Free Forever Changed by Jambrea Jo Jones Page A

middle of the night when the asshole had dared to hit Tommy. That was the first in a long line of deadbeat losers. His ma had deserved better. So he’d been bitter enough for both of them.
    “Could you get Daniel please? I have a message and then I’ll be on my way.”
    “No!” Abigail turned back to him. “You can’t leave. Not yet. You just got here and Danny won’t be back until tonight. He’s on a trail run.”
    “Now, Abi, if he has to leave, then he has to.”
    “He’s right, ma’am. I have a plane to catch.”
    She turned with her hands on her hips, as if she meant business. Tommy stiffened. He’d recognize that look anywhere. It was the one his ma had usually given him right before he’d been due an ass whoopin’. He’d always been up to some kind of mischief when he was younger. He rubbed his chest. It was getting harder to control his emotions. He had to leave.
    “There must be a way to delay it. You have to stay and see Danny.”
    “The military doesn’t just stop because I say so. I’m on their time and I’ve got to get back. I wanted to do this now, but I can arrange to fly back in a couple months.”
    “Months! That just won’t do.”
    “I’m sorry, but it’ll have to. Please let him know I stopped by and I’ll be back as soon as I’ve squared away a few things.” Tommy did an about-face and walked to his car.
    He sat there for a few seconds to gather himself. Tommy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. One. Two. And he opened his eyes. He started at the knock on the window. He saw Eric standing there. Tommy rolled down the window and waited.
    “You should probably stay.”
    “Like I told your missus, I have a plane to catch.”
    Eric laughed. “The missus? Better not let Abi hear you say that.”
    Tommy shook his head. It was beyond time to be off the ranch.
    “Well… It was nice meeting you.”
    “Will you really come back? I’m not telling Dan you’ll be here if you won’t. There is only so much heartache a man can handle.”
    Tommy snorted. Dan? Heartache? His father didn’t know what heartbreak was. No. Tommy had looked at that every day in his mother’s face as she had pined for the man she could never have.
    “Yeah. I’ll be back.” He couldn’t say anything else. Thomas Grey didn’t break a promise. He rolled up the window and turned the key. He couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
    Once he was a few yards away from the house he pulled over and rested his forehead against the steering wheel. It was too much for him. He couldn’t believe his mother had wanted him to go through with this. He let out a deep sigh and grabbed his phone. He had a call to make. He wasn’t going to leave until this was settled.

Chapter Two
     
     
     
    Abigail Sommers stood on the porch with her hands on her hips. “Eric Riley, just what did you say to him to have him speed out of here like that? It was like he was on fire.”
    Eric looked up at Abi and couldn’t believe she was blaming him for the guy running off. Of course, most things were his fault, but he wouldn’t take the blame this time.
    “Me? What about you jumping all over the poor man.” Eric pointed a finger at her.
    “So, sue me. I was excited he finally showed up. Tommy is all Danny ever talks about and he is going to be so upset he wasn’t home today.”
    Thomas Grey was easy on the eyes. Eric knew Abi had seen it too. Every nice muscled inch of Thomas Grey was something to drool over, with his short brown hair and scruffy face. He’d probably have to cut that mop before resuming his duties. It really was too bad Tom had to run off. The three of them could have had a bit of fun.
    “We all have jobs to do, Abi.” Eric wasn’t completely jealous that Abi had had her arms around Thomas. He wished he could just run up to random men and cop a feel. She’d probably blush if he said that out loud. But, she was pretty in pink.
    “Yes, we do. So why don’t you stay out of my kitchen and go do yours.”