If You Believe

He waved a veiny hand. "But nothing. I try not to make the same mistakes twice.

And I know better than to let you hide from whatever it is you dont want to face. "

Jake froze. Emotions—fear, anxiety, anticipation— hurtled through him, left him winded and reeling in their wake. "Wh—What makes you think Im hiding from something?"

"Believe me, Jake, Ive learned to read the signs. "

"Im not hiding from anyone. " He flushed, realizing his mistake instantly. "I mean, anything. "

Rasss eyes narrowed at Jakes words. The old man studied him for a long, uncomfortable moment before he spoke. "Good. Then theres no reason to stay in the barn. "

Jake shook his head. He tried to swallow, but his throat was dry. He was afraid his obvious fear was revealing to much, but he couldnt help himself. "I dont think so. . . . "

Rass laid a firm, comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. "Its time for you to meet my daughter . . . and Mad Dog. Time to quit hiding. "

Its time. Jake sighed heavily. How many times had he thought those exact words?

Maybe Rass was right; maybe it was time to stop running and hiding and being afraid. Hed followed Mad Dog for months now, too scared to actually say hello.

"Come on," Rass said gently, and turned for the door.

Jake couldnt move. His feet felt as heavy as stones.

You dont have to follow him.

He could turn around right now and run. Just forget the whole thing.

But hed tried that already.

For ten years hed tried to forget about the legendary Mad Dog Stone—tried and failed.

He had to go with Rass; he knew that. He had to go. Hed been following Mad Dog for months, dreaming in cessantly of this moment. He couldnt let it slip through his fingers now because he was afraid.

"Rass?"

The old man stopped, turned around. "Uh-huh?"

Jake wet his lips nervously. "Stay with me. " He tried to say the words in a flippant, casual tone and failed. They came out weak and pathetic-sounding.

Rass nodded and gave Jake a soft knowing smile. "I will. "

Jake squeezed his eyes shut and said a quick, silent prayer. Then, silently and side by side, they walked out of the barn and headed toward the house.

Jakes stomach was twisted into a throbbing, nauseous knot. He tried not to be afraid, but it was impossible. He was scared to death.

Finally, after all these years, he was going to meet his father.

Chapter Eleven Mariah stood at her mirror, pinning her hair into a tight coil at the base of her neck. She rammed one hairpin after another into the thick chignon, securing it until a hurricane couldnt bring it down.

Today shed let Mad Dog get too close. Far too close. Just thinking about it made her feel queasy and vulnerable and afraid. Shed let him inside her today, just a little bit and for no longer than a heartbeat, but shed let him in all the same.

A tremor passed through her, made her fingers tremble. His quiet confession had touched something in her, made her feel warm and liquid inside, as if maybe things would someday be all right again. It was a thought she hadnt had in years, hadnt let herself have.

For a few precious, magical moments, she had almost believed in her old dreams, almost believed her life could be different.

She sighed. Feeling infinitely tired and old, she left her bedroom and descended the stairs. In the kitchen, she went through the motions . . . started a fire in the stove and pulled the food from the ice rack. But even as she buried herself in the familiar, comforting routine, she couldnt make herself forget.

What a fool shed been.