SWNOVELS Chance: Chapter 15
“Who would do this?”Theo waved his hand over the field, looking about as lost as a man could look when confronted with senseless destruction.
Chance didn’t say that it was far better they were only talking about plants and not people. He might have encountered the kind of destruction in his life and career that was far worse than a field of plants, but for Theo Harper, having someone destroy all his hard work was a blow he couldn’t yet wrap his head around.
“Somebody who either hates you, or me, or wants us to sell this farm,” Rory said. “That’s about all I can figure.”
“You think it’s the guys from D&B Properties?” Theo asked, his gaze bouncing between Chance and Rory.
“Could be,” Rory said.
“But we don’t know for sure,” Chance added, because he had to consider every possibility. “You piss anyone off lately? Break up with anybody?”
Theo shook his head. “Don’t think so. Haven’t dated much since all that shit went down.”
Chance knew which shit. The shit where Kyle Hollis nearly killed him and left him for dead.
“But you have been out with someone?”
“Yeah. Tera, Julia, and Poppy.”
“At the same time?” Rory asked, her eyes widening a little.
“No, Ror, not at the same time,” her brother said. Chance could hear the eye roll in his voice.
“Good, because that’d probably be grounds for some garden destruction right there. Tera and Poppy aren’t exactly friendly. In fact, one of them could have tore up your garden out of spite because you dated the other one. Which one was first?”
“Poppy. But she’s on a business trip to California. It wasn’t her.”
“I doubt it was any of them,” Chance said. “Whoever did this shot out the camera first, and that took a good bit of skill. Tera and Julia have both been at the range for our ladies’ beginner shooting, and I don’t remember either of them even getting close to the center of the target.”
Rory put her arm around her brother. “I’m sorry, Theo. You worked so hard on it.”
“You helped. And now we’re gonna have to buy more produce for the restaurant. I know that’s not what you budgeted for.”
“It’s fine. We’re doing well these days. It’ll just take a little longer to pay off the debt, but we’ve been on the right track for so long that this is merely a hiccup.”
“You’re right. It’ll be fine.”
Rory punched him playfully in the arm. “Just think, we’ve got a one-point-seven-five-million offer for this place. All else fails, we’ll sell up and have plenty of money to take care of the Dawg and whatever else we want.”
Theo’s eyes hardened. “No. We aren’t selling. This is our heritage, and you’re going to raise your kids here. One of these days, I might join you and do the same.”
Rory teared up. Chance could see the sheen in her eyes. “I think that’d be great, big bro. But first you gotta stop dating all those women and settle down with one.”
“And there’s the hitch in my plan,” Theo said with a laugh. He sobered quickly as he surveyed the destruction. “I can replant, but it’ll take time. I started these from seeds. If I get bigger plants it’ll go faster, but that’ll cost a few hundred dollars.”
“Get the plants, Theo,” Rory said. “What’s a few more dollars at this point?”
Theo eyed her. “I don’t know, Ror. We have to think about the future, and about your kid.”
He cut his gaze to Chance, who didn’t blink at the scrutiny. “I intend to provide for my kid. It’s not all gonna be on your sister.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Chance felt like there was more to say so he said it, Rory’s opinion be damned. “I’m gonna be here for her, Theo, whether she wants me to or not. I’m not a deadbeat, and I don’t skip out on my responsibilities. As much as she’ll let me take care of her, I’m gonna be here doing just that. And sometimes, even when she doesn’t want me to, I’m gonna be in her life telling her when she’s got shit ideas and needs to pull her head out of her ass.”
Theo blinked and then snorted. “I can respect that, man.”
Rory popped both hands on her hips and glared. “Seriously, is this Little House on the Prairie? Are you two menfolk deciding what to do with the poor, helpless, pregnant lady when I’m standing right here and have my own thoughts about my life?”
“Not at all, babe,” Chance said with a grin. “I’m just telling Theo the facts, and those are that you aren’t getting rid of me no matter how much you might try.”
“But why would you try?” Theo asked, looking genuinely puzzled. “Chance has more integrity than the asshole you nearly married. Why not give him a little more credit?”
She’d nearly married? This was news to Chance. She’d never said a word. Neither had Emma or Blaze. Either Emma hadn’t told Blaze about it, or she’d told him to keep it to himself. Interesting.
Rory’s face was red as she turned that glare on her brother. Chance couldn’t help but think she was cute. She’d clipped her long blonde hair in one of those big banana clips on her head, and she’d slipped into a flowy dress that clung to her full breasts before dropping to skim her ankles. The dress was ivory with little pink flowers sprinkled across the fabric.
She was feminine and adorable and he wanted to pull her close and simply feel her lithe body against his. Not even for sex, though he wouldn’t say no, but just to hold the body of the woman who was carrying his child inside her.
Rory wasn’t in a holding mood, though. She held up her right hand and mimed snapping his mouth shut. “Shut it, Theo. None of your business. And don’t be blabbing my business either, you hear me?”
Theo’s gaze traveled between them for a second. “Wait… you didn’t tell him about Mark?”
“Swear to God I’m going to kill you,” Rory growled.
“No,” Chance said. “Never heard of Mark. Rory doesn’t tell me much of anything, if I’m honest. She doesn’t actually like me, if you haven’t noticed.”
“Liked you well enough at some point,” Theo said mildly.
“I think she’d tell you she was temporarily insane during that time.”
“Oh my God, are you two going to keep talking over me and around me like I’m not here?”
“Rory, babe, trust me when I tell you that nobody could ever pretend you weren’t here,” Chance said. “I’m just filling Theo in on the things you might not have told him, considering you never mentioned this Mark character to me.”
“It wasn’t important.” Rory folded her arms beneath her breasts, emphasizing their roundness. “You didn’t tell me your life story during that time, did you? Of course not, which means you weren’t entitled to mine either. Mark is nobody anymore and not important.”
“Okay, babe. I’ll respect you don’t want to talk about it, but one of these days you’re gonna have to.”
Rory turned back to her brother. “We need a plan for cleaning this up and replanting. What do you want to do?”
Theo frowned. “It’s Saturday. Gonna be too busy at the Dawg to get plants today, but I’ll rake the big stuff out then get the tractor and plow it under before I gotta go to work. The nursery is closed tomorrow, but I’ll get over there early Monday. I’ll have Chris work the kitchen for lunch, and I’ll get everything in over the next week.”
“I’ll help you rake,” Rory said. “And I can plow it under. You worry about getting over to the Dawg and prepping for the day.”
Chance pulled out his phone and made a call. Ghost answered on the second ring. “What’s up?”
“Got an incident at Rory’s place.” He told Ghost the story. “Need some help cleaning up the destruction and prepping the field for new plants.” He shot a look at Rory and Theo, who were watching him. “Might need to do some planting, too.”
“We’ve got a light day. I’ll head over that way with Kane and Seth after I wrap up a couple of things. Ethan and Blaze can handle the range.”
Chance’s chest was tight. “Thanks, boss. Appreciate it.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” Theo said when Chance put the phone away. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t grateful as hell.”
“It’s a lot of work, brother. And we’re gonna be family in a way, which means we’re supposed to take care of each other. But even if that wasn’t the case, Sutton’s Creek is home and the Dawg is a favorite haunt for my guys. We’d help you anyway. If you think you can get those plants this morning while we clean up, we’ll help put them in the ground tomorrow when the Dawg is closed so you can make sure we do it right.”
Theo nodded. “I can do that. Thanks, Chance.”
He held out a hand and Chance took it. They shook. Chance didn’t miss the sheen of moisture in Theo’s eyes before he pulled away again and cleared his throat. He seemed to be searching for something else to say, but Chance filled the gap instead.
“Why don’t you head for the nursery? I think we got this. And if we don’t, Rory will set us straight.”
“Okay.” Theo’s gaze moved between them. “I feel kinda bad taking off, but if you’re sure.”
“I’m sure. Get the plants and we’ll take care of the ground.”
Theo hugged his sister and gave her a kiss on the forehead, shook Chance’s hand again, and headed for his vehicle.
“Point me to the rakes,” Chance said when Theo backed out and headed down the drive.
Rory turned to him, tears shimmering on her lashes. It gutted him to see her cry. His beautiful, brave, prickly-as-hell Rory.
No, not his. He had to remember that, no matter how much it confused him that she didn’t want to be his.
“Thank you for doing that. For calling your guys. Theo would have done it all alone, bitching at me for trying to help him the whole time. He’d have worked too hard and wore himself out, but he’d have still worked at the Dawg all afternoon and evening. Then he’d have come back too early tomorrow to continue prepping the ground, and he’d have driven himself every day until it was done….”
She seemed to have run out of things to say. Chance put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his side. She didn’t resist, same as she hadn’t back in the house when he’d nearly kissed her.
“Rory, we’d have helped anyway, like I said, but if you think for one minute that I’m not gonna do everything it takes to keep you safe and happy, and by extension your brother, then you don’t know a thing about me. Your happiness is my priority.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” He could tell she was trying to be prickly but it was an act. She was on the verge of sobbing in his arms.
He gave her another squeeze as he pressed a kiss to her sun-warmed hair, inhaling the peaches and vanilla scent. “Get used to it, honey. Because this is how I roll. Now let’s get those rakes.”
She sniffed. “Yes, let’s. I have to get the keys to Betty Ann, too.”
Chance couldn’t help but smile. “Betty Ann?”
“The tractor.”
“Oh, right. Of course.”
“Why are you grinning like that?” she demanded.
He put a thumb to his chest. “Who, me?”
“Yes, you. Twerp.”
“I think it’s cute how you name everything.”
“It’s just a name, Chancey Pants. Don’t get excited,” she grumbled. But her cheeks were pinker as she turned on her heel and started for the barn.
He followed, grinning the whole way.