And Then You Fly Read online

  Tucker put his hand on Jace’s arm. “No, it won’t. Now tell me what’s going on.”

  “Hi,” Blythe said when Bree walked in the kitchen. “I didn’t expect you so soon. But I’m so happy you’re here.”

  “Hi,” Bree answered, returning Blythe’s hug. “Have you seen Jace?”

  “I’m fine, thanks. How are you?”

  “I’m sorry, we’ll catch up later, okay? I really need to talk to Jace. He’s here, isn’t he?”

  “He is. He and Tucker walked out to the new barn—”

  Bree was out the back door before Blythe finished her sentence.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said when she walked in the side door of the barn. “Actually, that isn’t true. I’m not sorry at all. Jace, can I talk to you?”

  Tucker stopped and hugged her on his way out. “He’s all yours,” he smirked.

  “I don’t know what the hell all that was about earlier, but I have a few things to say to you Jace Rice.”

  He sat down on a bale of hay, pulling out a piece to chew on. She hated the smug look on his face, as though he knew what she was about to say and was simply tolerating her saying it.

  “You’re such an asshole,” she began.

  “I am that,” he smirked.

  “Stop it. Do you understand me? Just stop it. You don’t get to trample over me and talk to me as if you know what I’m thinking, or how I’m feeling, or what I want in life.”

  “Okay.”

  “In fact, I think it would be best if you just didn’t say anything for a few minutes.”

  He nodded his head when she glared at him.

  “I love you Jace Rice. Do you hear me? I love you. And I don’t care if you live in Montana, or Crested Butte, or Monument, or if you don’t live in any of those places. And I don’t care if you’re on the road all the time. I don’t care as long as I’m with you.

  “If you’re in Montana, I will be too. If you’re shoveling shit, so will I. If you’re unloading bulls from the back of a trailer at two in the morning, I will be too. You aren’t shutting me out. Do you understand? You aren’t leaving me behind, or making decisions for me, or telling me what I can and can’t do. Or what I want or don’t want. You don’t get to decide for me. Got it?”

  He nodded his head again. Bree could swear he was fighting the urge to smile.

  “If you want to know how I feel, or what I think, ask me. Don’t decide for me. Okay?”

  He nodded his head again.

  “You can talk now,” she folded her arms in front of her, and waited for him to say something.

  “Well? I said you can talk now. Aren’t you going to say anything?”

  He stood instead and walked over to her. He grabbed her folded arms and pulled them apart, bringing her closer to him. He leaned down and covered her mouth with his, snaking his tongue in. The kiss felt like a continuation of their conversation. Instead of answering her with words, his tongue did battle with hers. She kissed him back harder than he kissed her.

  He ran his hands down her sides, and lifted her so her legs went around his waist. He walked with her that way, over to the side of the barn, holding her up against it.

  “So you love me huh?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Say it again.”

  “I love you Jace.”

  “And the rest of it? You shoveling horse droppings. You sure about that?”

  “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

  “It isn’t easy.”

  “What is?”

  “There are times you won’t know what day it is, or one town from the next. And you’ll get damn tired of riding in the cab of a big rig.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “You say that now—”

  She kissed him again to shut him up. Her cell phone rang, but she ignored it. The only person she needed to talk to now was right in front of her.

  Epilogue

  “What do you think is up there?”

  “I don’t know, but Vi assured me I wouldn’t find any dead bodies.”

  Jace broke through the drywall in the ceiling and saw that it opened into the attic. “He sure didn’t make this easy.”

  “Do you see anything?”

  Jace shined the flashlight around the dark room. “Not so far. Wait.” He saw something over on the right. He focused the flashlight in that direction. “Looks like an old steamer trunk.”

  “Big enough for a body?”

  Jace laughed. “Uh, yep.”

  “Then you’re on your own cowboy. I’ll be waiting down here.”

  Jace pulled himself up into the attic. Once he stood, he shone the flashlight around the big open space. He drew back the heavy tarps that blocked the light coming in the windows. There were three in the attic, and once uncovered, it was light enough to see. As he saw before, the only thing up there was the steamer trunk.

  “Here goes,” he shouted in Bree’s direction.

  “Good luck.”

  He unfastened the latches and pried the top open.

  “No bodies.”

  “Glad to hear it. What’s in it?”

  “I’m not sure. It looks like a bunch of old books. And some clothes.”

  “I’m coming up.”

  “Wait for me—”

  She pulled herself up into the attic before he could walk back over to the opening. “I’m fine Jace,” she said when he put his arms around her.

  “Not just you I’m worried about, stubborn woman.”

  “You don’t have to coddle me.”

  “Ha! As if that would ever happen,” he rubbed her belly. “Precious cargo in here darlin’. How ’bout if I just coddle her.”

  Bree smiled and rested her hand on top of his. “Or him.”

  She walked over to the trunk and pulled out a book. She blew the dust off the cover, and opened it.

  “It’s someone’s journal,” she said, closing it.

  “Whose?”

  “I don’t know and I don’t care. Whoever’s words they are weren’t meant to be read by anyone but the person who wrote them.” Bree set the book back in the trunk where it had been before, and closed the lid.

  “Not even curious?”

  “Not in the least.”

  “What should we do with it?”

  “Leave it where it is.” She looked around the open space. “We have plenty of room up here if we need it.”

  ***

  Bree hadn’t asked Red what he did with Zack’s journals. She flew into Idaho a couple days before the wedding, and spent her time helping get everything set up. Maybe he’d buried them in a steamer trunk somewhere. It didn’t matter.

  All she needed to know stood in front of her as she walked down the aisle. Jace Rice loved her, heart and soul, and she loved him equal measure.

  About the Author

  My books are filled with things that bring me joy: music, wine, skiing, families, artists and cowboys. Not always in that order.

  I’m an author, speaker, editor, teacher, blogger, and in my spare time—became certified as an executive sommelier.

  I bring years of experience in the publishing world to all I do. I’ve edited and designed more than two hundred books, including fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, coffee table, and cookbooks. And then one day, I decided to write my own.

  I’m an east coast girl, who spent half her life on the west coast. But now my husband, our two boys, and I happily call Colorado home.

  You can find me here:

  Website: http://www.heatherabuchman.com

  Twitter: http://twitter.com/heatherbuchman

  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Heather-A-Buchman

  Coming soon, book five in the Crested Butte Cowboy series, And Then You Dare. As always, thanks for reading.

 

 

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