Chapter 32
Sunlight danced like raindrops through the dense forest canopy around the tiny circle Jasper had chosen for his sunrise meditation. A low mist hovered over the ground, seeming to encase the woodlands in the clouds with rays of divine light piercing through to envelope him in hope and love. He’d forgotten how soothing and essential meditation was for anyone, especially a warrior such as himself. A moment of guilt had clutched his heart that he’d been neglectful of his divine duties. But God, the Creator, was a loving and forgiving father.
The peace that settled over him urged him to forgive himself and to let it go. Only with a pure heart could he wage battle against evil and win. That was one truth many never understood—humans and guardians alike were slow to realize peace came from within because the divine was in each soul. Jasper bowed his head, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And so it is.”
Hiking the short distance back to the cabin, he evaluated all that had transpired. After an entire evening in Savannah’s arms, Jasper’s heart was at peace. They’d made love so many times he’d lost track. In between, she’d snuggled into the crook of his arm, her head directly over his heart. They’d spoken little, but what had been said had been powerful. What remained unsaid even more so. There were obstacles left for them to face, but they’d do so together.
A low rumble alerted his protective nature. Savannah was alone in the cabin. She’d been so sublime when he’d awakened, Jasper had not wanted to disturb her slumber.
He bolted up the hill and around the front of the cabin to find a giant candy-apple red dually truck so pristine clean it was hard to imagine a real cowboy jumping down from the cabin, but one did just that. Tall and skinny as a beanstalk with a bushy gray beard and a worn black cowboy hat, black jeans, and a crisp white button-down shirt with large silver and turquoise bolo tie, the man could’ve walked off the set of “Yellowstone.”
“Howdy, son.” The cowboy stepped around the truck with his hand outstretched. “Harvey Williamson, at your service.”
The man’s aura was sparkly citrine indicating he was friendly with no ill-will intended so Jasper grasped his hand in a firm shake. “Jasper Moreau, sir. What may I do for you?”
Harvey let loose a low chuckle. “It’s more like what I can do for you, or rather your lady friend, Miss Savannah.” He stepped back, went around to the passenger door, and pulled out a large, weathered leather briefcase, then waited expectantly for Jasper to invite him inside.
“I’m afraid she’s asleep at the moment.”
Friendly aura or not, he had no intention of allowing anyone anywhere near Savannah—for her safety and for everyone else’s in case Manea decided to put in an appearance.
“Son,”—why being referred to in that way didn’t bother him was a surprise—“I’m already months behind delivering this news and I promise to not overstay my welcome, but it imperative I speak with the young miss.”
The front door creaked open. Both men pivoted toward it. Savannah stood in the doorway, thankfully fully dressed instead of naked the way Jasper had left her that morning. “It’s okay. I’ve been expecting you, Mr. Williamson.”
Huh?She had? This was news to Jasper.
“Cody mentioned you’d eventually stop in.” Her expression was calm, inviting even, so Jasper ushered the cowboy into the house. Savannah, despite only having been there for less than a day, seemed to have the layout figured out. She skirted by the wooden end tables to the plush leather loveseat without knocking her knees on the coffee table, as if she’d lived in the home without her sight for years. Mr. Williamson followed, taking a seat on the overly large sectional sofa across from her. “Jasper, would you fix us some coffee while we wait for Cody. I’ve already called him, he’s on his way.”
She’d called Cody. How?
He did as requested, though. Soon, the fragrant aroma of french roast coffee wafted through the cabin. From the sound of it, Savannah and the cowboy were getting along famously. Laughter filtered back to him from the living room. Either they already knew each other, or Savannah was confident he was a good guy. Otherwise, the energy would’ve sparked a warning.
Wouldn’t it?
While waiting on the coffee, he toasted some cinnamon swirl bagels to serve, too. Savannah needed nourishment and his own stomach was grumbling. Arranging it all on a wicker tray, he carried it back to his lady love and their first guest. After setting the tray down and pouring Savannah a cup of decaf from one carafe and a hefty, caffeinated mug for himself from another, Jasper settled beside her on the loveseat.
She sipped, made a grimace, then handed the cup back to him. “Decaf? Really?”
He didn’t want to come across chauvinistic or overbearing, but hey… wasn’t that one of the first protocols of being pregnant… no caffeine?
“The doctor…” he began but didn’t get any further.
“One cup is perfectly fine when pregnant. This child has more to fear from other factors that I think coffee is a little too low on the list to worry about.” Her earlier pleasant tone had evaporated in an instant.
To avoid a dispute in front of Mr. Williamson, whoever he was, Jasper let the subject drop and passed his mug to her.
“Ahh, now that’s better.” The smile that crept up her face was the perfect combination of angel and manipulative devil. He didn’t know whether to fear this new creature or spend the rest of the day—after the cowboy left, of course—trying to illicit the same expression in a completely different manner.
Savannah explained through nibbles of the bagel with brown sugar cream cheese that Mr. Williamson was Mama Wedgefield’s lawyer. They’d met several times throughout the course of Savannah’s time with the rodeo, usually after a cowboy or rodeo hand was injured to settle disputes. Before the attorney had a chance to explain his reasons for needing to speak with her, the sound of another truck’s tires crunching up the pebbled driveway alerted him to Cody’s arrival.
Cody was a loyal friend and a true cowboy through and through. He’d been gravely injured during the last time Manea had made an appearance at the rodeo. The man was lucky to be alive. And… he also had a huge crush on Savannah that he’d nurtured for years, unrequited. He’d also been man enough to step back when it was evident she wanted Jasper. And he’d made it clear if Jasper ever hurt her, he’d face Cody’s wrath. Jasper respected him completely and considered him to be a true friend. He’d defend Savannah to the death just as Jasper would. And they needed all the help they could get.
“Come on in, Cody!” Savannah hollered from her perch on the love seat before he even had time to knock.
After a few pleasantries and Cody gulping down the last of the bagels, crumbs sprinkled across his lap, Mr. Williamson—just call me Harv—preceded to get down to business at last. He opened the briefcase and pulled out a fat pile of papers barely bound together with a couple of red and blue rubber bands. He plopped the documents on the coffee table.
“To get to the gist of all this”—he indicated the papers with a wave of his hand—“Mama Wedgefield had one simple request in her last will and testament.”
One request required all that paperwork?
Cody snatched the documents off the table, thumbing through the pages too quickly for him to be capable of grasping what they contained.
Harv spared them all by getting to the point. “She wanted Savannah to have everything.”
“Wh…wh…” Savannah nearly dropped the coffee mug she had been holding. “She…she didn’t even like me!”
“Not entirely accurate, my dear.” Harv leaned across the coffee table to take her hand. “Mama was a gruff old bear. No mistaking it. But those she loved, she did so with her whole heart.” He harrumphed. “She just never bothered to let them know.”
Savannah abruptly stood. “She treated me like garbage! She yelled, she even hit me! You call that love?”
Yeah, Jasper was having difficulty imagining that, too. He stood, grasped her by the shoulders to ease her back onto the loveseat. “I’m sure Harv can explain.” Although, this had to be one whopper of a story!
The poor old cowboy tried his best, but by the looks on both Savannah and Cody’s faces, neither was buying the tale. The woman had been awful to everyone she ever met, unless she was trying to manipulate someone. Most times, even then, she’d fall back to bullying versus cajoling. Jasper could tell by Harv’s ramrod posture and narrowed eyes, he didn’t believe the crap he was trying to sell either.
“Well, I don’t want anything from her!” Savannah’s face had gone stone cold the longer the cowboy attempted to convince her of Mama’s good intentions. “Give it to Cody!”
“He was written in as a secondary beneficiary if you were unable.” Harvey nodded.
Cody sat silent, his jaw hanging open, trying to formulate a response. He didn’t seem inclined to want it either.
Jasper decided to play a bit of devil’s advocate. “If someone doesn’t step up to the plate, what would happen to the rodeo and everyone who works there?”
“I’m sure Mama Wedgefield wanted to leave the rodeo in capable hands. And that would be you, Savannah.” Harvey then nodded to Cody. “You, too. She understood you both loved the rodeo and would do everything in your power to keep it afloat.”
Now that made more sense than the old grizzly bear gifting it to Savannah out of the pure love from her heart.
Jasper understood how much the rodeo meant to Savannah, and he imagined the same was true for Cody. But in reality, things were a little too chaotic right now for his blind pregnant girlfriend—wow, that was one term he’d never thought he’d consider—for her to be managing a small, nearly defunct rodeo. He didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes to point out the obvious. Besides, the rodeo was her life. He’d never in a million years insist she leave it.
“It’s your call, Savannah. But perhaps consider having Cody run things while you recover. When you’re one hundred percent again, you may want to get back in the saddle.” Jasper cringed at the old cliché.
They sat in silence while Savannah twisted the hem of her T-shirt into a knot, her lower lip captured by her teeth. Cody stared at the floor, then would shoot a glance at Savannah, then his gaze immediately riveted to the pine floorboards again. He wanted it, Jasper could tell, but he wasn’t brave enough to ask.
“Fine.” Savannah sighed. “Draw up whatever paperwork you need to give Cody primary management responsibilities for the rodeo until…” she shrugged, “whenever.” She slumped back against the loveseat cushions.
With the decision made, Harvey broke out his laptop from the briefcase, made some notes, asked some more clarifying questions, then read aloud the agreement. “I’ll get these documents printed out and back to you tomorrow morning for your signature, Savannah.”
They made small talk for a few minutes longer, then the old cowboy stood to leave. Cody decided to depart as well but wrapped Savannah in a hug and whispered, “Thank you,” before he headed out the door.
After they left, Savannah was quiet. Jasper offered her food and drink, but she stared sightlessly ahead. “You’ll be back with the rodeo sooner than you think.” Honestly, he didn’t know what else to say.
“You know as well as I do it is highly unlikely I’ll ever go back. Even if I get my sight back, with all this psychic garbage and Manea wrecking everything in my life, I must face the fact my life is no longer my own.” She buried her face in her hands. “And it’s too dangerous now.”
He opened his mouth to object, to protest that she’d be safe… He’d make sure of it.
But she spoke first. “Having me around will only put everyone and everything I love in danger. I’m unstable. I’m having blackouts. I can go from feeling happy to wanting to crush people’s skulls with my bare hands. I’m a danger to them, to myself, and I fear…to our child.”
Jasper pulled her into his arms, stroking her long locks as sobs ravaged her body. He wanted to insist she was wrong, that she could never cause anyone harm.
But his heart understood the truth.