07 It Had to Be You Read online

Jake slowed and took it all in, from the maze of rock formations to the incredible view. He tried to imagine his father standing on this very spot—it wasn’t hard.

  “It’s where we came to spread his ashes,” Tucker said. “Remember, you left the morning after the service? We all came out here that afternoon.”

  Jake looked out into the valley below and waited, desperate to feel something, anything, other than an aching emptiness and sadness for not feeling more. “What am I supposed to say? Sorry?”

  “Not to me.”

  He opened his mouth to tell Tucker what he’d told Callie, that the street between Richard and Jake had gone two ways, but suddenly that seemed like an excuse. Maybe Richard hadn’t made a move, but Jake could have. If for nothing else than to get rid of all this useless regret and loss.

  They stopped before sunset to make camp. Jake looked at the hard, wide open land and wished for a bed. Eddie set up the tents, smiling and flirting with their guests when they all jumped in to help him, but Jake knew him now, and for the first time, Eddie’s easy-going nature was forced.

  “It’s Stone,” Tucker told him quietly as they set up a barbeque pit, gathering large stones to make a circle. “He misses his brother.”

  Because that sounded a little like an accusation, Jake picked up a larger rock than he’d intended.

  “Christ, don’t even try to help if you’re going to go all pale and pretend your shoulder isn’t killing you,” Tucker said, disgusted.

  “It’s not killing me.” There were degrees of pain, as he’d learned all too well. On a scale of one to ten, he was only at a six, and that was saying something. And actually, so was the fact that Tucker had noticed his pain at all, and without a derogatory comment. “Can’t Eddie just call Stone’s cell?”

  “Stone isn’t answering. Now Eddie’s all bent that Stone didn’t tell anyone but Callie where he is. He’s worried.”

  And clearly, so was Tucker. “You guys are all pretty close.”

  “We’re family,” Tucker said simply, and lit the fire.

  And you’re not. That message had been loud and clear in the past, but he’d thought today the lines between the ranch and himself had finally seemed to blur somewhat. Tucker, while not overwhelmingly friendly by any means, had seemed to lose at least some of his antagonism.

  Great timing. He’d finally softened, and Jake had spoken to his Realtor only yesterday, who’d assured him she could sell the ranch quickly.

  He’d lived for that, and yet the truth was, he could have gone back to San Diego without waiting for the sale. He could take care of himself now, and while work was still out of the question, surely the media frenzy had died down.

  But he hadn’t gone anywhere. Learning to fit into this group of self-titled misfits no longer seemed so bad. Especially since at the moment no one wore the title of misfit better than he.

  Tucker nodded in satisfaction at his blazing fire, then pulled out a sheet of paper filled with neat, precise handwriting. He read some of it and swore. “She should have come out herself, damn it. I’m not going to peel the cucumbers in little strips. And what the hell does she mean, toss the salad? We shouldn’t even be having salad, that’s not camping food.”

  “It is for women,” Jake said.

  Tucker’s head whipped up, eyes lit with ready attitude, but then he caught the teasing light in Jake’s eyes and let out what was the closest thing to a laugh that he was going to get. “Yeah, I guess.”

  Across the fire near the tents, Eddie had some of the women all over him while he put the gear into the shelters. The rest were waiting to jump on his every whim.

  “Why aren’t you joining him?” Jake asked Tucker. “That must be one of the benefits, right? Beautiful guests? Harmless flirting?”

  Tucker was still reading his directions and muttering. “It’s complicated.”

  “You mean it’s a woman complicated. Amy complicated.”

  “Aren’t they all?”

  “Every single last one,” Jake said fervently.

  Tucker lifted his narrowed gaze and studied him. “You’re not having women trouble, not here,” he said flatly. “Tell me you’re not. Because there’s only Callie, and since you’re leaving, there’d be nothing about her giving you trouble, nothing at all.”

  “Tucker—”

  “You’re painting. You’re selling us out. And then you’re leaving. In that order. Remember?”

  “I’m not selling you out. I can’t keep the ranch, I can’t—”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’ve heard this story, so save it.” He shoved Amy’s long note in his pocket and stalked off.

  They didn’t talk again, other than to communicate about what needed to be done. Callie checked in regularly by radio with Tucker, though she didn’t talk to Jake.

  Had he actually thought he might be fitting in? He’d been dreaming. That night and the next, Jake dealt with rocks beneath his sleeping bag, clinging women, and more bugs than he’d ever seen. Thankfully he lived, and two mornings later they finally rode out.

  By that time, Jake couldn’t remember why he was still there. He missed hot water and a bed, and it was likely his butt would never be the same after all those hours in the saddle.

  All he wanted was a plane ticket home, whether he could be a firefighter or not, whether he’d sold the ranch or not.

  Then they rode back onto the ranch, and he saw Callie standing on the porch of the big house. She wore her usual jeans and tank with a blouse layered over it. No hat today, which left her fiery hair blowing around her face and shoulders. She stood tall and proud, and just looking at her filled him with a longing he didn’t fully understand.

  And suddenly the plane ride took a backseat to being with her.

  She saw him, he was certain of it, yet she didn’t react. Undeterred, he dismounted, threw the reins to Eddie, then strode forward. He took Callie’s arm and pulled her off the steps. “Two things.”

  She looked around, making sure they were alone, which frankly, he didn’t care about. The guests had gone inside with Amy to pack up for their departure, and Eddie and Tucker weren’t paying either of them any notice.

  “Forget everyone else,” he said. “First, I’m never camping again.”

  “That’s a shame since you’re finally walking like a cowboy.”

  “If that means that I look like I’ve been in the saddle for days, I have, thank you. I think I broke my ass, if you’re concerned. Now listen up, Callie, for thing number two, and this probably should have been first. Hell, this should have been said days ago, but we’re both pretty damn bull-headed.”

  “Jake—”

  “I didn’t sleep with Cici.”

  “Yes, you did.”

  “She slept in my bed, I slept in Tucker’s. And I would have put her in another room, as far away from me as I could get her, but the ranch manager wasn’t very accommodating.”

  She bit her lower lip. “Is that right?”

  “Extremely right. In fact, she was mean and rude, and jumped to conclusions. Wrong conclusions.” He took her hand. “Callie, I had just been trying to get into your bed. How could you think I would—”

  “I don’t know.” She shoved her fingers through her hair. “You drive me crazy.”

  “Ditto. But no matter what you think of me, say that deep down you know that. I wouldn’t sleep with another woman, not when I want you.”

  She stared at him. “You’re telling me the truth.”

  “Hell, yeah, I’m telling you the truth.”

  He saw acceptance of that truth dawn in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I know you better than that.”

  “That’s all right, I just figured out how you can repay me.” He tugged her close and kissed her. He had no idea why exactly, other than he’d felt like an outsider for so long, and that hadn’t changed much, but she was the one person out here who seemed to let him be whatever he needed to be, idiot or not.

  She hesitated, her hands in the air, hovering above his sh