Sunrise Canyon (New Americana 1)

Paige closed the baby book. “Or maybe he doesn’t want to,” she said.

CHAPTER TWELVE

It was still raining when Jake drove into the yard. After a stop at the front steps to let Dusty out, he pulled around to the vehicle shed and parked the Jeep next to Kira’s Outback.

The yard was empty, the barn door closed. Kira and the others would most likely be in the house, keeping warm and dry while they waited for dinner.

With a mutter of impatience, he stepped out into the rain. The need to question Kira about Wendy was eating him alive. But he had little choice except to wait until he could catch her alone. For now, since he wasn’t hungry and didn’t feel like socializing, he would just go to his cabin. It would feel good to pull off his wet boots, stretch out on the bed and maybe watch something on the antiquated TV.

He splashed across the graveled yard. The rain was coming down so hard that by the time he reached the cabin door and unlocked it, he was wet to the skin.

Inside, the cabin was cold. There was an electric heater below the window, the kind Jake had seen in motel rooms. He switched it on and turned the heat dial up all the way. Shivering, he stripped off his clothes and hung them over the back of a chair, pulled on his sweats and propped himself on the bed pillows with a quilt over his legs.

As the room warmed, he could feel his tension easing some. But the questions about Wendy kept his thoughts roiling. Alone in the stillness, with the rain droning overhead, Jake could feel himself becoming more agitated—a danger signal. He needed a distraction. Anything.

He found the remote on the nightstand, clicked on the TV and scrolled through the channels. Not much available—infomercials, college basketball, which he didn’t care about, and a kiddy channel showing SpongeBob. He finally settled on a local cooking show, which featured an annoying woman with poufy blond hair. Even that was better than the silence.

Closing his eyes, he let the gushy voice flow into his head, filling up the dark hollows like water until, finally, blessedly, he began to drift.

* * *

In the house, dinner was long over, but with the rain still misting outside, most of the students had chosen to stay by the cozy fireplace or to share video games on the big-screen TV in the den. Paige had fallen asleep and had been carried off to bed. Dusty, who’d skipped dinner, had taken refuge in his corner armchair, with one of the large-print Western novels he enjoyed. That was where Kira found him.

He glanced up from his book as she stepped close. “How was Jake today?” she asked in a low, private tone.

“Fine. We ran some errands and had a good steak dinner. I think he enjoyed the break.”

“Did anything seem to be bothering him?”

“I asked him. He said everything was fine—including his relationship with you.”

“But he didn’t come inside tonight.”

“I told you, we had dinner. He was probably just tired.”

Dusty’s gaze dropped to his book again. Kira sighed. The old man might not be worried about Jake, but she still was.

“I’m going out and check on him,” she said. “If I don’t come right back, don’t worry. Maybe he’ll feel like talking.”

“I wouldn’t count on that.” Dusty spoke without looking up. “Jake strikes me as a man who plays his cards pretty close to his vest.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Kira grabbed a light rain jacket from the coatrack by the door and went outside. The rain had slowed to a light drizzle. Stars glimmered through the parting clouds.

The security light came on as she strode across the yard. She could see Jake’s cabin, faint light flickering through the curtained front window. That would be from the TV. Everything else appeared dark.

She gave a light rap on the door. There was no answer. Maybe he’d fallen asleep with the TV on. Or maybe he was in the bathroom. Cautiously she turned the latch. The door was unlocked. She opened it a few inches.

“Jake?” There was no answer, no sound except from the TV. The door creaked as she opened it a few more inches and stepped into the warm room. She could see Jake now, sprawled on the bed in ragged gray sweats, half-covered by the quilt. He appeared to be fast asleep.

For a moment, she stood gazing down at him. His hair clung to his forehead in damp curls. Rumpled and unshaven as always, he looked exhausted. Was there a chance he’d taken some kind of medication? Kira was weighing the wisdom of checking in the bathroom, when he opened his eyes.

He blinked drowsily, as if unsure of where he was. Then, suddenly, he jerked bolt upright, wild-eyed and wary.

“It’s all right, Jake,” Kira said in a calm voice. “It’s me. It’s Kira. You’re fine.”

The fight went out of him. He exhaled, sagging back against the pillows. “What are you doing here, Kira?” His voice was a muzzy growl.

“Sorry I woke you. I just came by to make sure you were all right. Now I’ll leave.” Kira turned toward the door.