Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Moving week was cold, but clear. Chase wrangled his brothers into helping unload Jewel's storage container, and he worked around the clock to make the house into a home. His sisters-in-law were easily bribed into helping put the finishing touches on too. He wanted to ask Jewel's opinion on nearly every detail, but he knew she was working too hard.
Throughout it all, Destini texted him or video called him every day, and they slowly were getting to know each other. Instead of Jewel, he asked Destini several details about how to make the house into a home for them both.
The day of the party brought a cold front with it, and he unboxed Jewel's books into the downstairs sitting room that he'd set aside as her office. After receiving the furniture delivery, he locked up the house and went to the barn, saddling Gladys before heading to the ranch.
He was hungry and winded by the time he made it to the old sale barn, and when he walked in, he immediately was drawn to Jewel. His heart ached to go to her, scoop her into his arms, and whisk her back home. She looked ready to drop.
They bickered like an old married couple all afternoon. When Hunter explained how he and Taylor were going to get married that night at the party, Jewel's face blanched.
Jewel's jaw dropped. "What?" Her shout echoed in the barn and all the people decorating stopped to stare. Chase frowned, his stomach twisting at the intrusive negative thoughts.
Hunter looked at Jewel. "We're getting married tonight."
She frowned. "But what about Destini?"
"What about her?"
"Well, she's not here. Shouldn't she be at your wedding?"
Hunter shrugged. "None of the other nieces and nephews will be here, since it's the after trick-or-treat adults party. Besides, she's made it clear that we're not a priority to her right now, and this way, she'll have a new aunt when she does come to town."
Jewel glared at him, but Chase agreed with Hunter. Destini hadn't moved to town yet, despite offers of a room at both Jewel's dad's and his own parents' houses. Destini didn't need to be here for their wedding, but if it were his and Jewel's, then yes.
He breath caught at the idea of her in a dress and boots, walking through a field to stand in front of a tree with him.
Hunter interrupted the daydream, tilting his head to the side. "Are you not happy for us, Jewel?"
Chase's stomach rolled with nerves. Did she still want Hunter instead of him? A visceral reaction shot through him, and he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and claim to the world that she was his.
Jewel took a deep breath and sighed. "Of course I'm happy for you both. You're perfect for each other. I'm sorry, I'm just on edge."
Hunter nodded. "I understand. It's a lot going on, and being away from her can't be easy. But tonight, we're not going to worry about Destini or anything else. Tonight, I'm getting married. We're the only ones that know by the way. We're going to surprise everyone else."
Chase shook his head. "What's with all the surprise weddings in this town?"
Hunter chuckled. "This will make two, bro. It's not that many. And this time both the bride and groom know."
Jewel threw up her hands and grumbled, "Men." Then she stormed off to join the ladies decorating on the other side of the room.
Hunter chuckled, but Chase just stared forlornly after her. "Do you think she regrets it?" He paused, and Hunter turned to him, frowning in confusion. "Regrets me?" Chase's voice was barely a whisper.
Hunter placed a firm hand on Chase's shoulder. "Not a chance, Brother. Jewel might be complicated, but she looks at you like you're her entire world. I was wrong about her when I warned you to stay away all those months ago."
"I love her," Chase said the words out loud, afraid to say them to her, but needing this first step to practice saying them out loud.
"Of course you do. And she's head over heels for you, even if she's fighting it harder than a wild mustang."
Chase swallowed, watching Jewel's back as she arranged decorations. Her movements were sharp, precise, betraying her inner tension. "She seems… distant. Crankier today."
"She's stressed," Hunter said. "Halloween party, wedding preparations, work at the ranch. Plus, whatever's going on with her and Destini."
Chase nodded, but the doubt gnawed at him. He'd moved so quickly with Jewel, trying to both give her space while claiming her heart. What if he hadn't succeeded? What if she was having second thoughts about moving in and giving them a real chance?
He might've talked with Destini a lot this week, but Jewel had practically ignored him.
Before he could respond, Taylor walked up, her arms laden with orange and black streamers. She raised an eyebrow at both men. "Are you two going to stand here looking like lost puppies, or are you going to help?"
Hunter grinned and took half the streamers from her, kissing her cheek. Chase grabbed the remaining decorations and followed them, his eyes constantly darting to where Jewel had disappeared. The barn was transforming into a Halloween wonderland, with carved pumpkins, twinkling lights, and cobweb decorations that looked both spooky and elegant.
Hours later, the sequined lights of the barn glittered like frozen tears as Chase walked back in, his prisoner costume stark against the Halloween revelry. Black-and-white striped fabric hung loose on his frame, the stiff material a deliberate choice that felt like armor and confession rolled into one.
Laughter erupted from his siblings—a sharp, staccato sound that broke the tension.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Parker said.
"What? I thought it was fitting," Chase said, plucking at the fabric.
His family was gathered around a raised platform, two big chairs placed on them like thrones. His mother sat, regal and frowning. Pain flickered across her face, something deep and unresolved that made Chase's stomach clench.
He stepped up beside her and kissed her cheek. "Mom," he greeted as the caterers and servers put last-minute touches on the room, scurrying here and there.
"You should've worn something else," she said softly like a queen holding court.
"This is who I am, Ma," Chase responded, his voice low and determined. "I'm just me. I have to own my mistakes. If you can't accept me and what I've done?—"
The costume felt suddenly heavy. Intentionally provocative. A walking billboard of his past, daring anyone—especially her—to judge. His fingers brushed the rough fabric, feeling every thread like a memory, despite his years of uniform not looking anything like this fake monstrosity.
The barn's festive sounds seemed to fade, creating a bubble of intimacy between mother and son. Chase waited, his breath shallow, wondering if this moment would define everything that came after.
Her eyes softened, a complexity of emotion shifting across her features. "No, it's not that. I—I'm not ashamed of you, Chase. I love you, but I'm still hurt that we didn't talk for fifteen years. I feel like I don't really know you anymore. It's no wonder why we treat you like just one of the ranch hands."
The words landed like quiet stones dropping into a still pond, each one creating ripples that expanded outward. Chase felt his throat constrict, a physical manifestation of years of unspoken pain and distance.
His voice, when it emerged, was rough-edged and vulnerable. "But I'm so much more."
"I know," she said. "And I'm trying. It's just taking me a while to adjust. I'm sorry."
He shook his head. She had nothing to be sorry about. It was him who had so much to apologize for.
"No, Ma, I'm the one who's sorry. I was angry for years because I blamed everyone for what happened, everyone except me."
His brothers began to tune their instruments as people drifted into the party, the distant music seeming to fade, leaving only the sound of his own heartbeat. "When I finally got some therapy and started to own up and process… I didn't know how to bridge the gap between us. I wanted to talk with you and Dad so many times."
The admission hung between them—raw, unvarnished, a lifetime of silence compressed into a few trembling words. Chase watched his mother's face, searching for understanding, for a sign that the distance could be crossed.
"I love you, Chase. I always have and always will. I just want you to be happy and safe, make a positive name for yourself, not for us but for you. We don't need you to pass that test and never needed you to get the degree. We love you anyway."
Her hand, weathered from years of ranch work, reached out, soft and deliberate. He grabbed it like a bridge crossing years of silence.
Chase's lips brushed the back of her hand, a gesture of reverence and apology to the queen on her throne. The touch was both a surrender and a promise—fragile, yet profound as he held her hand in both of his and rasped a reply.
"I love you, Ma."
The moment fractured when a sharp movement caught his peripheral vision.
Jewel strutted into the barn, her police officer costume cutting a provocative silhouette against the festive backdrop.
Something primal surged through Chase, unable to stop it with the raw emotions already rolling because of his conversation. A low growl rumbled in his chest—part desire, part challenge.
His mom laughed and pulled her hand away. "Well, aren't you two a matched pair. Go on, go dance with your girl."
He strode across the party without a backward glance, weaving through clusters of costumed guests that now crowded the room.
"Did you do this on purpose?" he demanded, stopping inches from her, close enough to catch her perfume, to feel the heat radiating between them. His prisoner outfit was a stark contrast to her law enforcement ensemble.
His eyes blazed—a mix of accusation and something deeper. Hunger. Playfulness. A dare to take their relationship to another level.
Thank God, because going slow with her had been driving him insane. He'd missed her so fucking much this week.
She tugged at the edge of her skirt, a nervous gesture that belied her confident stance. Her eyes glimmered—part mischief, part vulnerability. "I might've heard from Holly about your shopping trip to Denton with Landry for supplies for the house."
The admission hung between them, charged with unspoken electricity. Chase recognized the hint of strategy in her voice, the careful choreography of this moment. Holly, always the matchmaker, knew just enough to stir the pot.
"Do you like it?" she whispered.
His body moved before his mind could catch up. One moment they were standing, charged and static, the next he swept her into his arms. No more hesitating or holding back.
He swooped down, kissing her like oxygen was a luxury, and she was his only source. The kiss was urgent, possessive—years of restraint and longing compressed into a single moment of connection. Dancers spun around them as the edge of the dance floor filled, one bumping into them and breaking their kiss.
He spun them onto the dance floor, her police badge pressing between them, his prisoner uniform a stark counterpoint to her crisp outfit. His hands settled on her hips, holding her close and dipping his head for another irresistible kiss.
As a slow song drifted through the barn, the kiss softened. He traced a line of kisses down her jaw, intimate and deliberate, until he could nuzzle close to her ear. His breath was warm against her skin, sending a shiver through her body.
The world around them blurred—just music, movement, the two of them suspended in their own gravity. She sighed, pliant in his arms as hers held him tight. "I take it that's a yes to liking it."
Chase's voice dropped low, rough with desire. "Hell, yes, I like it. I can't wait to get you back to the house. I've missed you this week, but all I can think of with you in that skirt is bending you over and railing you."
The words were unfiltered, primal, no pretense or soft edges but simply pure, raw desire.
Jewel's breath caught—a sharp intake of air, muscles tensing, and pupils dilating. She leaned back, searching his face even as vulnerability flickered in hers. Was this too much? Too soon?
Chase was afraid to hope. The last time he'd been up front about what he wanted, she'd run off to college and hadn't returned for fifteen years. He couldn't go even another day without her.
Perhaps she saw the raw need and love in his face because a slow smile of pure invitation spread on hers. Desire pooled in her eyes, glassy and heated. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Her costume's fabric rustled with the movement, police badge catching the light, and his hands lowered to her ass. His fingers just reached the hem of her dress, and he caressed the back of her leg.
"Think the cuffs that go with this outfit will work?" she murmured, a challenge and a promise wrapped in one breathless question.
Her voice was low, teasing, but underneath remained trust and an unspoken understanding of two people who knew each other's shadows and light. She accepted him as he was. They may not have defined their feelings, but she was coming to love him just as he loved her. He was certain of it. He just had to be patient a little while longer.
He growled, "Not on me. There's nothing on this green earth that's going to keep me from you tonight."
She laughed, and he spun her slowly around the dance floor, just enjoying the feel of her against him and the unrestrained joy on her face.