“I don’t know what to do. Her last words to me were to wish me a nice life.”
“You pushed her buttons by not letting her tell you what she was thinking, Jace.”
He knew he did. He couldn’t bear to hear her say the words. Just when he’d made progress on one important relationship in his life, the other important relationship took a nose dive.
“What did Ben say?”
“He said we both had some cookin’ left to do. Whatever the hell that means.”
“Sounds like something Ben would say. And then write a song about later. Good advice, though.”
“I can’t stop thinkin’ about her.”
“You and Bree parted ways how long ago? A couple of weeks? Slow down, Jace. Give her time. You and Tucker have made great progress in healing what’s between you in no time at all. What she’s dealing with is going to take a lot longer.”
“I have to see her.”
“Oh, dear boy, it isn’t as though you have no reason to. If you can’t get yourself front and center in Bree’s life, then shame on you.”
“Between the ranch in Montana, getting the operation going here, building our inventory of rough stock, and then getting out to the rodeos, I don’t know when I’ll have time.”
“There’s your answer.”
“What?”
“The best thing Ben did for us was give me time to miss him. If it’s right, it’ll work out. If it isn’t right, it won’t.”
“He said almost those exact same words.”
“He’s a smart man.” Liv smiled up at her husband, who had joined them on the porch.
“Somebody’s hungry.” Ben handed their baby girl over to her mother. “And I don’t happen to have what she’s lookin’ for.”
Jace got up to go inside, but Ben put his hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to go anywhere.”
Liv had the baby cuddled up against her with a blanket over her. Jace felt the same pangs of envy he’d experienced earlier.
“You can’t force it, but you sure can help it along.” Ben smiled. “You’re a Rice, after all. And don’t you forget it.”
10
“What do you mean she’s in Crested Butte?” Bree asked her father.
“She left a couple of hours ago,” Mark answered.
“But I’m home,” she pouted.
“When did you get home?”
“A couple of days ago.”
“Did she know you were home? Because I didn’t.”
“She knew I was coming home.”
“She did? When?”
“Well, I didn’t say exactly when.”