Page 79 of Rocky Mountain Home

“Incoming, Dare,” Jesse warned. “My sister-in-law, otherwise known as Jaxi the iron-grip.”

“Oh, hush,” Jaxi tossed over her shoulder as she narrowed in on Dare, but instead of hugging her tight she stopped and looked Dare over from top to bottom, a smile blooming quickly. “I’m so glad to finally meet you.”

Then she opened her arms and offered Dare the opportunity for a hug. It seemed deliberate, and a bit of a knot formed in Dare’s throat.

Blake’s welcome had been wonderful, but this seemed even more intimate. It wasn’t just an offering of a momentary embrace, it was a gesture that let Dare decide if she wanted to step into the family circle, or not. Her own choice.

Or…maybe she was reading too much into it, which was entirely possible.

Don’t fall in love with them, she warned herself again.

She stepped forward and let firm arms tug her in tight. Jaxi was no older than her, but she’d had so many different experiences that lent her an aura of confidence.

Or maybe it was that other bit of information that Jesse had shared. About how Jaxi had grown up with the Coleman family and basically bossed them all around—because there was a bit of that going on during the next moments as some people left and Jaxi offered plans for the next few days.

She probably would’ve gone out to the car with a group of them to continue giving instructions, but Blake closed in and scooped her off her feet.

“You need to take a rest,” he told her sternly, carrying her to the bed and settling her on the surface.

Jaxi sighed heavily, but she wiggled until she was leaning against the lifted back support. “I feel great.”

“I know you do, but you deserve to be off your feet for a little while.” He pulled the blanket over her before pressing a kiss to her lips. Then he turned his gaze around the room in search of their son. “I’d like to claim him if you don’t mind.”

A dark-haired woman brought Justin forward and passed him back to Jaxi who did that one arm thing as well—far too confident for Dare’s peace of mind.

Dare found an arm slipping around her waist as Jesse stepped beside her.

“He’s one fine-looking kid,” Jesse said.

Jaxi beamed. “Thanks.” She glanced at Dare with a smile. “You just wait. Colemans make pretty babies.”

Dare’s face heated to supernova. Everybody had to have heard about the baby, but it seemed unreal to have it accepted like this.

For her to be accepted like this.

Jesse cleared his throat and turned to his brother. “Congrats.”

“Thanks.” Politely said, but without the warmth that had been in Blake’s earlier words for her.

“Hey, we’re going to be around for a few days, so let me know if you’d like me to help out,” Jesse suggested. “I don’t mind taking your shifts, especially for the early hours.”

It seemed a generous offer to Dare, and she thought for sure it would be accepted.

But Blake simply shook his head and responded quietly, “No need. You enjoy your visit and show Dare around.”

Between one breath and the next, tension in the room thickened. Jaxi was tossing disapproving glances at Blake as if trying to get him to read her mind and say something different. Marion fussed with the flowers by the window as she spoke rapidly in a low tone with Mike, also throwing telling glances at their oldest son.

The other visitors in the room exchanged looks then focused on offering final congratulations before leaving the room.

While their visit ended shortly after that as Justin began to fuss for his supper, and Dare was ready to make her escape, something seemed extraordinarily wrong.

Jesse? The happy, cocky, never-at-a-loss-for-words guy she’d been getting to know—and if she was brutally honest, beginning to care about—sat in icy silence as they got back in his truck and headed who knew where.

Suddenly it wasn’t discomfort at being out of her home territory that was making Dare uneasy. She wasn’t tied up in knots because she was wondering if there was something for her and Buckaroo in Rocky Mountain House.

Jesse’s offer to help his family had been bluntly turned down, and maybe she needed to blame it on pregnancy hormones, but Dare was feeling supremely feisty on his behalf.

Screw this. It was bullshit—pure and utter bullshit. On top of the rest of the day, every nerve in her body vibrated with tension.