Her green eyes brightened. “You’re serious?”
“Yeah. It’s been my intention all along. Just haven’t gotten around to it.”
“While you’re at it,” Reese told JJ, “get him a couch for the house.”
JJ’s grin was slow and bright. “That’s a brilliant idea.”
“Don’t buy me a fuckin’ couch,” he stated, turning toward the door. “Don’t need one.”
“If you expect me to hang around, you do,” Reese said, his voice trailing behind him.
“Why would I expect that?” he asked when they’d stepped outside, leaving JJ and Dante in the barn to finish up what they were working on.
He was honestly hoping they wouldn’t get back on the subject, because after what Reese told him earlier, Brantley wasn’t in the mood to listen to him waffle back and forth about what he might or might not want.
Brantley led the way back into the house, leaving the door open behind him as he headed for the refrigerator, grabbed a bottle of water.
It was true, he’d been disappointed when Reese admitted his confusion. After that kiss in the truck, the one Reese had initiated … well, to be honest, Brantley had started to think this thing between them was growing stronger. Not that a couple of intense kisses made this anything special. He’d been intimate with enough men over the years to know when someone was experimenting. Not all men he’d been with had been decidedly gay, but they’d all been committed to the encounter at the time.
And fine, he had told Reese he was there for his personal use. In his defense, it had been a knee-jerk reaction, something he said off-the-cuff because he hadn’t wanted Reese to catch on to the fact he’d been hurt by the idea of what Reese was insinuating. Now that some time had passed, the moment behind them, Brantley wasn’t keen on the idea of dredging it up again.
It wasn’t that he was looking for a relationship. In fact, he didn’t think that was in the cards for him for the future. Admittedly, he’d considered the notion for a few moments. There was just something about Reese. Then again, it could be the fact that he knew nothing would come of this. Reese was curious, not interested. There was a big fucking difference.
“You wanna give me a ride back to Travis’s?” Reese asked, the subject clearly dropped and forgotten by him as well.
Good to know.
“Yep.”
Snagging his keys off the island, Brantley didn’t falter on his way to the door. Outside, he headed right for the driver’s door, Reese to the passenger’s. Neither of them said anything during the quick trip back to town and over to Travis’s. Rather than go inside, see if they’d come to a decision, Brantley simply dropped Reese off, then returned the way he’d come.
Before he’d made it back to Main Street, his cell phone was ringing. He hit the button on the steering wheel to take the call, seeing on the truck’s navigation screen that it was Travis.
“Hey, man,” he greeted softly.
“High-tailin’ it outta Dodge?” Travis retorted. “I saw you drop Reese off. Looked like you were runnin’.”
Rather than answer, he grunted. It was the truth, and any lie he tried to tell, Travis would see right through it. The man was nothing if not astute.
“Gotta plan for me?”
“Yeah.” Travis’s voice was firm, his amusement vanishing completely. “I know it’s a long shot, but we talked and figured it would be best for you to head out. To Mississippi. Pick a city to start from, I don’t give a fuck. In the meantime, I’ve got my brothers helpin’ out with the search here. We’ll cover more ground this way.”
“For what it’s worth, I agree. Might net us nothing, but it won’t hurt to extend the search.”
“I don’t know why I think you’re onto somethin’, Brantley, but that’s what my gut’s tellin’ me. I’d go myself, but… Just bring my daughter back to me, Brantley.”
Feeling the emotions in those words, Brantley cleared his throat. “I will,” he promised.
Sure, it was a tall order and God only knew what was in store for them when they got there, but he knew the only way they were all going to make it through was if they maintained hope.
“There’s a private jet waitin’ for you,” Travis continued. “Figure out where you wanna go, and get the details to the pilot ASAP so he can file the flight plan. I’ll have a car waitin’ for you, wherever you go. You’ll have to drive from there.”
With a plan forming, Brantley confirmed, then disconnected the call. Although he hesitated, wondering if he should simply go solo on this mission, he caved, calling Reese to relay the information. Without preamble, he dropped the high-level details.
“I’ll meet you at your place,” Reese said.
“I’ll swing by yours,” he countered. “I’m only a couple minutes away. You can pack a bag while we figure out the plan. Need to let the pilot know where we’re headed.”
