Letting Go (Triple Eight Ranch) - By Mary Beth Lee Page 0,47
Mack’s concerned.”
But that wasn’t true.
“You said ‘buy a judge,’ Jed. How rich are they?”
“That doesn’t matter,” he said. On one level Clarissa knew Jed didn’t have to be worried when it came to money. The Dillons were obviously not hurting financially. But legal issues were a whole new ball game. Plus, her past was worse than checkered.
“Jed, they’re right about me. My criminal history is published for the world to see. I think someone even wrote a book about me and Momma.”
“It’ll be okay,” Jed said, but she heard his worry.
“Jed,” she started, but he touched his index finger to her lips to stop her.
“Shhh,” he said. “Don’t borrow trouble.” The moment dragged on, and she leaned toward him.
And then they were interrupted by Mackenzie barreling through the front door yelling “Daddy! Clarissa!” followed by Bev who looked from Clarissa to Jed to his finger on her lips and then waggled her eyebrows before reaching out to stop Mackenzie.
“Sugar, come on back to the new locker room Pete built us. I think there’s an apron in there for you.”
Mackenzie stopped forward motion at the mention of a pint sized apron and turned to follow Bev to the back of the diner.
Jed bent forward, replaced his finger with his lips, then he sat back against a shiny new red booth seat. “It’ll be fine. You’ll see.”
“You going to sit there making googly eyes with my only customer this morning or get to work?” Pete called gruffly from the kitchen, but Clarissa heard the worry in his voice.
She touched Jed’s hand, then stood to get busy.
“So you and Jed, hmmm,” Bev said after the morning rush had died down. “I knew it. You two were destined for each other.”
“I don’t know about that,” Clarissa said, trying to ward off the unease buzzing through her mind.
“Trust me, hon, that was definitely a you and Jed moment Mackenzie and I walked in on.”
She blew out an elated breath and acquiesced. “Okay, you win. It was a Jed and me moment.”
“So dish,” Bev sat on one of the new bar stools as she wiped down the bar.
Clarissa didn’t want to talk about Jed. She was afraid of bad luck. Plus it felt like the lightness in her heart would explode out of her. Only it was tinged by worry.
“I don’t know. He kissed me, I kissed him back. But it’s not like we’re dating.”
“Honey, you’re the first girl Jed Dillon’s kissed since his wife walked out on him and Mackenzie to go find herself in Las Vegas. Trust me, you’re dating.”
Clarissa tried to restrain the thrill but it was hard to do.
“He’s a good man,” she said sighing, and Bev laughed.
“He’s not too sore on the eyes, either.”
No, he sure wasn’t. But they couldn’t talk about that now.
“We better get busy before grumpy gus in the back yells at us that we’re wasting daylight.”
When Jed showed up to take her back to the Triple Eight, he kissed her lightly first, this time in front of everyone at the diner. It was like he wanted the whole town to know they were definitely an item, and he wasn’t a bit ashamed by that.
Clarissa grabbed the apartment key from Pete and told him she’d be packed and back in the morning.
In the truck she had a million things running through her mind, all seemingly at war with each other. Abby and Donald, Joan Anderson, the apartment, her mother, their kisses, Mackenzie, God, grace, salvation.
Instead she watched the countryside pass by in comfortable silence with this man who was so much beyond anything she’d ever imagined.
When they pulled into the drive in front of the bunkhouse she finally spoke the words she’d been practicing all day.
“I did something I want you to know about last night.” Funny how awkward the words sounded. How nervous they made her.
“Oh really,” Jed said, settling his arm behind her neck like it belonged there. Like they belonged together.
“I read all about forgiveness and salvation in Momma’s bible and prayer journal, and I asked God to be my Lord and savior.”
He practically yelled his response, and she could see he was truly happy for her.
“Praise the Lord,” he said, and then he leaned down and kissed her like this was the best possible news he could’ve hoped for.
Clarissa’s heart was so full of joy, she wanted to sing from the rooftops. I’m a christian. I’m forgiven. I’m alive.
She hadn’t felt alive in so very long.
“I want to tell your parents. I want to