Free Rocky Mountain Heat by Vivian Arend

ran upstairs and poured himself a glass of iced tea. The table was already set for breakfast, and in the kitchen three Crock-Pots lined the counter, filled with food to slow cook all night long. His ma used the pots once in a blue moon so this had to be Jaxi’s doing. A slip of paper rustled on the bulletin board. A menu and a to-do list in her flowery print.
    She didn’t turn her dots into little hearts anymore.
    Strolling through the quiet house en route to the basement, he spotted the twins, deep in conversation on the deck. They waved and he joined them, sitting with his back to the house to look out at the lawn and road, into the starlit sky.
    “House is quiet.”
    “Jaxi made Ma take a couple of painkillers, and Dad said he’d hit the sack early to care for anything she needed.” Jesse darted a glance at Joel. “Daniel said he was wiped from sitting in the sauna of a tractor all day, and Matt went out to spend the evening with Helen. They both disappeared some time ago.”
    “Where’s Travis?” Blake asked.
    Joel spat out a sunflower seed shell and grinned. “Him? He’s pouting in his room.”
    “Pouting? What happened now? Dad ask him to deliver the shipment to Red Deer or something?”
    Jesse sat back, side by side with Joel. It was like looking at mirror images. “Yeah, well, Dad did tell him he’s on the broken tractor until further notice since it was his responsibility to arrange for the air conditioning to get fixed. But nah, this time he’s pouting because of Jaxi.”
    “Because she’s here?”
    “Because she’s here and treating him like he deserves.” Jesse reached his arms in the air before easing them back and resting his head in his folded hands. “We all helped do the dishes after supper, and he was acting all sweet and dopey. She basically told him to stuff it.”
    Blake stiffened in his seat. “What’d he try?”
    “Relax, Blake, it was fine. He was pretending to brush against her by accident, nothing too bad. The funny part was she didn’t get mad, just told him off real matter of fact. Like we all knew he was an idiot so why should she waste energy getting upset.”
    Joel stood and stretched lazily. “Feels strange, all of us home and headed to bed early. You’d think it was ten years ago or something. Hey, the gang’s meeting at Traders tomorrow. You’re planning on going, right?”
    Blake nodded slowly. “I told Leo I’d partner with him playing pool for the night. No use letting you boys retain the title any longer than we have to.”
    “You think your game is on enough to beat us?”
    “Damn right it is.”
    Jesse swept the remainder of the sunflower shells into the dustbin as he gave Blake a cocky grin. “Hope you sleep well tonight. Get enough rest. You know, being you’re so old and all…”
    He danced out of Blake’s reach. Joel snickered and hit his brother on the arm. “Lay off him. Night, Blake. Jaxi said breakfast at seven.”
    The twins slipped into the darkness toward the main floor room they still shared. Blake watched them go, caught by how much it was like hitting a time warp, seeing the house filled at every corner. Those two had been a handful as kids, but they’d turned into fine young adults.
    If they didn’t want Jaxi, he would have thought even better of them.
    Blah. That was sour grapes on his part. If he couldn’t have her—and he couldn’t—maybe the twins were the best thing for her. One of them. Maybe.
    Blake rose and made his way downstairs. His feet seemed to stop of their own accord five paces too soon. He stared at the door of the den, closed tight. Behind those doors Jaxi would be curled up, her blonde hair draped over the pillow, body nestled in the thick comforter covering the sofa bed. She probably wore one of those baby-doll nighties, her long legs exposed, her smooth shoulders bare under thin straps of some kind of soft, shiny material. Sleeping in the room next to her the first night had been difficult, and after only a