Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
JASMINE
Gabe was going to pass out if he didn’t breathe.
He stood as still as a statue, fear rendering him speechless and freezing him to the spot.
I could only guess what was going through his head.
We’d been caught—although we hadn’t actually done anything, some of our interactions had been …
less than appropriate—and he was about to meet his maker.
“I’m going to ask you something that I never have before,” Dad said finally, breaking the silence.
“Yes, sir,” Gabe replied, nodding.
“You’re my best friend, part of my inner circle. I’ve always trusted you. With my life. With my family.” Gabe continued to nod, but kept his mouth clamped shut. He didn’t utter a word. “With my daughter,” Dad added, his gaze flicking to me.
Gabe flinched, his eyes blinking a few times like he’d been struck.
To everyone else it probably looked like confusion, but I knew what it really was: guilt.
The tension in the air was thick and heavy, like a blanket of snow that threatened to bury us all beneath its oppressive weight.
My dad’s composure was hanging on by a thread, and everyone could feel it.
“Nash has … gotten himself into some hot water. He’s currently sitting in a cell at the county jail, most likely sleeping off his very public intoxication.”
Gabe’s brows furrowed, and his eyes flashed with uncertainty. “What happened?”
Dad released a wary sigh. “Long story short, Nash and a few of his buddies decided to tie one on and vandalize the high school football field. The dumbasses were so drunk they tried to spray paint a giant,” he began but stopped, flicking his gaze toward me before clearing his throat and glancing away.
“Phallus in the end zone,” he continued with a wince, his discomfort palpable, “but it looked more like a deflated balloon animal.”
The situation wasn’t funny, but still I had to press my lips together to keep from laughing.
I could picture my brother and the two dipshits he’d been hanging out with since grade school trying to paint a massive cock on the grass while stumbling around, drunker than a skunk.
I bet Coach Mitchell would have a coronary when he saw it in the morning.
No one else seemed to recognize the humor of the situation, so I concealed my amusement as best I could.
“It’s not the first time he’s been in trouble, and the sheriff’s patience is running out.
Nash could be charged with a felony, depending on how much damage those boys did.
He could end up going to prison,” Dad announced, his voice raising to a decibel I’d rarely heard from him before.
I sobered, watching my father, whose unwavering strength got us through one of the hardest times of our lives, start to unravel.
He was angry; there was no doubt about that.
But beneath that anger there was fear. He was scared that his barely adult son, whose world had fallen apart and who was completely heartbroken, would have to do hard time for some stupid, mostly harmless prank.
Gabe crossed the room and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “What can I do?” he asked, genuine concern filling his eyes.
“My boy has lost his way,” my dad said, his voice cracking.
His chin quivered, and the sight made tears sting the backs of my eyes.
I’d only seen my father cry twice in my entire life: the day he woke up after having his stroke and at Audrey’s funeral.
He scrubbed a hand down his face, composing himself before continuing.
“I’m his father. It’s my job to guide him back onto the right path.
I need to be here for him. I need to make sure he’s not sneaking off to do something reckless.
That means I won’t be able to leave the ranch for any length of time.
This happened while I was gone, and I can’t risk it happening again when I’m hours away. ”
What was he getting at, and what did this have to do with Gabe? Gabe remained silent but wore a confused expression that I was sure mirrored mine.
“I’ve found myself in need of someone to travel with Jasmine to her races.
I know it’s not part of your job description, but you’re the only one I trust with my little girl.
” Gabe was facing my parents so I couldn’t read his expression, but I saw the way the muscles in his shoulders tensed.
“And I fully intend to compensate you for your time. I just can’t go with her to competitions right now.
She races every other weekend. Leaving Nash here for that long and that often isn’t an option.
We were lucky her competition was so close to home this time, but most of them are quite the haul. ”
It took me a moment to understand what he was asking.
He wanted Gabe to escort me to my races.
A mix of panic and excitement tightened my stomach.
Being on the road with Gabe, spending every night with him sleeping only feet away could be a disaster waiting to happen or the most exquisite kind of torment.
That was, if he agreed to do it. There was no guarantee he’d say yes.
“I don’t want her traveling alone. It’s not safe,” Dad continued.
“Plus, she has a hard time hauling the trailer.” I hated to admit it, but he was right.
I could haul the trailer, but I didn’t like it.
It made me nervous, especially on the highway and some of the winding back roads we had to travel to get to competitions.
“I-what?” Gabe stuttered out, shock and confusion lacing his tone.
“I need you to take Jasmine to her races. I need you to drive my truck and haul the trailer, help her take care of her horse, make sure she takes care of herself,” he said, glancing pointedly at me, “and keep her safe.” This time it was my father who clamped his hands on Gabe’s shoulders staring him in the eyes, his expression open and earnest. “You’re the only person I trust for the job except Rowan, and I need him here while we get the sanctuary up and running. ”
Gabe was silent for a moment, probably stunned speechless by Dad’s proposal.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined him asking Gabe to do this.
But then again, my dad wasn’t aware of the burning desire coursing through my veins for his best friend or the way he looked at me like I was the very temptation that would be his downfall.
“What about Rory? I have my daughter every other weekend,” he reminded him.
“I understand that. Luckily, most of Jasmine’s races fall on the weekends Rory is with her mother.
If there happens to be a race when you’ve got her, I’ll just have to take over Rowan’s duties so he can go instead.
You’re also more than welcome to take Rory with you.
The trailer technically sleeps four, so there’s room for all of you.
” When my parents realized I planned to pursue barrel racing as a career, they sprung for one of those fancy horse trailers with living quarters so we didn’t have to keep staying in hotels or camping when we traveled for competitions.
It wasn’t exactly spacious which meant Gabe and I would be living in close quarters if he agreed to do this.
Gabe scrubbed a hand over his face and blew out a long breath. This was a lot to hit him with in the middle of the night with no warning. I couldn’t imagine what was going through his head at the moment.
Sensing his hesitation, Dad offered him a reassuring smile. “You don’t have to give me an answer tonight. We’ve got almost two weeks until her next competition. You’ve got time to think about it.”
“Alright, I’ll let you know my answer soon,” Gabe replied.
“I apologize for dragging you out here at this time of night. Things got a little tense after the call from the sheriff on our way home, and I was riled up.”
“No apology necessary. I would probably feel the same way if I was in your shoes. Besides, I’d just gotten home so I was still up.”
“I appreciate you,” Dad said, clapping him on the back.
“You’re a good man and a great friend.” My mom stood and pulled him into a hug.
Seeing her damp eyes made mine tear up again.
Everything going on with Nash was weighing heavily on my parents.
They were heartbroken for him and feeling helpless to do anything to make it better.
They got him into therapy after Audrey died, but he wasn’t great about going consistently.
You could always tell when he had a particularly difficult session because he’d hole up in his room for days, then wouldn’t go back to therapy for weeks.
Through all this, he was the one hurting the most, and none of us knew how to help him.
“Thanks for coming out tonight. We’re so glad to have you back,” Mom said, her voice so low and broken it was barely above a whisper.
“Y’all are like family to me. I stayed gone too long, but I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, returning her hug.
They spent a few more minutes discussing delegating some of Gabe's tasks to the ranch hands so he could work on training with Nash. Dad felt that if he could focus more on bull riding, he might have a better chance at staying out of trouble.
Finally, Gabe turned to leave, and our eyes met.
He looked tired and haunted, like he’d lived a thousand lifetimes in just one night.
The fear I’d seen when I first walked in was gone, replaced by uncertainty.
He had a big decision to make, one that involved the possibility of spending several long weekends with me, the two of us alone on the road with no one around to act as a buffer.
No witnesses to notice when we stood too close or let a seemingly innocent touch linger too long.
I hoped he’d say yes. It would give him a chance to see me in a different light, away from my family and the ranch.
I wanted him to finally see me as a woman, not as a kid he once knew or his best friend’s daughter.
But he was clearly hesitant to agree to the arrangement, and it made me wonder if he also felt this simmering tension between us that could send our entire lives up in flames.
Gabe moved slowly toward me, and I tracked his movements, never taking my eyes from him.
He gave nothing away, no indication of what he would choose.
I wanted so badly for him to say yes. Maybe it was foolish.
Maybe it was even a little reckless, but this would give us a chance to be alone together, to see if these sparks would catch fire.
Gabe stopped next to me, and I held my breath as I waited for him to speak, to give me some hint of what he would decide. Hope swelled in my chest, but it was quickly dashed away the moment he opened his mouth to speak.
“Congratulations on your win tonight, Jasmine.”