Chapter 27 #2
An hour later, she’d hugged her dad goodbye as he set out to check on the herd with two other ranch hands.
She still hadn’t seen Colt, and accidentally ignored her phone in favor of talking with her dad.
It was nice to just have some time, only the two of them.
Well, if that wasn’t counting Lucky, who was currently curled up in her lap as she sat on the grass with her back against a fence post.
Jessie pulled her phone from her pocket and cringed. Three missed messages from Hawk. Shoot.
Hope you got out there safe and sound. Colt got caught up finishing up paperwork at the station, but said that your dad would be waiting for you.
Did everything go okay? I’m worried I haven’t heard from you.
Jessie, it’s been over an hour and I haven’t heard anything from you. Please let me know you and Bee are okay.
Jessie flipped her phone around and snapped a picture of her and Lucky. It was adorable, especially because his sweet little head was pressed against the baby. Maybe he knew Bee was in there.
I’m so sorry. I’m fine! So is Bee! Just got nap-trapped under Lucky. He said it’s good practice for when the baby comes. I’m going to wake him up and come home soon though. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way back.
Three dots popped up almost immediately—
“I was starting to wonder if you forgot you were still a Ford,” Beau’s voice traveled over her shoulder, and Jessie nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Don’t you know it’s not nice to sneak up on a pregnant woman?”
“Don’t you know it’s not nice to ghost your family and ignore your responsibilities?”
Jessie gently pushed Lucky off her lap and stood, tamping down the anger that she felt starting to heat her chest.
“I don’t want to speak to you. How you could just sit there when Dad was saying all that shit to me…”
“I think deep down, you know he’s right. Because somewhere in there, is the selfless version of Jessie we all know and love. The true Jessie, who has always put her family first and knew what it meant to be a Ford.”
Her heart was pounding so wildly in her chest that the edges of her vision started to darken.
Jessie hated confrontation, and a big part of her wished that Hawk was right there by her side to stand up to her brother.
But he wasn’t, and she could pull up her extra stretchy maternity leggings and set Beau straight.
“The true Jessie,” she scoffed. “The selfless Jessie. That’s the only Jessie you can love? The only Jessie you can support?”
Her brother’s head reared back. “I mean, that’s not exactly what I’m saying.
You know how much Mom and Dad are counting on us.
Sure, Colt’s around to help with the ranch, and Hayes and Lach too, but it has always been me taking over this place, and you taking over the diner.
They’re talking about selling it now. Did you know that?
Mom’s legacy she’s worked so hard for. Gone, because you wanted to have a wild and carefree night. ”
Her stomach pitched. “It makes sense that they’d sell it. But I didn’t know they were thinking about doing it so soon. Dad didn’t tell me…”
“Yeah, well, you stopped working there, so how the hell would you know?”
“I wish I didn’t have to stop, Beau. It’s not like this was my first choice!
I wish I could do it all, but I’ve been sick!
Some days it takes all the strength I have to just crawl out of bed to the couch.
I wish it wasn’t that way. I wish that Hawk and I didn’t have to sit down and seriously consider if continuing to carry the pregnancy was the best decision.
But I have spent my life putting everyone in this family ahead of my own needs, and I won’t do it any more.
I can’t. I have a daughter on the way. And I’d never want her to feel the way I’ve felt all these years.
I’m allowed to have my own dreams. I’m allowed to be Jessie instead of just the youngest Ford. ”
“You still have a duty to your family—”
“And I’m doing that.” Jessie patted Lucky’s head.
The old goat had been gently butting against her leg for the better part of her argument with Beau.
“But you have to understand, Hawk and this baby are my family, too. I’m sorry if you don’t like that.
But you are the biggest hypocrite in the world if you think I’ve acted any differently from you.
I know you aren’t just spending your nights lonely in your cabin.
Just because the consequences of your one-night-stands wouldn’t grow inside your own body doesn’t mean you get to judge me or tell me how I have to act when I’m doing the best I can to be a good mother and a good partner.
If being a good daughter and a good sister has to get dropped during this season of my life, then that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. ”
Jessie took off past Beau, the gate to the fenced in area banging loudly behind her. He could shout after her as much as he wanted, Jessie was done listening to what he had to say.
A tear rolled down her face as she got into the car and pulled her seat belt across her body.
Her hands rested on the steering wheel before Bee rolled in her belly.
“I won’t ever let someone make me feel bad again for putting you or your daddy or our sweet little family first.”
She crept down the driveway, lost in all the thoughts swirling around her mind about her brothers. Men she loved and wanted to be in her daughter’s life. Men who had been tough on her growing up, but who had always had her back when it really mattered. What would get through to Beau?
Jessie turned on her blinker and maneuvered the steering wheel to the right, except… it didn’t want to turn. She tightened her grip, using all her strength to force the car into the correct lane on the main road.
Okay. Something was definitely wrong. The only thing she could do would be to stop the car and call for help.
Her breaks felt spongy. No. Jessie let the natural rise of the land slow the car down as she continued to press against the break, but she was almost certain they weren’t working.
What the hell had happened between the drive over to the ranch and the drive back?
Lach had promised everything looked good. Shit. Hawk was going to be so mad.
Jessie pulled the car over to the edge of the road and let it crawl to a stop.
It wasn’t like she’d expected. In the movies, it’s almost instant, but it felt like years had passed in real life before the car finally stopped moving.
She almost expected to look in the back seat and find Bee sitting there, a happy little toddler in her car seat.
Shaking that image from her mind, Jessie put the car in park and took what felt like the first breath in ages. What the hell?
She was only a half-mile or so away from Lachlan’s house. Even with the sun low in the sky, Jessie could make it there no problem. He could either help figure out what was going on, or he could drive her back into town and bring it to the shop in the morning.
Just great. Jessie groaned as she grabbed her purse and got out of her car.
Her phone chimed.
Hawk:
Please tell me you’re on your way home. I miss you and Bee.
Oh, my sister and Stone stopped by. Mae said she wants to talk about doing a girls’ day again, so just be ready for that when you come home.
Home. Jessie looked back up the driveway and over the open field to the old house that sat back in the distance. She’d always dreamed of that being her home one day, but her heart was shouting that home was now wherever Hawk was. She smiled and typed her reply as she trudged down the road.
We miss you too. She was just rolling like crazy. Probably because she’d rather be curled up in bed listening to your stories than walking up to Lach’s house right now.
Three dots popped up, before disappearing. And then her phone rang.
“What do you mean ‘walking up to Lach’s house.’”
“Not even going to say hello?” she teased.
“Not when I’m worried. What are you doing?”
“Exactly what I said. I’m just walking down the road a little bit and then I’ll be back on the ranch, safe and sound.”
Jessie sighed. There wasn’t a single car on the road, nor did she anticipate seeing one.
“I don’t want you to worry. Everything really is fine.
It’s just that Joey started acting wonky, right as I got out on the main road.
I’m just going to yell at Lach and get a ride back into town.
It’s only across a couple fields to get to his place.
He needs to come figure out what’s wrong with Joey because she was supposed to be fixed. ”
“Jessie—”
She rolled her eyes, even though she knew Hawk couldn’t see it. “I’m already on my way. I’ve done this walk a million times. We’re safe.”
“Go back to your car. I’m on my way.”
“Honestly.”
“I’m not joking. Get your pretty—and very much in trouble—ass back to your car, Jess.
Or at least back to your parents’ house.
I’ve seen trucks fly down that road. I’m going to have a fucking heart attack before I get out there if I don’t know you’re sitting in the car safe, with all your doors locked. ”
“No heart attacks. I grew up out here, remember.”
“I’m still on my way.”
“I hear you, Chief. Thank God it was only the breaks and not the AC that went out. You’d have to worry about finding me faint out here.”
“Jessie,” Hawk groaned. “Are you not feeling okay? I’ll call 9-1-1 right now.”
“Oh my gosh. Don’t you dare. I’m fine.” She opened the car door and sat down in the driver's seat, turning over the engine and immediately feeling better as the cold air washed over her. “I’m inside the car. The doors are locked. Come get me, please. I’m tired and I just want to nap again.”
“Again, huh?”
“Maybe Lucky wasn’t the only one who fell asleep for a bit,” she laughed.
Hawk stayed on the line with her until his truck was pulled up right alongside hers.
“Thanks for the rescue, handsome.”
“No problem, mama.” Hawk’s hand landed on the hood of her car. “Pop the hood for me and then we’ll get you situated in the truck.”
“Just leave it for Lach.”
“Nope. No can do. I want to look things over myself.”
Jessie shrugged and pulled on the small latch that popped the hood.
She accepted his help getting out of the car, and couldn’t help but roll her eyes as Hawk’s hand landed in the small of her back.
He helped her into his truck, buckled her in, and gently closed the door once she was all settled inside.
For all her time working at Lachlan’s garage, Jessie truly had no idea what Hawk could be looking at, or what he’d even be looking for. But the second he laid on the ground and started taking pictures with his cell phone, she knew something was wrong.
Hawk got up, bringing the phone to his ear while he paced up and down the road. His face was scary neutral, but she could hear the muffled tone he was speaking in, and it was all business. As soon as he tucked his phone away and got into the cab with her, Jessie had to know.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Your break lines. They were cut.”
Oh.