Page 79 of The Banker and the Blue Collar Man

“What’s the difference between those last two, again?” I asked because I had no intention of living there, and the land wouldn’t bring much if I sold it.

“Rent is short term and doesn’t come with any rights. Lease is longer-term with rights. In this case, that would be water,which can bring in a pretty penny. That property sits over an aquifer, and I would guess that makes it worth a whole lot more than what your brothers inherited. Your folks didn’t know that, or they never would have let you have it.”

“That’s true.” Whatever happened, I didn’t plan to tell Cadmar or Ansley anything.

“I think, with a lease, you’d have enough to do what you want,” Lucas said. “And if you don’t want to be out there in Nebraska, you can buy land around here. Someone’s bound to be selling a chunk you could call your own. But only—” He lifted his finger to point at me “—if you do right by Jake.”

“Jesus.” My heart was starting to pound. Committing to a future with another person was scary, but so was the idea of walking away from that future.

Everything about Jake was a fairy-tale spell that maybe I didn’t deserve. But he made me feel good. He made me feel loved. Like I existed. Like I mattered.

In return, he hadn’t asked for much, which made me want to find out everything he’d ever longed for and then give it to him.

“I need to buy a ring,” I said, gasping a little because I suddenly couldn’t get enough air. “Do you think he’d wear it?”

“Jake?” Lucas’ eyebrows went up into his hairline. Apparently, he was as surprised as I was that I was taking hishonest mandig seriously. But it didn’t take him long to recover. “I tell you what. People are talking. The way the rumor mill is coming back to me, he’d wear it proudly. They won’t be able to get it off his finger. They’ll have to bury him with it. Okay, except—” Lucas rubbed the back of his neck. “When he’s working; he won’t wear it then. Too dangerous. But I promise you, it’ll be in a very, very safe place.”

“So I buy him a ring,” I said. “Just buy it and propose? Are you serious?” It couldn’t be that easy.

“Areyou?” he asked. “Look, I’ve never seen you this happy. And I’ve never seen Jake smile, but wouldn’t you know it, there was a whole building full of witnesses last night that say he did.”

I hadn’t been the only one looking for a smile from Jake. Me, who’d never had anything to call to his heart, had made that smile happen.

“Boss,” I said to him, “I know I haven’t gotten any work done, but can I have some time off?”

“Take as much as you need.” He smiled at me like a proud father. “The best place in town to get a ring would be Bancroft Antiques. On Old Main.”

“Thank you.” I said. This was a whole lot easier than asking for PTO from Logan. Here, it was a done deal, and Lucas trusted me to get the work done when I got back. “I’ll let you know what I find.”

“Please do,” Lucas said. “And let me know if we need to throw an engagement party.”

“Oh my God. One step at a time, please. I’m about to have a heart attack.”

“Do you need money for coffee?” Lucas pulled out his wallet.

“I don’t.”

“Here.” He handed me a crisp twenty-dollar bill, then pulled me into a hard hug. “Go find happiness, my friend. You deserve it.”

Chapter 24

Jake

When I showed up at the barn early, Jesse told me I wasn’t behind on my chores, but I felt like I was. So much had been happening at the ranch, it seemed there must be things being left undone. Unattended to.

Not wanting to contribute to that, I’d left Dalton in bed as the sun came up, the low light through the windows streaking toward sudden purple and lilac. I’d gotten myself ready quietly. Then I’d kissed him on the forehead, pulled the cotton sheet up to his chin, and tiptoed out.

Soon after I started mucking out box stalls, Xander poked his head in. He’d taken a shower, but he still looked like a lost dog who’d recently been rescued from the rain.

His dark hair was finger-combed, lip ring glinting in the early sunshine. The bruises on his face were darkening to deep purple. They’d fade and disappear eventually, but they had to hurt like hell. Which made me wonder why he was in the barn. The kids in the LGBTQ program didn’t need to get up so early.

“Xander,” I said as he came over to me. “Help you?”

There were two other ranch hands working in the barn, as well as Jesse, but Xander had come to me. I wanted to hear what he had to say.

“I want to help,” he said. “To make up for Daybreak.”

“Daybreak’s fine. You can come with me in a little while to pick her up.”