Page 32 of Worth the Trouble

Faith and Brent were perfect for each other. They’d found love after building a foundation on friendship. He’d thought it would be strange to see his sister with someone, but he couldn’t have been more wrong.

If anything, the two of them made his own desires that much louder in his head.

They broke apart with Faith’s laugh. She gave her husband a gentle shove and then turned to Jason. “What about you?”

He reached for another rope and started coiling it. “What about me?”

“Any female acquaintances that you can’t get enough of?”

Jason’s whole body went rigid. He knew better than to believe it was a coincidence that his sister was asking him about his dating life. Mostly because she usually kept herself out of it unless she thought he was messing up. There hadn’t been anyone worth her asking about before, so she’d been quiet.

He didn’t know how, but Faith knew, and it didn’t bother him. Turning, he gave her a blank look. “And who would I date?”

She shrugged, her eyes alight. “I don’t know. But there is always the revolving door of tourists. The rodeo is always a fun place to meet people.” The teasing wasn’t lost on him. And apparently, it wasn’t lost on Brent either.

“Leave your brother alone. He’s got a lot on his plate as it is.”

Faith’s eyes didn’t leave Jason as she continued, ignoring her husband’s request. “You know, if there is someone worthy of your time, I don’t know why you’re here and not spending as much time with her as you can.”

Yup. She definitely knew.

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve got work. And Tate isn’t pulling his weight.”

She held the railing in front of her and leaned over, serious now. “This isn’t about Tate. This is about taking life by the horns and running. You’re not getting any younger.”

The silence after that was deafening. But after the dust settled, Brent was the first to laugh. “Babe, I don’t think that statement is going to carry the same weight as it does with women.”

She shot him a dark look. “All I’m saying is that if there’s a girl, and if that girl doesn’t live here permanently, he’s wasting his time when he could be with her.” Faith waved a hand in Jason’s general direction. “He’s literally the boss. He can reschedule appointments or make sure that Tate is around for more. Heck, he can put more on you.”

“Hey!” Brent shot back.

Jason shook his head as he gathered the rest of the supplies so he could take them to the barn. In the background, his sister and brother-in-law continued their banter. He’d never admit it, but Faith was right. At least when it came to this subject. There was no telling how long Cece would be in town. Especially since Tate was doing everything in his power to keep that development from happening. At some point, Cecelia’s father was going to leave. And she’d go with him.

He dropped everything on a nearby work table. The thought of never seeing her again hit hard. He’d been taking his time. Admittedly, he’d wanted to make sure he did this right. Cece was too important to make mistakes with. Jason could see a future with her, and they hadn’t even gone on an official date.

He glanced toward the entrance where his sister was laughing at Brent. Faith was too smart for her own good. And he’d waited long enough.

With that thought in mind, he showered and dressed. Then he stopped by the Sweet Everything Bakery before he headed for the lodge.

He arrived just in time to see Cece exiting the building clad in yoga pants and running shoes. Her hair was pulled back from her face, and she had a look of utter determination. Her jaw was set and her eyes were focused.

It was the second time he’d stopped by to see her without telling her beforehand. He was lucky she was here at all.

He stayed in his truck for only a moment, considering his options. Then he threw caution to the wind and climbed out of his truck with his bag in hand.

Cece’s head swiveled at the sound of his truck door shutting and the confusion in her eyes turned to excitement. There was no hesitation on her part as she strode toward him, a smile on her face. “Hey there. What are you doing here?”

He lifted the bag from the bakery. “They had your favorites today.”

She arched a brow before she laughed. “This late in the day? I’m not buying it.”

Whenever he was around her, Jason’s grin came as easy as breathing. “You’re right. I might have called in an order ahead of time.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?” Then her focus darted to the bag. “For me?”

“There’s no one else.” He said it low, but apparently not low enough, because her attention was once again glued to him. She searched his face, but he wasn’t sure what she was looking for. She wouldn’t find a lie, because he’d long since come to terms with his feelings. Now all that was left was to do what Faith suggested and take advantage of the time he had. Jason held the bag out to her. “It looks like you’re on your way out. I can—” He thumbed over his shoulder, but her hand shot out, her long, delicate fingers wrapped around his wrist.

“Don’t,” she murmured.