Blaze (Steel Brothers Saga 21)

Sure. I have a lot to tell you.

Right. She’s going to tell me what’s been bothering her and how it has something to do with the safe-deposit box that she and Rory lost the key to.

As curious as I am, and as much as I want to help her, is it really fair of me to take that information when I’m going to break up with her?

If only…

I can’t believe I’m even thinking this, but if Mom and Dad weren’t coming home tonight, I could have one last night with Callie.

How can I exist knowing I’ll never make love to her again?

And honestly? It isn’t even the making love that’s important. It’s Callie herself. Her presence in my life. The happiness she brings me.

How can I live without that?

You don’t have to let her go, you know, the little voice inside me says. Dale brought Ashley into all of this, and she’s doing fine.

All true. But Dale brought Ashley in before we knew of these developments, and God only knows what they will lead to.

I haven’t spoken to Dale because he’s been busy moving into his new house. He said he was going to check out those GPS coordinates, but I never heard whether he did. Instead of checking in with him yesterday, I stayed at home. I had a big pity party for myself. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get comfortable with the fact that I had to let Callie go.

Maybe I need to talk to Dale now.

He’ll tell me to not let her go.

And perhaps that’s what I need to hear.

I text Callie back quickly, telling her I’ll let her know when I’ll pick her up for dinner, and then I call Dale.

He doesn’t answer. I get ready to leave a voicemail, when he blips, interrupting my message.

“Hey,” I say.

“Sorry. I left the phone on the counter of the new house, and I was upstairs. I heard it ring and ran down, but I was too late. What’s up?”

“I should have checked in with you yesterday. Any luck on figuring out the GPS coordinates?”

“Yeah. I drove out and took a look at all of them. They’re just standard points. One is even on our own property.”

I widen my eyes. “It is?”

“Yeah, our property is pretty vast. This is way north, almost on the Wyoming border.”

“Is it property that we use?”

“There are some old buildings, but no, we don’t use them. I’m surprised we don’t have squatters, to tell you the truth.”

“Did you find anything in those buildings?”

“No. I didn’t go inside any of them because I was due back at the winery. I figured you and I would go back together to do the thorough checking.”

“What about the other GPS coordinates?”

“Just outside our property.”

“Who owns that part of the land?”

“I don’t know, Don. That’s where you come in. You’ll need to check all the databases.”