thought Jenna could use some help dealing with everything she’d been through.
“I’ll think about it. I got a lot done on the phone with Ben, and I thought I’d go for a walk, get some fresh air, see you guys. Then the past and the present got mixed up, and my brain shut off and the panic took over.”
“It’s okay, honey.” Jack caressed her neck with his fingertips. “You’ve had a bad couple of days. You’re entitled to be out of sorts. I’m here now. You have nothing to worry about. Come on, I’ll introduce you to Pete. You’ll like him. Then if you see him around, you won’t be scared.”
“I’d really like to apologize to him. I must seem like a crazy woman.”
“Someone hurt you. It’s natural to be afraid, especially in a new place with new people.” Jack held her hand and walked down the aisle toward the kitchen with her.
“I don’t know how you put up with me.”
“You keep smiling at me like that, and hugging me like you did in the stall, and I’ll drag you to the house and show you how I put up with you.”
“Besides, he’s sleeping with my sister. And he’s gone and knocked her up—again.”
“I do my best.” Caleb and Jack smiled at her, lightening her mood and making her feel much better.
They entered the small kitchen. Pete sat at a round table, contemplating the steaming cup of coffee between his hands, looking dejected.
“Miss, really, I wasn’t gonna do anything to you. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I know. I’ve had a rough time lately, and I panicked. It had nothing to do with you. I’m really sorry.”
“Shoot. No need to apologize. That horse could have killed you.”
Jack didn’t want to go there. Seeing Blue standing over Jenna scared him half to death. He held her hand tighter, reassuring himself she was fine.
“Pete, I’d like you to meet, Jenna. Jenna, this is Pete. He oversees all the horses.”
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.” Pete stood and offered his hand.
Jenna took it without reservation. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Again, I’m really sorry.”
“Oh, enough. Any time you want to ride, I’ll get you a real nice horse to take out. Jack has some real beauties.”
“I’d like that, but not until my leg is better.”
Jack hadn’t thought about her leg. “Did you tear those stitches again? I don’t want to keep sewing you up.”
“I think they’re fine.”
“Come into my office, and I’ll check them to be sure.”
Caleb and Pete excused themselves, while Jack and Jenna went into the office. Jack’s domain had an oak desk and file cabinets, a state of the art computer system, and posters of muscle cars—Camaros, to be exact—covered the walls. Stunned, Jenna turned a circle to look at all of them.
“You being a horse man, I’d have figured you for Mustangs rather than Camaros.”
“My dad had a ’69 Camaro when I was a kid. I hated when he sold it. I always wanted that car. There’s this place a few towns over. They restore classic cars. Caleb and I go down there sometimes and drool. Caleb’s a Mustang man. He likes the ’67 Fastback. They had a red one at the shop about six months back. I didn’t think I’d get Caleb out of there.”
“Why didn’t you ever buy a Camaro?”
“Didn’t have the money. Didn’t have the time. I don’t really know. I guess I could now. Maybe I will.” He shrugged.
The name of the shop was printed on the calendar behind Jack’s desk. September had a picture of a ’69 Camaro, black with silver racing stripes up the hood and over the roof. Of course, the requisite blond bombshell in a bikini stood beside the car with a sultry smile.
“That’s a nice car. I love fast cars. I used to have a Porsche. I loved to speed down the back roads.”
“A Porsche, huh. That’s an expensive car,” he stated, a touch of curiosity in his voice.
“The SUV I have now is okay, but there’s nothing like speed.”
“God, I like you. You’re not like any other woman I’ve ever known. You like cars, horses, even sports. You don’t even mind my dog following you everywhere and sleeping in your bed.”
Jack leaned back on his desk and drew Jenna in between his legs. She settled against him, locking her arms behind his neck. Jack gently grabbed her hips and pulled