At Sarah’s suggestion, Morgan’s family had parked the ancient van at the ranch and were staying there over the long wedding weekend. Jack could tell Morgan was a little embarrassed by her latter-day hippie parents, but they seemed like nice enough people. The Jackson Hole area attracted all kinds, so the O’Connellis’ tie-dyed outfits, sandals, and beads didn’t stand out all that much.
For his part, Jack welcomed the confusion of overnight guests and a crowded dinner table. The hustle and bustle of the wedding preparations camouflaged his misery, making it less obvious to all but a select few — Gabe, Nick, Emmett, and Sarah. Ever since the morning when Josie had ridden home alone from their rendezvous in the clearing, Jack had worked hard to avoid being set upon by his stepmother, the foreman, or either of his brothers.
Thus far he’d been successful, and nobody had been able to corner him for a heart-to-heart about Josie. That’s how he wanted to keep it. The plan had worked well until tonight, because he’d had no need to actually see her.
Although thoughts of her had filled his dreams and most of his waking moments, he hadn’t been forced to face her in person. Two hours into the bachelor party he still hadn’t dealt directly with her. Tracy had delivered his drinks and he’d kept away from the bar where Josie was working feverishly to fill orders.
Some would say he was a coward, but he maintained that he was doing her a favor. She didn’t need him providing an unwanted distraction. Yeah, right. He had a yellow streak a mile wide down his back and he might as well admit it.
He was just beginning to think he might make it through the entire rowdy evening without ever having to talk to her, when he rounded a table to greet a friend he hadn’t seen in weeks, and there she was, right in front of him. The tray she had carefully balanced on her spread fingers tilted, and she lost her balance trying to catch it.
Jack had to choose between catching the tray or the woman, and he caught the woman. For one incredible moment he cradled her in his arms, bracing himself so that she’d fall against him and not tumble to the floor. The tray, however, went down, spraying sticky drinks and littering the floor with broken glass.
Josie swore softly. Then she lifted her gaze to his, and he saw the agony he felt reflected in her eyes, too. Damn it. If he’d been kidding himself that she was okay after they’d broken up, he’d been totally wrong.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s not your fault.” Righting herself, she moved away and called for a mop and bucket.
But it was his fault. Not the dropped tray and the spilled drinks, but the pain in her eyes. He was to blame for that, because he didn’t know how to give her what she wanted.
The party continued on, but Jack had no heart for it. He helped Josie clean up the mess, and she thanked him without looking at him again. She probably knew she’d let her guard down and wasn’t planning to do it again. He wanted to offer comfort but had no idea what to say. They finished mopping and parted without speaking.
After two more interminable hours, the party started breaking up. Jack figured he and Nick were in charge of getting Gabe home in one piece, so Jack went in search of the bridegroom. But he wasn’t anywhere to be found.
Jack glanced around, looking for someone sober enough to ask about Gabe. That person turned out to be Alex. Although Jack wasn’t crazy about talking with Alex, he didn’t have much choice.
“I’m looking for Gabe,” he said. “Have you seen him?”
“Yeah, as a matter of fact.” Alex pointed toward the front door. “Left about five minutes ago. Said something about going to see his lovely bride.”
“Oh.” Jack massaged the back of his neck. “Guess he won’t be needing a ride home, then. Thanks for the info.”
“No problem.”
Jack had turned away to go locate Nick and tell him they could leave when Alex spoke again.
“Josie told me she broke up with you.”
Jack glanced over his shoulder at Alex. “That’s right. She did.”
“I think it’s for the best. I couldn’t see it working out between you guys. Too much history.”
Jack could have done without that unsolicited opinion. He shrugged. “Could be.”
“I’m impressed, Chance. It took guts to show up here tonight.”
“Nah. Haven’t you heard? I’m immune to all that stuff. Nothing gets to me. See you at the wedding on Saturday, Keller.” Jack turned away to look for Nick.
Moments later Nick and Jack climbed in the truck with Jack at the wheel.
Nick held up a six-pack. “I snagged this for us.”
“How come?”
“I figured we could use it. Dominique isn’t flying in until tomorrow and you just got kicked to the curb by Josie, so—”
“Thanks for reminding me, dickhead.”
“You’re welcome. The point is, we’re both without women tonight, unlike our baby brother. I propose we find a nice quiet place to get wasted.”
Jack laughed. “I don’t think we can get wasted on three beers apiece.”
“Maybe we’ll have to be satisfied with mildly happy.”
“I could live with that. Where to?”
“I’m thinking we should head out to the Rock.”
Jack nodded in agreement. The Rock was their nickname for the sacred Shoshone site located on the ranch. The Shoshone name was long and difficult to pronounce, and the Rock was appropriate because the main feature of the site was a large flat piece of granite streaked with white quartz. The rock was big enough to park a truck on, although no one ever had.
Jack hadn’t spent any time out there since their dad died, and sharing a few beers with Nick might be exactly how he should finish out the night. Maybe the Rock would provide some answers to his problems. “Too bad Gabe isn’t with us.”
“Yeah, but you know how it is. All he thinks about is Morgan.”
Yes, Jack knew how that was. All he could think of was Josie. He put the truck in reverse and backed out of the Spirits and Spurs parking lot before pulling onto the two-lane road leading out of town.
As they neared the intersection, Nick let out a whistle of surprise. “I’ll be damned.”
“What?”
“The light’s green. It’s never green.”
“I’m gonna predict it’ll be green a lot more from now on.” Jack smiled. “I think Elmer has seen the error of his ways.”
“Did you say something to him?”
“He’s a petty little tyrant who just needed somebody to challenge him.”
Nick grinned. “Way to go.” He rolled down the window as they passed the station and took off his hat so he could lean out. “Good decision, Elmer!” Then he left the window down and turned up the radio. “It’s about time the Chance boys got back in the game.”
Jack knew what he meant. All three of them had been blindsided by losing their dad in the prime of his life. None of them had expected it, least of all Jack. But life went on, and Jonathan Chance would have been the first to say that. He’d want his sons to make their mark on the town. He’d want everyone to know that the Chance boys had been here.
He’d also want them to look forward, not back. Jonathan had always looked to the future, while respecting the legacy of what his father and mother had given him. Jack was beginning to think he’d been too concerned about keeping things the way they were.