Cherished (Steel Brothers Saga 17)

He pauses then. Am I supposed to say something? He told me to let him get it out. I stay silent.

“He was an attorney in Denver. He was my father’s older brother.”

“What was your father’s name?” I ask, not sure why. For some reason, I want to know my birth grandfather’s name. I could have researched it before now, but I didn’t, and I want to know.

“Robert. And your grandmother’s name was Michaela Johnson Jolly.”

“Why didn’t you marry my mother?” I ask.

Again, I’m not sure where the question is coming from, except that this man is dying, and I may never be able to find out this information again.

“She didn’t want to get married,” he says.

“I don’t believe you.”

“It’s the truth.”

“You couldn’t even remember her name. You couldn’t remember my name.”

“We were together for four years. You and your brother are three years apart. I’m not lying.”

“How could you forget our names?”

“The booze and pills,” he says. “It fucked up my brain.”

“No shit.” I shake my head. “Go on, then. Tell me what I came here for.”

“So I needed money.”

“For booze and pills?”

He sputters out a cough again, and again I think about calling someone, but he gets it under control.

He makes a gurgling noise and then continues. “I was homeless. On my last dime, and I had this rich uncle. Fred Jolly. My own parents were gone.”

“Dead?”

“Yeah. They died when I was twenty-five. A year or so before this.”

“So you had no one to bail you out.”

“I did. I had Uncle Fred.”

“The rich attorney. Tell me. What does all of this have to do with me?”

He coughs again, and this time, one of his machines starts beeping.

I can’t help an eye roll. This is getting tedious. I don’t really care what he has to say. I already gave him his last wish. I called him Dad, even though he doesn’t deserve it.

Hell is obviously summoning him. So take him, why don’t you? I literally look to the ceiling and then realize my folly. Hell, if it exists, is down, not up. I hold back a laugh as a nurse hurries in.

“Mr. Jolly? Doing okay?” She fidgets with the machines. “You bent your arm again. Try to hold it still, okay? I’m going to reset everything.”

A few minutes later, she leaves. He coughs again.

Finally, I rise. “I don’t have any more time for this.”

“Sit down,” he commands.

And his voice, when he takes that tone, is familiar to me.

It’s…

It’s so like my own.

Scary as hell.

What’s scarier? I sit. I fucking obey the man.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Ashley

After Dale leaves, I walk to the main house. It’s Saturday, and though I’ll go work the harvest, I want some orange juice, and Dale’s out of it. Maybe I’ll run into town later today and pick up groceries.

Or is that too pushy?

I’ve spent the last several nights at Dale’s, but I haven’t technically moved in with him. My belongings, with the exception of a toothbrush, my skincare routine, and some pajamas—which of course I never wear at Dale’s—are still at the main house. I have to go there every morning to change clothes. So far, I haven’t run into Talon or Jade since that first morning, which is good. I know I have no reason to be embarrassed, but still…

Jade is sitting at the kitchen table reading something on her tablet when I enter through the back. She looks up.

“Good morning, Ashley. When are you and Dale leaving this morning to go to the hospital?”

“He already left. He wanted to go alone.”

Jade sips her coffee and sighs. “That’s so like him. He never wants any help with anything.”

I nod. She’s not wrong.

“Have a seat,” she says. “There’s juice in the fridge.”

“Thank you.” I help myself to a glass and pour a serving of OJ. I sit down next to Jade.

“How are you?” she asks. “We haven’t had the chance for any girl talk for a while.”

“I’m good.” I take a sip and swallow. “Dale and I…”

“Yes, I know. Talon and I are thrilled for both of you.”

“But it’s… He and I, we…” I huff out a sigh. “He only committed to me for the time I’m here. That’s all he’s giving me.”

“Is that enough for you?”

“Of course not! I’m in love with him. But it’s all he’s giving me, so I’m taking it. And before you say anything, I know I’m worth more, that I deserve more.”

“Actually”—she smiles—“I know exactly how you’re feeling.”

“You do?”

She chuckles. “When I was living here that summer, I took every single second I could get with Talon. He treated me terribly sometimes, but I still savored every moment with him.”

“I can’t imagine him treating anyone terribly.”

“He was different then. A lot like Dale, as I’ve told you.”

“Dale doesn’t—” I stop.

“Dale doesn’t what?” she asks.

“I was going to say Dale doesn’t treat me badly. He doesn’t. But there have been a few times when his words weren’t the nicest.”