For the Love of the Broken Man (Love & Cowboys #3)

18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

After the graduation ceremony, Jon and Mickey had helped Jase load his things into his truck and their truck, with Terry’s help. Jase had marveled at how tall the boy had grown. Jase was six-foot-four, but the kid towered over him.

As Jase had come to learn, Terry was the star of his basketball team at Dillwyn High; the kid was damn smart, and it would be fun to watch Terry’s future accomplishments.

They’d all stopped for dinner on the way back to Virginia, and when Jon and Mickey directed their truck to Holloway, Jase pulled up the road of the Circle C with dread in his gut. He hadn’t intended to revisit the ranch, but he owed it to Tim and Matt because they’d been there for him in the beginning.

When Kayley came flying out of the house with tears flowing down her cheeks, Jase picked her up and hugged her tightly. He’d missed the young girl more than anything and seeing how beautiful she’d become, he wasn’t surprised. She had a bit of Danny in her, which must have come from her mother. Jase could only smile.

“Hello, Little Bit.” Jase kissed her cheek, more than happy to see her.

“Why’d you leave?” Kayley asked between sobs.

Jase wasn’t surprised she’d been told it was he who’d left. He wasn’t about to shed a bad light on her uncle, so he smiled and explained to her he’d earned a scholarship to attend college. He’d said that he and Dan had decided it was for the best for him to go, and Jase took responsibility for the decision, not wanting to make Danny out to be the villain.

“You coulda called me, Jase,” Kayley scolded as she dried her eyes with the tissue Meggie handed her.

Meggie spoke up. “He had a lot to do at school, Kayley. He was busy.”

Jase saw Kayley look at her and smile. “Okay, Meggie. Let’s go downstairs and make the boys let us play a game.”

Jase kissed them on their foreheads before they scampered down to the boys’ domain in the basement. They all laughed when they heard the protests, but the girls didn’t return to the kitchen where the adults were sitting.

Jason Langston was beyond uncomfortable as he sat in the living room at the Circle C with Mickey next to him. Matt and Time seemed to be hem-hawing around his asked questions, unsure how to answer.

It wasn’t physics. It was simple. “Where the hell is Danny?”

Jase noticed Mickey elbow Jon. “I can’t say a word, Mick. Dan’s my client.”

Tim took a deep breath and stood. “He’s a drunk, Jon. I understand attorney-client privilege, but this goes beyond that. Danny’s a member of our family, and we did an awful thing by keeping it—”

Mickey stood and stared at Tim, an angry expression evident on his face, or so Jase noted. “No! You’re not gonna blame this on us . I told Danny not to do it, Timothy. Jonny and me, we refused to go along with it, but you two—you and Matt went along with it like it was the right thing to do. I wanna know why?” Mickey demanded.

Matt held up his hand to stop the discussion. “I understand Danny’s position. He wanted the best for—”

“Fuck that,” Mickey snarled. “You’ve been an asshole when it comes to Jase because you think he’s a better-looking, younger, and more personable copy of you. You’ve always been jealous of him, Matthew, and we all know it. You made his life—”

Jase stood. “I’m actually here, you know? All this shoulda, woulda, coulda, bullshit isn’t answering my question. Where is Dan?”

Tim Moran scanned those at the table before he finally cleared his throat. “He’s with two of his friends, drying out. After you left—”

“Got kicked to the fuckin’ curb,” Mickey hissed at Tim.

Tim continued. “Dan crawled into a bottle. Matt and I didn’t think it would come to anything of the sort. We thought he was just trying to get through the initial hurt, so we let it go. He did his job around here, and we thought he’d stopped. We didn’t see him acting like a drunkard.”

Mickey stood from his chair and pounded his fist on the table. “It’s called a functioning alcoholic, Timothy. Trust me, I grew up with one. You two took Danny’s side when he told you he needed to cut Jase loose for the kid’s own good, and I’ll be goddamn if my own partner didn’t play a part. I’ve kept my mouth shut, but I’m done. I’m not gonna be quiet about it anymore because it all went to shit. We all own a piece of this mess.”

Mickey turned to Jase, who was totally confused. “Danny loves you, and he decided you needed to go to college and have a different kind of life than you’d have with him. He thought he was holding you back, so he came to the decision to cut you loose, instead of talking to you about your future, Jase.

“The two of you could have worked somethin’ out like Jonny and me, but Danny wouldn’t hear it. He decided to set you free, I guess, and these guys went along with it.” Mickey, a scowl on his face, pointed to Tim and Matt.

Jon pulled Mickey to sit next to him, though the lawyer said nothing. Finally, Matt Collins spoke up. “Look, we made a mistake, and we had no clue things would go off the rails like it did.”

Jason, however, was angry. For three fucking years, he thought Danny didn’t love him and wanted him out of his life. He’d loved the man so much his heart shattered at being sent away. Hell, he’d considered suicide at one point.

The fact they all knew the truth, and nobody cared enough about Jase to tell him the truth angered him more than anything—even his own father’s hatred for him. How could they disregard the connection Jase had with Danny? It wasn’t their decision to make.

Jase stood from his chair and smiled, hauling up his still-baggy jeans. He’d never fallen into the tight-jeans concept because his dick needed some breathing room.

“Well, this has definitely been enlightening. I’m not sure what you four want me to do. Seems you and Danny made a lot of decisions for my life to which I wasn’t privy, so it’s best if I’m on my way.”

Jase turned to Mickey and smiled. He couldn’t hate the guy.

Mickey Warren had been supportive of him when he’d arrived at Wonderland, but the fact he’d conspired with everyone to keep Jase in the dark about Danny made Mick untrustworthy. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions. My mother told me it says so in the Bible.”

Pushing in his chair, Jase headed toward the door. As he was about to open it, he felt a tug on the back of his shirt, turning to see Kayley with tears on her face.

“Please don’t leave. I heard Miss Jeri say they’ll take me away from him and send me away to Aunt Rae, but Daddy needs me. He told me you said that he needed to be my daddy, not my uncle, Jase. You’ve gotta help me get him home. I can take care of him, and I won’t bring him beers anymore.” That sweet little girl’s tears made Jase’s heart ache.

I’d like to beat the living shit out of Dan Johnson, but she needs him. Hell, Jase thought as he looked at the beautiful eight-year-old looking up at him with amber-green eyes that begged him for help.

He exhaled and knelt. “Do you know where he is?”

“Mr. Phil and Mr. Javie have him at their place. I heard Mr. Matt tell Uncle Jonny they’re dryin’ him out.” Kayley cupped her hand to whisper in Jase’s ear.

Jason smiled. “You wanna go to the Katydid and let Miss Katie take care of us for a couple of days so I can figure things out? We’ll get your daddy set on the straight and narrow, Little Bit. I promise.” Jase gave the girl a reassuring smile to solidify his commitment.

“Can I go say goodbye to Meggie and the boys?” Jase nodded as Kayley scrambled down the stairs.

Jase walked into the kitchen to face the four men at the table who thought they had some control over his and Daniel’s future. They were well-meaning and they loved Danny, Jase knew, but they’d made decisions they had no right to make. It was Danny and Jase’s lives, and only the two men had the right to decide how it would play out.

“I’m taking Kayley with me to the Katydid. I love all of you, I really do. When I didn’t have any family, you all stepped in and helped a green kid assimilate into a life he never thought possible. I hope you’ll give us some space and let us work through this in our own way and in our own time. You’ve made enough decisions for Danny and me.”

Kayley and Meggie came into the hallway, both with smiles. Meggie had a backpack and placed it on the floor before she took off her purple-framed glasses to look up at Jase. “You’ll still come see me, Jase?”

Jase knelt and kissed Meggie’s cheeks, drying her eyes as a few tears rolled down her round cheeks. “Oh, sweetie, of course, I will. You’re a part of my family. I’ve missed you too much not to come see you. I need to take care of Kayley right now, and we need to get Danny home. I love you, sweetness,” he told the little brunette with the big brown eyes and the wild curly hair.

After he had Kayley and her suitcase secured in his truck, he turned to the little blonde and smiled. “You, Dan, and me, we’re going to be okay.” Jase prayed it wasn’t a lie.

Jase and Kayley stood on the front porch of the Katydid and rang the bell. Jase could hear the crickets beginning to chirp as the sun was setting, and it gave him comfort. He remembered when he’d lived at the Katydid for a short amount of time and how wonderful Josh and Katie had been to him. He hoped their this-is-your-home invitation was sincere.

Instead of the door opening, they both heard, “Hey, look who it is. Jason, we’re out here on the patio, son.” Josh Simmons was standing at the corner of the house with a big grin on his face. Jase relaxed because the man appeared happy to see them.

Kayley ran down the front stairs and right into Josh, nearly knocking him over. “Hi, Mr. Josh. Look whose home!” She pointed her finger in Jase’s direction.

Josh leaned over and hugged the girl. “It’s great to have the two of you drop by. Come on back. Katie will be beside herself.” Josh led Kayley around the side porch to the back patio, Jase in tow.

When they rounded the corner, Jase saw Katie Simmons with the ever-present smile on her face. She hadn’t changed in the three years Jase hadn’t seen her. Her red hair still shined, though there was a little gray at the roots. He wouldn’t dare point it out.

“Oh, my goodness! Look who it is!” Katie rushed Jase and hugged him tightly. It felt good to know he was welcomed.

When she pulled away, she slapped his chest, a move she’d used on her husband on more than one occasion. “You didn’t stay in touch, Jason. You told me you would.” Her chastisement made Jase blush.

Josh laughed. “Katie-girl, maybe we get the boy a drink and get Kayley some ice cream. I think you said you made peach?”

Jason saw the wordless exchange between the two of them, which was something people who had been in love a long time could do. Katie smiled at her husband before she ushered Kayley inside. Jase took a deep breath and turned to Josh.

Josh Simmons was a man who had the respect of everyone who ever met him, and Jase knew him to be honorable. He knew the man would tell him the truth. “Sir, do you know where I can find Danny?”

“You two gonna stay tonight?” Josh asked. Jase nodded.

Josh reached into a cooler and hauled out two Bud Lights, opening one to hand to Jase, who accepted it. He drank and smoked and did other things in college he’d have to leave behind, but a beer with Josh Simmons was an acknowledgment he’d grown up, and he took it.

“First, congratulations on your graduation, Jase. We didn’t know much about what happened when you and Danny broke up… well, until Mick called and filled Katie’s ear. Hell, that woman was fit to be tied, and Matt and Tim have heard hell about their part of it.

“I’m not sure why they went along with that whole buncha bullshit, but as my old momma used to say, ‘you can’t change the past because it’s never comin’ round again’,” Josh told him.

“Yes sir,” Jase responded, waiting for the man to continue.

“So, from what I know, those two guys who own the flower shop became good friends of Danny’s after all that mess. Matt, Tim, Phil, and Javier organized an intervention, which Mickey and Jon didn’t agree to participate in because they thought Dan should have been sent to rehab right off. It’s been a clusterfuck, son,” Josh admitted as they drank their beers.

“Why didn’t anyone call me? I mean, you all had my address and cell number because you sent me cards on my birthday and Christmas, and I got texts on occasion. Hell, Josh, I spent my Christmases with Mickey and Jon, and they never said a goddamn word.” Jase was fighting to keep his anger under control.

Josh took another draw on his beer before he set it on the patio table. “From what I understand, Jon couldn’t say anything because Danny’s his client, and he swore Mick to silence. Was it wrong? Only heaven knows, but I think you have the power to make it right… if you want to. If it’s too much, then leave Kayley with us and go off to your new life, Jase. After all this bullshit, nobody would blame you, I swear.”

Jason sat on the patio considering his options, and he quickly reached an undisputable conclusion. He still loved Danny Johnson and his daughter, and he wasn’t going to allow Danny to scare him off a second time.

The first time around, Jase was young and na?ve, and he didn’t know how to stand up for himself with Danny. Over the years, he’d matured, and he’d learned how to fight his own battles. If anyone was going to deal with Danny, it was going to be Jason, the man who still loved him despite all the bullshit Dan had put Jase through.

Before he could respond, Katie and Kayley walked out of the house, both seeming to be giddy. “She made cake and ice cream,” Kayley told him as she set a plate in front of him, frowning at the half-filled bottle of beer.

Jase rose from the table and dumped it into the grass at the side of the patio before he sat back down. He saw Kayley’s approving nod before he took his seat again. “Looks great,” he told the girl, seeing her smile as he dug in.

Jason had a lot of things to consider regarding his future, one of which was his job situation, but he had two weeks to figure out what he wanted.

Later that night, he and Kayley settled into the bedrooms Kathleen Simmons seemed to keep ready for any stray who came along. As Jase sunk into the bed he’d first slept in when he’d shown up at Katydid Farm, a kid with nowhere to go, he said a little prayer of thanks. His future might be a little cloudy, but it was a lot better than it had been when he’d first left Texas. There was a lot of promise in the road ahead if Jase just took it by the horns.

With Kayley in the loving care of Miss Katie, Jase took the opportunity to follow the directions Josh had given him to go to the home of Felipe and Javier where they lived above the flower shop, Flowers by Felipe.

Jase saw the flower shop was open, so he hopped out of his truck and walked inside, seeing a good-looking guy with salt-and-pepper hair and dark eyes. He was working on a computer with glasses perched on the end of his nose. When the man looked up, he smiled at Jase. Jase was certain he could take the man if things turned physical about getting to see Danny, but something about the man told Jase it wouldn’t be necessary.

“Good afternoon. Welcome to Flowers by Felipe. How can I help you?” the large, handsome man asked.

Jase assessed the situation for a moment before he spoke. “I’m guessing you’re Javier?” He stood to his full height, grateful he was taller than the other man, though the Hispanic man presented a striking figure.

Javier sized him up and smiled. “I am. Do I know you?”

Jase grinned in return because he didn’t want to come across as threatening. They were Danny’s friends, and he hoped they’d be his friends as well if things worked his way. “I’m Jason Langston. I understand you and Felipe put Danny under lock and key. Can I see him, please?”

Jase reached into his pocket and pulled out a note Kayley had written when he’d told her he was going to talk to her dad. He’d read it, and it made him cry. He hoped it struck a chord with Javier, so he handed it over.

“Oh, for crap’s sakes. Jase, he’s upstairs. His sponsor is up with him right now, but can you hang around for about twenty minutes so I can get Phil to come down, and we can talk to you? He’s not embracing his sobriety at all. We know he’s just biding his time until he thinks we believe he’s okay, but he seems to think he’s fooling us.”

The older man laughed a little as he continued. “Dan seems to be under the impression he’s the first guy who’s ever gone through this shit, though we try to tell him he’s not. Now, while we wait, can I get you a cup of coffee or a glass of sweet tea?”

“Sweet tea would be nice. I think we’ll see a lot of each other, so getting to know you might smooth the way,” Jase responded.

The two men went to the workroom where Javie continued to process orders, showing Jase how to make a perfect bouquet of roses to deliver to the mayor’s wife. It was nice to watch him work with the flowers, or so Jase told himself. He felt at ease as the two men broke ground for a new friendship.

Twenty minutes later, two men came into the back room, and neither of them was Danny. “Well? How bad was it?” Javie asked.

“Same.” The man sighed and turned a soft gaze in Javier’s direction, leading Jase to surmise he must be Phil. He was handsome as well, but he seemed to be more troubled. He walked slowly into the back room, taking a handful of flowers from the older man before he gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

The third man, short and thin in cleric’s clothes walked over to Jase. “I’m Stuart Manning. I’m the pastor at Church of the Good Shepherd here in town. We’re a small congregation, but we enjoy worship together. Do you live in town?” the man asked with a welcoming demeanor.

“I’m Jason Langston.”

The pastor turned a wide-eyed expression to Felipe, who smiled.

“Oh, I’ve been waiting to meet you, you femme fatale…well, I guess you don’t exactly fit that bill,” Felipe told him as he slowly made his way over to Jase.

“Yeah, I’d say not. I’m guessing Danny’s upstairs?” Jase asked.

“Well, yeah, but…” Felipe appeared ready to protest, which wasn’t going to go over well with Jase.

Reverend Manning touched the taller man’s shoulder and smiled. “I think it’s time, don’t you? None of us seem to be making any headway with him. Danny can’t continue… It’s time the two of them talked.”

When Felipe backed off, pointing to a set of stairs that went up the back of the building, Jase nodded in gratitude. He took them two at a time, opening the screen door without knocking. The living room was quaint, for sure. It was lived in yet inviting. He allowed the screen door to slam and took a deep breath.

“What the fuck now?” Danny! It was the man Jase loved, shuffling into the room with a glass in his hand that hit the floor, shattering. The first thing Jase noticed was Danny was wearing sweats with bare feet, so he walked over to pick him up, noticing he’d lost weight.

He carried Danny to the couch and placed him on it as he went to the kitchen to find a dustpan and broom to clean up the broken glass. “What are ya doin’ here?” Danny asked behind him.

Jase found a closet with cleaning supplies, so he grabbed what he needed and began sweeping up the glass. He glanced up to see Danny sitting stone-still. When he was certain the area was glass-free, he walked over to the couch and sat down next to Danny… with a foot of space between them.

“I graduated. I wanted to stop by to see you and Kayley. I know the adoption went through because I still talk to people here, so I know I wasn’t a problem in the adoption process, and I doubt I would have been anyway.

“For the record, Jon Wells never told me anything about what was going on with you, but everybody else admitted their mistakes. How about you, Daniel? You got sins you need to atone for?” The anger Jase had inside surged from a place he’d tried to keep buried deep down. When Danny laughed, it caught Jase off guard.

He saw Danny close his eyes before he spoke. “I have many sins, Jase. I shoulda never… we shoulda never got together. You have a great life waitin’ for ya. I’m just me with nothin’ to offer you but a drunk with an eight-year-old kid somebody’s likely gonna take away.” Danny wouldn’t meet Jase’s eyes.

Jase sat there, staring at the shadow of the man he’d fallen in love with, and he was ashamed of himself for not seeing the bullshit stunt Danny had pulled for what it was.

At the time, Jase would have been happy to go to Virginia Tech where he could have received the same degree. Three years ago, he simply wasn’t worldly enough to see things for what they were.

He knew Daniel Johnson had lived a quiet life in a small town from which he’d only been away for a year or so when he had his misfortunes in the Army. It seemed he thought cutting all ties with Jase was the only way to give the younger man freedom to fly.

There were things he needed to explain to Danny. Maybe not that day, but eventually. They needed to clear the air between them because they weren’t that different.

Jase chuckled at the realization. “You’re an arrogant, stupid man, but I find I’m still in love with you, you crusty bastard. I’ve never stopped loving you, Dan. That doesn’t mean we don’t have a mountain of shit to work through, to be sure.”

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Jase knew it wasn’t the time for tears. “You, my love, are going to have to go to rehab. I have some money left from my grandparents and if it’s not enough? I’ll find it somewhere, but we’re gonna find a place for you to work through this and get better.

“I’m going to take care of Kayley while you’re gone, and we’re going to start this whole damn thing over, okay?” Jase offered.

Danny looked up with disbelief on his handsome face. “Why would ya? After what happened, I’d imagine you’d hate me. Why would ya wanna try to help me?”

Jase reached over and pulled the man into his arms, hugging him tightly. “Because, Daniel Johnson, I have faith in you. I love you too much to let you scare me off again. I’m not a kid now, so you can’t get rid of me easily, old man.”

Danny’s laugh was another thing Jase had missed so much. Hearing Danny laughing next to him made his heart race. When he wrapped his arms around Jase’s body and held him tight, broken pieces inside Jase fitted together again.

They had a long road to travel, but Jase had faith. Danny was the only man he’d ever love, as he’d thought the first time when they’d been together. It wasn’t any less true as he felt the warmth from the man’s touch. They’d get through the ups and downs and come out on the other side together.