“Doc? I’m okay.”

One tear fell down her cheek. “I know you are. And you’re going to be even better.”

“Then why the tears?”

“Because this is why I became a therapist, Talon. For days like today.”

“What’s so special about today?”

She grabbed a tissue from the box on her coffee table and wiped her eyes. “Today was the day you admitted what happened. That was the first true step in the healing process. We’re not done by a long shot. It may not be pretty from here on out, but I promise you, it will at least be downhill.”

Chapter Three

Jade

I didn’t want to be alone, but I couldn’t bring myself to drive out to the ranch. It was Friday, and Marj was in the city at her cooking class. I was freaking about Larry and also about Colin being missing. I was over Colin for sure, but I didn’t want anything bad to happen to him. This was a man I’d once loved, had almost spent my life with. Granted, he’d turned out to be far from the man I’d thought he was, but I still didn’t wish him any ill.

Where was he?

Talon surely had nothing to do with Colin’s disappearance…but I feared he might.

Talon and his brothers were good men, but even gentle and even-tempered Ryan had become rattled during their last interaction with Colin.

I desperately wanted to see Talon. Would he be home? I didn’t know. Would he want to see me?

Last time we had been together, he’d told me that something unimaginable had happened to him. He was probably talking about something that had happened while he was in the Marines. But maybe…

I had told him that no matter what happened, nothing would change how I felt about him. And that was the God’s honest truth.

I finished making myself a grilled cheddar-and-tomato sandwich, and I plunked down on my futon to eat it with a glass of red wine.

I had given Talon my love. I had given him my trust. I had assured him my feelings wouldn’t change no matter what kind of secrets he was hiding.

What else could I do?

He had to come to me.

He was convinced he wasn’t worthy of me. I couldn’t begin to guess why he felt that way. What could’ve happened to him that was so horrible he had tried like hell to get himself killed while he was overseas? He had admitted as much to me. He didn’t think of himself as a hero, even though the rest of the world did—or at least those who knew about what happened. Wendy Madigan had done a good job of covering it up to most of the world.

The six people he’d saved that day—what must they think of him? Surely he was a hero to them. If I had time, I’d look them up next week. Maybe they could shed some light on what had happened to Talon over there.

I finished my sandwich and wine and took my dishes to the kitchen—or rather across the room. My little studio apartment was cozy but comfortable. I was making a decent income now, and I’d be able to save up for a down payment on a car pretty quickly. Once I did that, I’d be able to move to a better place.

I grabbed my cell phone when it rang. My father. We hadn’t talked in a while. He wasn’t one for phone calls, just the occasional text checking in. My nerves jumped. If he was calling, it was probably not for a good reason.

“Hey, Dad,” I said. “What’s going on?”

“Hi, sweetie.”

“Are you okay?”

My father cleared his throat. “I’m fine, Jade.”

“Then why are you calling?”

“It’s your mother. She’s been in an accident.”

My heart raced. There was no love lost between my mother and me. I’d last seen her a couple of weeks before, when she and her current boyfriend had been in Grand Junction. She had treated me to an expensive dinner, let me swim in her swanky five-star hotel pool, and that was that. She’d said goodbye with an air kiss to my cheek.

“Oh my God, is she okay?”

“I don’t know all the details yet. But it doesn’t look good, sweetie.”

“What… Where is she? Is she back in Iowa with her boyfriend?”

“No, she’s in Grand Junction. I figured you’d want to go to her. I’m driving out first thing tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to, Dad. I can take care of this. She’s my mother. She’s not your wife anymore. She hasn’t been for a long time. You really don’t owe her anything.”

“I know. And you don’t owe her anything either, Jade. But I loved her once, and she gave me the greatest gift in the world. You. And I want to be there for you, sweetie.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. Having my strong father here would make this a lot easier. “Okay, Daddy,” I said. “What hospital is she at? I’ll leave now.”

“Valleycrest,” he said. “All I know is that she’s been badly injured, and she was in surgery when I got the call a few minutes ago. I wish I could be with you tonight.”

“Don’t worry about that, Dad. I’ll be fine. I love you.” I ended the call.

My first instinct should’ve been to call Marj. She was my best friend in the whole world, and she was the one I always went to when I needed someone. But I didn’t want Marj right now. I wanted her brother.

Talon.

Not the optimal way for him to meet my mother, but I needed him with me. Would he come if I asked? Only one way to find out. I punched in his number.

“Hi, blue eyes.”

“Hi,” I replied.

“What’s up?”

“I need to see you. Please. Can you go to Grand Junction with me tonight?”

“I’ve had a rough day, blue eyes. Why do you need to go to the city tonight?”

“I’m so sorry you had a bad day. I truly am. But I need you. My mother… She’s been in an accident. She’s at Valleycrest Hospital in Grand Junction. In surgery. I’ve been told it’s not looking good. That’s all I know.”

“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry. Of course I’ll come with you.”

My heart leaped. “I can drive to the ranch and pick you up.”

“No, I’ll come and get you. I don’t want you driving when you’re upset. I’ll be there in about a half hour.”

“What about Roger?” I asked, referring to Talon’s cute little mutt. “Marj is in the city tonight too.”