Page 70 of The Banker and the Blue Collar Man

I nodded, because yes, I would have done that very thing. Jake knew me pretty well.

I was seeing a whole other side of Jake. He was talking to Xander like he dealt with troubled kids all the time. But then, he’d grown up with them. Had been categorized as one himself, so of course he knew how to approach them.

So instead of butting in and telling Jake in no uncertain terms that he was coddling the young man, I needed to get off my high horse and let this play out the way Jake knew it had to.

“So, Xander,” Jake said. “Can you tell me what happened?”

A cuff of that hooded sweatshirt went to Xander’s mouth, and I realized he was chewing on his fingernails. A habit I’d gotten rid of years ago, but I did know what that impulse felt like.

Xander still didn’t reply, but now he was looking at Jake with dark eyes, like he wanted to give an honest answer, only he didn’t know how.

The afternoon was hot and still. The sheriff was starting to look impatient. In another half minute the whole thing was going to get a lot more problematic.

“Xander,” Jake said. Still quiet. Unassuming. But totally in charge of the conversation. “You wanted to prove yourself to the other guys. Bet you got your driver’s license and everything. They told you about Dairy Queen. And you wanted to show them what you could do. Right?”

Xander had one hand covering his mouth, his eyes bright spots in the shadow of his hoodie.

“Thing about Daybreak—that’s my truck’s name—she doesn’t take left turns as well as she used to. If you’d asked me, I would have driven you into town and told you all about it. I like to brag about Daybreak because she’s doing pretty good for her age. And I would have let you drive her back to the ranch, with me in the passenger seat, so you could see how much of a sweetheart she is. But that didn’t happen, did it.”

Xander shook his head and wiped the cuff of his hoodie across his face, and I realized he was crying.

Jake had gotten through to him. Had used patience and kindness to create a bond with the boy who’d damaged the truck Jake cared so much about. Never once did he raise his voice or act aggressively.

I’d never seen anything like it. I was still pissed on Jake’s behalf, of course, but the way I’d wanted to handle the situation had been very, very wrong.

“Would you like to go back to the ranch now and start again?” When Xander nodded, Jake stood up. He touched Xander’s shoulder briefly before turning to the sheriff.

“Want me to call a tow truck, son?” the sheriff asked.

“Yes, please,” Jake said. “We’ll take the boys back with us. No ticket. No written warning. I think they’ve had enough for today.”

“Sounds good,” the sheriff said. “I’ll have the shop call you.”

“Thank you.”

Jake’s words echoed in my ears. That’s what he had said to my boss—my former boss—only that morning.That’s enough out of you. Like he knew when enough was too much. And here, now, he knew Xander was at his limit. The kid was only eighteen, after all. And in Jake’s mind, he deserved special handling.

“Let’s go,” Jake said.

“Do you want to stay until the tow truck comes?” I asked.

“Sheriff’s got it,” Jake said. “And Ezra over at Philly Motors knows Daybreak. They’ll bring the flatbed for her, on account of her age. It’ll be fine.”

I had to trust him with this. Daybreak was his, after all.

Still, I was pissed as we got into my car, the boys in the back and Jake next to me in front. Like he had been before, when we’d rescued him from the clutches of his father and driven him to safety.

Xander wasn’t saying anything. I thought he should have been more grateful and behaved better, maybe apologized for all the trouble he’d caused, but then, I’d never had the life he did.

I drove us back to the ranch, where Lucas and Beau were there to meet us and to take Xander and Dillon. I was glad the young men were off our hands so I could have Jake to myself. So I could treat him right. But first, I selfishly wanted some answers.

“What the hell, Jake,” I said, spreading my arms out to let him know how confused I was. “He stole your truck. He stoleDaybreak.”

“He did.” We were near Jake’s bunkhouse, so he stopped in its shade and let me come to him. Patient. Waiting. “But nobody was hurt. There’s no reason to skin him alive.”

I went still. Jake was right, of course. But underneath it all, he had to be upset. And here he was, comforting me. When I should be taking care of him.

“You’re right.” I said, keeping my tone level, yanking back on my anger at Xander to something more like irritation.