“Is he really a cop?”
“Yep. Ben said he and his sister own property in Crested Butte, too. Something about a restaurant.”
“Yeah, I met her last night too. I think she was about to threaten me within an inch of my life, but then Ben stepped in.”
Blythe raised her eyebrows.
“How is she?”
“Really hungover. And embarrassed.”
“She didn’t want to eat?”
Bree hadn’t been at the table when the rest of the family had Thanksgiving dinner. No one had said anything about her absence. At the time, he thought maybe he should’ve skipped dinner too.
“I don’t think she had much of an appetite.”
Jace leaned forward and put his head in his hands. “What have I done?”
Blythe patted his back. “I think she’s more embarrassed than anything else.”
“She shouldn’t be. It’s my fault. You’re right.”
“Wait a minute. I didn’t say it was your fault. I said you upset her and she reacted. She’s responsible for her own behavior, Jace.”
“What’s the difference, Blythe? If I hadn’t said what I did, she wouldn’t have ended up shit-faced last night.”
“And if you weren’t torn up about her, you wouldn’t have said it in the first place.”
“Hi, sweetie. How are you feeling?”
Bree was leaning against the wall by the fireplace. She had on a Crested Butte sweatshirt that was at least three sizes too big for her, and what looked like pajama bottoms. Her face was pale, which made the circles under her eyes look darker. He wanted to smooth her hair back from her face and help her back downstairs, to bed. She looked as though she could use several more hours of sleep.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize—”
“Wait, don’t go.” Jace jumped up and followed her.
She stopped in the kitchen. “I can’t do this now, Jace. Can we, please, talk tomorrow instead?”
What could he say? She looked green, and her eyes filled with tears. He wanted to talk to her, but he couldn’t force her to do it now.
“Sure, darlin’,” he leaned in and kissed her forehead. “You go get some sleep.”
When Jace came back in the other room, Blythe was studying him.
“I’ve never seen her like this,” she sighed.
“Losing someone is hard. I can’t imagine how hard when it’s someone you expected to spend your life with.”
“I think this is more you than Zack.”
“Please, don’t say that.”
“She doesn’t know how to handle your relationship.”
“What relationship? From where I sit, your sister doesn’t want much to do with me. It’s been true since the day we met. Every so often, the ice melts enough that she leans on me. And then she comes to her senses again.”
“You make it sound as though she’s using you. She isn’t like that.”