Awakened (Steel Brothers Saga 16)

“What are you reading?”

Ever aware of my red and swollen eyelids—should I make some excuse about allergies?—I hold up the book. “Jane Austen.”

“Ah. Romance.” He doesn’t mention my eyes.

“Hardly. It’s a classic.” Though it’s also kind of a romance.

“Interesting choice,” he says. “About a man who thinks everyone else is beneath him.”

“You’ve read it?”

“In college. English lit class.”

“But you studied agriculture. At least I assume you did.”

“Doesn’t mean I didn’t have a few general requirements.”

“Oh.”

“You didn’t have gen ed requirements for your degree?”

“Yeah, of course I did, in undergrad. But I just figured agriculture—”

“You figured why would I need to read Austen in order to raise beef?”

“Kind of. Yeah.”

“Why do you need to read Austen to make good wine?”

He has a point. “In all fairness, I’m not interested in winemaking so much as wine tasting.”

He smiles. “Right. I can see how Austen applies, then.”

“Smartass.”

“Can I talk you out of reading and coming with me instead?”

“Where are you going?”

“Riding.”

“Riding…what?”

“My horse, of course. Mom says you can ride hers if you want. She’s real gentle.”

“Your mom rides?”

“Yeah. It’s not really her thing, but she rides every now and then.”

“This may surprise you,” I say, “but I’ve never ridden a horse.”

“That doesn’t surprise me at all, Cali girl.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure I’m cut out for it.”

“How do you know that if you’ve never tried?”

I absently rub my rear end. “Trust me. I know. It’s sweet of you to ask, but I think I’ll pass.”

“Okay. What do you want to do, then?”

“You go ahead. I don’t want to ruin your plans.”

“Riding is optional. I want to spend some time with you.”

“Brock…”

“I know. You don’t want to get involved. We can be friends, though. Right?”

I smile. Actually, friends would be nice. Diana is gone, and she was the only friend I had here. “I’d like very much to be friends.”

Jade returns with two glasses of lemonade.

“You aren’t joining us?” I ask, hoping.

“I figure I’ll leave you young people alone.”

“Thanks, Auntie.” Brock takes the two glasses and hands one to me.

“I’ll be inside if you need me.” She smiles and heads back in.

I’m getting massively mixed signals from Jade. This morning she told me how Brock doesn’t hold a candle to Dale, and now she seems to be pushing us together.

Funny thing is, she knows how I feel about Dale.

So she must know he won’t be interested.

An invisible fist punches my gut, leaving me without air.

Funny. That same fist punched me when I first met Dale Steel, first heard him speak in that velvety red-wine voice.

When he brushed his lips across mine two nights ago in his truck.

He’s the man I want.

I know it.

Am I in love? I’m not sure, but I’m definitely in something.

In lust?

No. I’m well acquainted with lust, and that’s not what I feel for Dale. In passion? Maybe. He affects me like no other man has, and I’ve had a lot of men.

A lot of men, but very few relationships.

And with Dale, I want a relationship.

I want it all. I want him.

I take a sip of lemonade.

I’m not giving up.

Jade may think there’s no chance, but I’m going to prove her wrong.

“So, friend,” I say to Brock, “tell me about what you do on the cattle ranch.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Dale

Floyd stares at me, his eyes bulging and bloodshot. “You?”

“Yeah,” I say. “Trust me. I’m not thrilled about it either.”

“Right. John Greene found you.”

“He did.”

“Damn him. He was supposed to bring the information to me.”

“I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse,” I say.

“Money? Of course. I can barely make ends meet, as you can see. I gave him my last hundred to find you and your brother. You do have a brother, right?”

“I do. And we already have a father.” I nod to Dad.

“What’re you doing here, then?”

I open my mouth, but Dad speaks before I do.

“We want to know what you want.”

“I just want to find my kids.”

“After thirty years?” I ask.

“Yeah. I… I’m sorry about your mother.”

“That was a long time ago,” I say.

“Yeah. I didn’t know until recently.”

“If you hadn’t abandoned my brother and me, you’d have known a long time ago.”

“Now wait a minute.” Floyd tries to stand but stumbles and ends up back on the couch. “This is my house. I don’t have to be insulted in my own home. You two can get the fuck out.”

“Gladly,” I say.

“Just a minute, son.” Dad gestures to me to stay put.

“What? First, I’ll never believe this loser is related to me until I see DNA that proves it.”

But I don’t need DNA. I already know.

“I agree.” Dad turns to Floyd. “Whether Dale is your son or not, there has to be a reason why you decided, at this late date, to try to find the sons you abandoned.”

“Yeah, there is.”

“What is it? Why now?”

“I don’t fucking know.”

“He’s still drunk, Dad,” I say. “We’re never going to get a straight answer out of him.”