Page 9 of Close to Heaven

“Oh.”

“She moved back here to help out her dad, at least temporarily.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He has dementia.”

“Ouch. That’s tough.”

“Yeah.” Even though he hadn’t personally known anyone with the disease, he’d heard enough about it to know that it was devastating for the patient and their loved ones. “So stay away from her,” he added.

Cody scowled at him. “Sounds like a warning.”

“I just know how you are, that’s all.”

“You mean a guy who appreciates a beautiful woman?”

“Dakota will kill you, and I don’t want that on my conscience.”

Cody chuckled, but he wasn’t ready to let it go. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were claiming her for yourself.”

“I’m not claiming her. She’s our sister’s friend and my employee, and I just don’t want you messing with her.”

“Fine, but I’m allowed to talk to her, right? She could probably use a friend around here.”

Jax doubted his brother knew how to be friends with a woman. He narrowed his eyes at him. “Just keep your hands to yourself.”

“Yes, Dad.”

Dad. What would their dad say if he were here? Of course, if he were, Jax wouldn’t be running the resort. He’d still be building cabins and performing maintenance on them like Cody did. At times, he felt like both a parent and sibling to his brother and sister, and it was then that he really missed his mom and dad.

Jax stood. “I’m going for a hike.”

Cody looked away from the football game. “Right now? I was going to stay and have a beer.”

“Help yourself. There’s plenty in the fridge.” Jax walked over to the door and took his jacket off the coatrack.

Smoky recognized the signs and eagerly trotted over to join him.

“Good boy,” he said as he snapped on the dog’s leash.

“Have fun,” Cody said, his attention already back on the game.

A few minutes later, Jax was hiking up the trail behind his cabin and into the mountains. Here was the only place he could disappear and find himself at the same time—the only place he could truly breathe.