samantha. “I’d like to get two sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast burritos and two cups of coffee.”
She scribbled down the order. “That for here, handsome?”
“Nope. To go, please.”
“I’ll have it for you in a flash.” Samantha sent him a naughty wink, then headed to the kitchen.
“Jackson Wilde, what is up with you and Miss Greene?” Aunt Maude asked softly.
“I have to talk to my brothers about that before I can say.”
“Uh-huh.” Her lips curled up into a wonderful smile. “I think I’m getting the picture pretty clear.”
“Can you fill me in then, honey?” Uncle Grant asked.
“Later, sweetheart. Go talk to Austin. That one will need some convincing.”
Jackson nodded and walked to face his eldest brother’s wrath. Aunt Maude was right about Austin. How in the hell would he ever be convinced that Jessie was the woman for him and his brothers? He needed to talk to Phoenix. Closest in age to Jackson, he had a better handle on how to deal with the other brothers, in particular Austin.
When Jackson stepped outside, Austin wasn’t alone. Thankfully, Phoenix stood next to him. No doubt, Austin had already grilled him about what had happened.
“Spill it, lil’ brother.” Austin looked as if he were ready to explode. Both his hands were curled into fists.
During Jackson’s teen years, his brother had punched him on several occasions for well-deserved infractions. The worst had been when Jackson had secretly smoked one of the dads’ pipes and had set an entire field of alfalfa on fire. Looking at Austin, Jackson thought his eldest brother was even angrier with him now.
Jackson took a deep breath, then began. “Jessie is amazing. I didn’t mean for anything to happen, but it did.”
“What the fuck do you mean by that? I know your rep. Love ‘em and leave ‘em, Jackson. You should’ve kept your dick in your pants. This is too important for you to get a cheap thrill from a big-town hussy.”
Rage poured into Jackson, and he charged Austin, slamming him against his pickup. “Fuck you! Never talk about Jessie that way.”
