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“Try that,” he told her, handing her up a fragrant piece.
She took it and felt the warmth of it instantly through her glove. It was heavenly.
She took a bite as Tally watched her expectantly.
“Incredible,” she moaned with her mouth full as the butter melted on her tongue. It was completely heavenly. Much better than anything she could make. And the butter was divine. She wondered if it also came from the deer, or if there was some kind of dairy animal she hadn’t seen yet.
“Rafe,” Tally said, handing up a gigantic chunk.
She tried not to look, hoping he would take the breakfast. It might cheer him up to fill his belly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him take it.
“Mm,” Rafe said begrudgingly as he chewed.
“I have a good feeling about today,” Tally said happily, completely oblivious to the tension on the bench in front. “I think we’re going to find everything we’re looking for.”
Jade smiled at his youthful optimism and hoped that he was right.
As she took another bite of the heavenly, warm, buttered bread and gazed out at the horizon, she tried to picture the happy life she wanted for herself and Gus.
But without Rafe in that picture, she just couldn’t seem to see it.
17
JADE
Jade gazed at the farm as they approached it.
Tag appeared to have a very large piece of property. There was a split rail fence similar to hers, stretching as far as the eye could see. A sleigh had been tied to a post with a sign on it, but she couldn’t make out the words on the sleigh or the sign yet.
True to form, Gus was napping peacefully in her arms, his little mouth working slightly in his sleep as if he were dreaming of his next feeding. In the back, Tally was drifting off too, his eyelids dropping as the sleigh bumped along. The nanny-bot marched along tirelessly behind, as she had promised. Jade was honestly impressed by the shining metal nursemaid.
And beside Jade on the bench, Rafe still sat stock still, muscles tensed as if he hated her so much that he could barely stand to sit beside her.
She had been heartbroken at the idea of him leaving, but if this was what it was going to be like, maybe it was best for him to go. She wasn’t sure she could stand being the target of so much pent-up resentment.
Tell him. Tell him why, and he won’t be angry.
But the truth was more complicated than that. Because the moment Jade told him where she had been, Rafe would most likely unleash all that fury. It wouldn’t matter to him that she had been swindled and held captive. He would probably think she was lying about it.
And he would be disgusted that he had pleasured her, and even more disgusted that he had offered himself as her mate. His interest in her would last exactly as long as her left glove stayed on her arm, and no longer. She was sure of it.
After a few more minutes, they drew close enough that she could see the lettering on the sleigh that was secured at the entry.
Rothbart Inn
“Oh, wow,” Tally said excitedly.
They had gotten lucky, and Risa Zyy, the surveyor, was clearly here in the borrowed sleigh. At least something was going right today.
“We’re here,” Rafe pointed out needlessly, gesturing to the sign hanging from the post that read Dancing Deer Farms.
“This is the farm your deer are coming from, Miss Jade,” Nanee-12 piped up.
“Right,” she said, nodding.
Tag’s farm. It was nice that she had already met the person who would be delivering her livestock.
Though it was also possible he was a murderer, which would put a damper on their neighborly relationship.
