then turned back to Travis. “I’ll see you at home or I won’t. I suddenly don’t really give a fuck.”
Travis swallowed hard, watched as Gage stormed out of his office, nearly plowing over Kaleb in the process.
“You wanna talk about it?” his brother offered.
“What do you think?” Travis dropped back into his chair. “Shut the fuckin’ door, would ya?”
Thankfully Kaleb didn’t try to push his way into the conversation. The door closed, leaving Travis alone with his anger and his pain.
Fuck Gage. Fuck him to hell and back.
Gage was wrong. The kids weren’t safe. Kylie wasn’t safe. For as long as Juliet Prince was out there, they had to remain vigilant, on alert at all times. Which meant Travis had to leave it to Gage and Kylie to hold down the fort while he continued his search. He would find her.
Of all people, Gage should understand why Travis was hell-bent on finding Juliet Prince, erasing her from the face of the earth. The bitch could’ve shoved her hand through his chest and ripped his heart out and it wouldn’t have hurt any worse than the day she’d stolen Kate out from under their noses. And he’d watched Kylie and Gage suffer the same way, the pain they’d endured when they had no idea where Kate was, what was being done to her.
Travis had been helpless. Completely fucking helpless because his heart had been shredded, making it impossible for him to do what needed to be done. And the longer she was out there, the angrier he got. He knew it was consuming him, but he didn’t give a shit. He had one goal.
Find her.
Eliminate her.
He’d be damned if he allowed her to destroy his world again.
His or anyone else’s.
*
“Is it just me, or does having an early dinner make us older than we are?”
Rex Sharpe looked at his husband and smiled. “You call it an early dinner; I call it a late lunch.”
“Well, that certainly makes it sound better.” Jack slipped his jacket off and hung it over the back of his chair.
“Hello, gentlemen,” Rachel greeted when she approached the table.
“Workin’ tables tonight?” Rex asked as he flipped open the laminated menu.
“Someone’s gotta do it. Plus, we’re slow this evening.”
“It’s still early,” Jack said with a chuckle. “Only old people come in at this time, right?”
“Old people and you,” she teased. “What can I get you to drink?”
They ordered their usual sweet tea for both of them and Rachel headed for the kitchen to get them.
“Why do you bother looking at the menu?” Jack asked. “We both know you’re gonna have the special.”
“Maybe I like lookin’ at it. You never know when they might get somethin’ new.”
Jack gestured toward the menu with his chin. “When’s the last time they updated that thing?”
Rex had no idea, but he figured it had been years, maybe decades. The diner had always had the same items on their menu. For as long as he could remember, anyway.
When Rachel returned, she set down the glasses in front of them, then pulled out her notepad. “Special, Rex?”
With a smile at Jack, Rex grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
“And you, Jack?”
“I like to mix things up,” he said, holding Rex’s stare. “I’ll have the—”
“Chef salad, no croutons, extra egg, ranch dressing?”
Jack’s gaze swung up to Rachel and he frowned. “Really? I’m that predictable now?”
“Not as predictable as this one.” She motioned toward Rex with her pen. “I’ll get that in for you. Be back in a bit.”
When she left, Rex laughed at Jack.
“I can’t believe I’m predictable.” Jack pulled the menu toward him. “I’m gonna have to find something else I like for next time.”
Rex leaned back, relaxed. It was the first time they’d been able to get away from the B and B in a month, and he knew they were going to have to make a change soon. As much as he loved the place, they needed some time away from there. As it was, they lived and worked within those walls, venturing out regularly, but not for long periods of time. Usually for supplies, only one of them at a time so someone remained behind to take care of the guests should they need something. And a rare night at Moonshiners or a meal at the diner was not what he considered time away. Rex wanted a real vacation with Jack. A honeymoon, maybe.
“Are you opposed to hirin’ someone to manage the B and B?” Rex asked.
Jack’s eyebrows shot upward. “You mean we might actually be able