Chapter 8
8
T he end of January and beginning of February blurred together, filled with the usual bustle of ranch life and putting the finishing touches on the apartments for Declan and himself.
Bookings for the art studio began in earnest. Tansy cooked for another weekend event at the start of February and then made plans for the biggest booking yet—a seven-day event over the reading week break running from Sunday to the following Saturday.
Which meant Jake’s hopes of enticing her away for another official date were nil. Especially when Tansy announced she was taking her two days off early since she’d have to work the Monday and Tuesday of the booking.
“Rose, Fern, and I are headed to Calgary tomorrow for a getaway,” she informed them at breakfast on Wednesday. “I’ll be back on Saturday in plenty of time to get things ready for Sunday and the rest of the week. And Marina is booked to help with the baking.”
“You need to take your time off,” Declan agreed. “I’ll cook Thursday. Jake can do Friday.”
“Looking forward to it,” Jake said as cheerfully as possible. “Hope you guys have a great time.”
Petra outright laughed at him. “You have a shitty poker face. And that’s saying something considering how bad mine is, or so I’ve been told.”
Tansy eyed him curiously but said nothing.
At least not until she caught him alone later in the day. He was barely in the door, hanging up his coat, when she slipped her arms around his waist from behind and hugged him tightly. “We’re not having a good time figuring out this dating thing, are we?”
“It’s fine. He twisted on the spot and caught hold of her, loving how soft and warm she felt in his arms and how delicious she smelled. “I think it feels different since we eat together most days. Seems as if we should move faster, but really, we’re doing okay. We talk, we share moments here and there.”
“We get totally frustrated because we’d like to get naked?”
He laughed. “Yeah, there’s a hell of a lot of that as well.” Her eyes sparkled as she grinned at him. Suddenly, it didn’t feel as if he was pushing the truth at all. “But it’s okay. We’ll do the next thing soon enough.”
Still, the hum of activity over the weekend held a different energy. Maybe it was the cold snap that arrived. Or the unspoken tension from preparing to bring strangers into their space, even ones paying for the privilege of using the art studio, but for some reason, the weight of responsibility pressed down on Jake more than usual.
Not even the kisses he stole on the sly from Tansy once she got back could chase away the sensation inside that something was about to go wrong.
Chris was still in residence, but he had a bus ticket booked to move to his brother’s on the East Coast the following week. In the meantime, the man had dove in full force. The extra help was invaluable, especially when two pregnant terriers were found abandoned on the edge of the property. Jake and Chris spent Saturday afternoon building makeshift shelters and setting up warm spots for the dogs in the barn, preparing for the pups that would likely arrive any day.
Jake tried to balance his time between the ranch, helping with the art studio, and the animal rescue, yet everything he did felt incomplete or somehow lacking, and his nerves were stretched to the breaking point.
Sunday evening, as the sun set behind the mountains and a bitter chill settled over the ranch, Jake gathered in the living room with the others. The nightly tradition they’d begun was one of the only things that gave him a sense of peace.
The fire crackled warmly in the hearth, filling the room with a comforting glow.
Kevin sat quietly in one corner, thumbing slowly through a thick book, his brow furrowed in concentration. Chris had declined to join them, claiming he wanted an early evening. Aiden plucked at the strings of his guitar, filling the air with a soft, classical melody that wrapped around everyone with a calming stroke.
Petra and Jinx sat together, crocheting. Petra’s hands moved with practiced ease, creating delicate patterns from brightly colored yarn. Jinx muttered under her breath when the unfamiliar motion caused her to slip. Or maybe it was because Jinx spent more time watching Declan than her own fingers.
Jake’s oldest brother sat nearby leafing through an old catalog.
“Very high tech, Declan,” Jinx teased, eyes twinkling with mischief. “I didn’t know they even printed those anymore.”
Declan’s lip barely moved, unfazed by the ribbing. “Old-fashioned doesn’t mean outdated, kid. I find treasures in these.” He held up a page featuring a pair of carved bear statues, one perched high in a tree. “What do you think? Which one would look better by the barn?”
Jinx pretended to scrutinize the page. “Definitely the one on the left,” she finally said, nodding sagely. “The other one looks too grumpy.”
“Kind of like Declan?” Aiden pondered out loud.
“I’m not grumpy. I’m dignified,” Declan deadpanned.
Jake chuckled at their exchange, feeling the tension of the day slowly slip away.
These were the moments he loved most—the simple, quiet evenings spent together as a family. No chaos, no emergencies, just the warmth of the fire and the easy comfort of being surrounded by the people who mattered most.
The main reason for his current happiness, though, was that Tansy sat beside him on the couch, flipping through a colouring book. She’d convinced him to try his hand at it earlier, passing him a set of coloured pencils and coaxing him into filling in one of the pages. He wasn’t much for art, but he’d done it anyway, mostly because he couldn’t resist that it gave him a chance to sit beside her and share the pencils.
“Means you can’t make lists tonight,” she whispered quietly.
Which only tempted him to write on the edge of the colouring page. In fact…
It was tough to do on the sly, but he managed. As he shaded in a section of the page, Tansy leaned against him, her body warm and soft. She handed him another pencil, her fingers brushing his.
“Here, try this one for the sky,” she suggested, her voice soft. “It’s the perfect shade of blue.”
Jake took the pencil from her with a nod, though the truth was he didn’t care much if the sky was pink. The best part of the evening was the way she’d curled up beside him, head resting on his shoulder at times, sharing the quiet.
He could get used to this. Maybe the worrying sensation was him being an overprotective ass.
“Hey. What’s that?” She tugged the page out of his hands and lifted it to her nose. When she twisted the page ninety degrees, then snickered, Jake knew she’d found his list.
All around the outside of the picture he’d written in the smallest letters possible:
Kiss Tansy
Kiss Tansy
Kiss Tansy
Kiss Tansy
“You’re a goof,” she whispered.
Jake tucked his arm tighter around her and soaked in the sweetness of having her close and getting to maybe learn how to be more optimistic as well as spontaneous.
That idea flew out the window the next day when a new ranch hand showed up. The bruised eye the man sported was spectacular shades of green and purple and looked as if it hurt like hell, but when he quietly asked to speak to Declan, there was nothing belligerent in his actions.
But something seemed off. Jake and Aiden kept at their chores even as they both observed silently.
Not even fifteen minutes later, Declan brought the man to Room 1 in the bunkhouse area then motioned for Aiden and Jake to meet him inside the barn where they could talk privately.
“New hand?” Aiden leaned back on the stall railing, eyeing Declan.
“He got our address from my contact with the McCloud Corrections Institution.” Declan said it quietly, but there was an edge to his tone.
“Something not right?” Jake demanded.
“Yeah, with me,” Declan confessed.
Jake and Aiden exchanged shocked glances.
“What do you mean?” Aiden asked.
Declan stared at the ground for a moment before lifting his head. “We talked about this when we discussed High Water. Would we accept felons? And the answer was of course. In some ways, they need the hand up the most as a ton of people will see nothing but a criminal record and turn them down immediately for any job.”
“So, what’s the issue?” Aiden asked again.
Jake kept his mouth shut because he had a feeling where this was going, and if he was right, he was guilty as well.
Declan cleared his throat. “Now that Don is here, I’m finding it harder to be generous. He said all the right things, but…” An enormous sigh escaped Declan. “How much of what I’m currently feeling is because of society, and how much is because something really is not right?”
Aiden shook his head. “I hear you, and trust me, I get it. Thinking about protecting Petra and Jinx, and now Tansy—I don’t want to endanger them in any way. But…”
The churning in Jake’s gut didn’t die down, but one thing he remembered helped. “You’re right, Deck. We did talk about this. We researched and made a list of dos and don’ts that covered every angle. Let me find it, and we’ll see what we’re not thinking of right now that might help.”
Declan’s expression lightened considerably. “Thank God, I remember that now. You’re right. We had some really good checkpoints to put in place. Between the four of us, including Kevin, we can keep High Water a safe haven for our precious family and even the rougher guys.”
That’s what the pay it forward policy meant. Not everyone would look as if they deserved a second chance. They had to give people the benefit of the doubt and trust that they’d live up to the ideals.
Jake found the list, and they sat down with Don, outlining exactly where he was allowed on the property, and when, and other expectations.
The man seemed to take his restrictions in stride. “I just need a couple of weeks. That’s all I’m asking.”
Which made both Aiden and Declan kick their own butts again for being suspicious.
Jake? He didn’t say anything but silently vowed to keep a close eye on Don. He could deal with having a guilty conscience over thinking less of the man if it ultimately meant keeping the women safe.
Two days later, another man arrived. This one was even quieter. He introduced himself as Tony, accepted their help with a nod, and then disappeared into his room unless called upon to help with chores. He didn’t cause any trouble, but his presence added to the growing tension in Jake’s gut.
By midway through the weeklong booking, Jake had gotten used to knowing the only way he’d catch a glimpse of Tansy was to join her in the kitchen or help with setup in the studio. Both of which he did, but it wasn’t the same.
He dropped Chris off at the bus station on Thursday. “Good luck,” Jake offered, extending his hand.
Chris took it and shook it firmly then pulled Jake in and bro-hugged him, accompanied by extensive back pounding. ‘Thanks. For everything. You guys were lifesavers. And I mean that.”
“Glad we could be there,” Jake offered sincerely.
The man stepped back and shouldered his duffle. Chris hesitated then lifted his chin. “You guys have a great situation. Not just the ranch, but all of it. Your family. Hold on tight to that.”
“We mean to.”
Chris struggled to say something more, then shook his head. “Gotta go.”
He walked away, and both pride and worry smacked Jake upside the head. They’d made a difference in one more life.
Balancing act. Always with the balancing act.
It didn’t help that the feeling something was brewing returned. It wasn’t anything specific, but the air felt charged, like a storm waiting to break.
The sensation only intensified when Jinx tracked him down on Friday, her face unusually serious. She caught him brushing down one of the horses.
“Can I ask you something?”
He glanced around to see what had spooked her. “What’s going on?”
Jinx hesitated. “I need a favour,” she said finally. “Would you move into the house? Please?”
Jake’s hand stilled on the horse’s flank, surprise flickering in. “Move into the house?” he repeated. “Why?”
Jinx shifted from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable. “It’s nothing specific, really. I just… That new guy, Don. He reminds me of someone I ran away from. I don’t like him. I figured I was being overly sensitive, but Sasha and I were talking about something else and she reminded me that I’m allowed to be picky about what happens in my world.”
“No more explanation needed.” He trusted Jinx’s instincts. She’d been through more than most, and if something about the new guy set her off, that was reason enough to take her seriously.
But still, it surprised him that she’d ask him to move in, especially since she and Declan were close.
“You sure you want me in the house?” he asked gently, not wanting to push but needing to understand. “We can ask Declan. He won’t mind either.”
Jinx flushed slightly, looking away. “No,” she mumbled. “I’d feel better if it was you, that’s all.”
Jake studied her for a moment then nodded. He wasn’t about to press for more. If she needed him to stay in the house, then that’s what he’d do. “No problem,” he said. “I’ll move in tonight.”
Relief washed over her face, and she gave him a small, grateful smile. “Thanks, Jake.”
“No thanks needed.” He nodded at her. “I’m glad you have a good friend like Sasha.”
“Me too.”
He didn’t ask any more questions. It wasn’t his place to pry into Jinx’s reasons. If she had secrets, that was her right. His job, as he read it, was to keep everyone safe—and if moving into the house helped with that, then so be it.
Right after supper, he and Declan went out to the old barn at the edge of the property and worked with the ranch hands.
“Sorry for the late night, but I have an order of extra feed coming in early, and with the possible weather, it can’t sit outside. If we prep tonight, we’ll be ready for tomorrow.” Declan pointed to the pile of lumber that arrived late that afternoon. “That was supposed to be here five days ago.”
“Can’t be helped.” Don shrugged. “I know which end of the hammer to use if someone else cuts and measures.”
Tony mostly looked at the floor, but he nodded his agreement and followed orders.
They put up multiple rows of shelves for pellets and feed along the inside wall of the animal rescue. It wasn’t hard physical labour, but finicky as they fit the shelves against a crooked vertical wall and under a staircase.
Sacrificing their family time and the time with Tansy was hard, but in the end, Tony spoke a bit, and even Don seemed to lighten up and crack a smile.
After they said good night to the guys and headed to their own apartments, Declan laid a hand on Jake’s shoulder and squeezed firmly. “It wasn’t what I wanted to be doing, but you know what I kept thinking? I bet Jeff didn’t always want to listen to me tell him everything about horses that I knew, every single night.”
Jake laughed. “Yeah, you were pretty one tone at one point in your life.”
“I’m much more rounded now,” Declan said without a hint of amusement. “Now I can talk about horses and the price of hay.”
Which meant Jake was snickering softly and in a much better mood when he slipped into his small apartment to pack a few things. Declan was right. It had been worthwhile, and for once, Don hadn’t acted odd.
Didn’t change the fact Jake was moving into the house. Jinx had asked, Jinx would get.
It didn’t take long—a duffel bag of clothes and a bunch of odds and ends he wanted. Those he shoved into the nearest half-empty box he found in his closet. He ignored most of the rest?—
The stack of letters tipped over into view when he grabbed the box.
I wonder where Melissa is these days?
Then he kicked his own ass. “Brilliant, Einstein.”
That’s why he’d gotten rid of the letters in the first place. Or mostly gotten rid of them. Maybe he should toss the entire batch.
He stared at the bundle for a good two minutes before deciding he didn’t have the bandwidth to deal with them right then and shoved them back into the closet.
Everything else, including the letters, he’d leave where they were. He’d be back in the apartment soon enough once these particular ranch hands had moved on and Jinx felt comfortable again.
He hoisted the duffle bag over his shoulder and carried the box into the house, navigating through the darkened living room. He should’ve been paying more attention, but his mind was elsewhere, daydreaming about Tansy, wondering what it would be like to share more than just a couch and a colouring book. First chance he got he was going to?—
His foot caught on the edge of the living room rug, and before he knew it, he headed for the floor. The duffle bag slammed into him and the box tumbled from his grasp.
Its contents spilled everywhere.
“Damn it,” Jake muttered under his breath, dropping to his knees to gather everything. He stuffed his belongings back into the box, his thoughts still wandering. So much closer to Tansy now that he was here in the house.
Only distance didn’t matter. It was what they were trying to establish. Right speed, right motivations.
Once he’d collected everything, he headed down the hallway to the room Jinx had set up for him. The one right across from Tansy’s.
Jake paused outside her door, his heart thudding in his chest. The faint sounds of her getting ready for bed carried on the air and for a moment, he let himself imagine what it would be like to join her. To fall asleep with her in his arms, to wake beside her. To be with her completely.
He shook his head, forcing the thought away. No use in rushing. She had another full day of work tomorrow, and so did he. Whatever was building between them would have to stay slow.
With a sigh, he stepped into his new room, setting the box on the chest of drawers. He ran a hand through his hair, looking around. It wasn’t much—a simple space with a bed, a dresser, and a window that looked out over the back pasture. But it was where he was supposed to be.
For now.