Page 5 of Sweet Obsession (Honeysuckle, Texas #5)

Nursing the strawberry lemonade Jillian had poured for him, Blake sat in the rocker next to hers, his gaze fixed on the sprawling pastureland that melted into the distance.

As if sensing her gaze, he turned his head, his lips momentarily pressed into a thin line.

“I know it’s too late,” his voice came out low and raspy, as if he hadn’t spoken for days, “but I’m so very sorry for your loss and that I couldn’t make it back for your dad’s funeral.

I wanted to be here. Your dad meant a great deal to me. ”

The heartfelt sincerity in his voice tightened her throat. “We knew you were on tour. We got the flowers you sent. They were beautiful.”

“It wasn’t enough. He was always good to me.” A faint, sad smile touched his lips. “And to all of Kade’s knucklehead friends. He never once got mad, not even when we accidentally backed his new truck into the fence post and tore off the bumper.”

“I’d forgotten about that.” She bit back a laugh. “Dad loved that truck, but he loved you boys more.”

The screen door squeaked open and slammed shut. “The place is so quiet; I didn’t think anyone was home.” Stretching his shoulders, Garret quickly scanned the length of the porch, his head jerking to a stop when his gaze fell on their guest. “Blake?”

A slow easy smile took over the musician’s face. “The one and only.”

Before Garrett could say another word, the gravel path crunched under arriving footsteps.

From the barn, Carson made his way toward the house with their lone ranch hand Clint on his heels.

As his younger brother had done, the second eldest brother came to a screeching halt the minute his gaze settled on their guest. “Holy…” Within seconds, he was up on the porch and pulling Blake into a back-slapping hug. “What the heck are you doing here?”

“Good to see you too.” Blake chuckled. For the first time all afternoon, his smile reached his eyes and the twinkle did a funny thing to Jillian’s insides.

“Nice to meet you.” Clint tipped his head at Blake; if he knew who their guest was, their ranch hand didn’t let on. “I’ll go on inside and report to your mother.”

A few words were exchanged between Carson and the foreman and the next thing she knew, Garret nudged Blake’s shoulder with his own. “So, this is what a rock star on vacation looks like? A little less glitter than I expected.”

Carson, a wry grin spreading across his face, joined in, leaning against the porch railing. “Don’t let him fool you, Garret. He saves the glitter for the stage and, of course, all his groupies.”

The teasing was a test, an invitation back into their world, and Jillian watched, fascinated, as Blake just shook his head, a genuine laugh rumbling in his chest, a decade of fame and distance easily melting away. “You guys haven’t changed a bit. Still think playing a guitar isn’t real work, huh?”

A tangle of lighthearted shoves and pokes ensued, her brothers continuing to pepper Blake with questions about life on the road, the women he must have on every continent, and just how great life must be without ever having to get up before dawn to mend a fence line in the freezing cold.

It was the timeless dance of male friendship—the teasing, the physical contact, the unspoken affection beneath the ribbing—a language they’d all spoken since they were boys shooting hoops in the driveway and dreaming of bigger things.

“I’m guessing no one is hungry tonight?” Her mom stood in the back doorway shaking her head. “Blake, your mom just texted that they’ll be here in ten minutes.”

Clint slid past their mother, tipping his hat at Jillian as he walked back to his bunkhouse.

Inside, her sisters-in-law were helping set the table, already chatting about the celebrity under their roof.

A few more minutes and hugs and kisses and a few happy tears abounded as the Kirby’s arrived, making Jillian think that maybe they hadn’t seen their son in a pretty long time as well.

Conversation flowed easily over dinner. But Mr. and Mrs. Kirby didn’t seem to think there was anything to be concerned about with Blake’s grandmother.

“The woman is pushing ninety. She’s bound to forget a thing or two,” his dad insisted.

Clearly, as far as Blake’s parents were concerned, the old woman’s occasional memory lapses—and from the conversation, it sounded like they happened more often than Blake thought—was normal behavior for a woman her age.

Now Jillian understood why Blake felt the need to come to Honeysuckle and see for himself.

Concern was clearly etched on his face. He still smiled at his parents, nodded, and took in every word they said, but it was clear he didn’t agree.

And frankly, neither did she. Up until today, Sara Kirby always asked for Kade and how he was doing while deployed.

Never had she forgotten he didn’t live at the ranch anymore.

In the end, his parents agreed to help convince Mrs. Kirby to have some testing done and Blake promised to stay as long as was necessary to make sure his grandmother was in good health or getting the best care needed if she wasn’t.

He hugged his mother tightly at the door, promised to visit tomorrow, and then gave his dad a hug so tight she thought one of them might snap.

This was the Blake she remembered—thoughtful, kind.

And yet, he was more. The genuine worry he held for his grandmother chipped away at the assumptions she’d built up over the years.

She’d always figured he didn’t come back to Honeysuckle because he’d outgrown it, that his rock-star life had made his small-town roots, and the people in them, feel unimportant.

Now she was sure that she couldn’t have been more wrong.

Without a word, Blake’s mom had pulled him into another fierce hug, this one even tighter than the one she’d given him moments before. “It’s so good to have you home,” she mumbled against his shoulder. “So good.”

Patting her back, equally overwhelmed with a rush of emotion, he tried not to squeeze her too hard. “I know Mom.” The funny thing, he truly did. Nothing could have prepared him for how in only a few hours he could feel so very much at home.

Inside the sprawling living room, the family slowly decompressed from dinner and the day’s work.

Preston and Sarah Sue occupied the couch.

Carson had claimed the leather chair, his son in his lap.

Garret leaned against the mantel, his wife in the kitchen with Alice.

Only Rachel and her new husband were absent, having retired early for the night.

Of course, they were most newly of the newlyweds so no surprise there.

The easy familiarity of it all wrapped around him like a warm blanket, a reminder of everything he’d missed through the years.

Just then, Alice walked in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She looked utterly exhausted but satisfied. Her gaze dropped to Brady, the beloved dog, seated at his former master’s side, leaning against him, his own gaze drifted to Alice before the k9 slid to the floor with a sigh.

Alice padded over to the resting dog and lovingly scratched at his scruff. “I think he misses having Samson around. Especially in the evenings.”

“Probably.” Sarah Sue glanced wistfully at the beloved dog. “But Samson’s doing really well at his forever home.” Turning her attention back to Alice, Preston’s wife grinned widely. “Maybe it’s time to take on another foster.”

Laughing quietly, Alice shook her head at her daughter-in-law. “I don’t know about that, but I’m pooped. And morning comes early on a ranch. I’m heading off to bed.” With a final, tired smile, she blew a kiss to no one in particular, turned, and disappeared up the stairs.

Not wanting to see the contentment of the moment end just yet, Blake sank into the only empty chair in the room.

“I gotta admit…” Carson bobbed his head at Blake. Only two years younger than Kade, he spent a great deal of time with his older brother and his best friend. “It’s nice to have you around. Even if you are mooching.”

Kicking his head back, Blake let out a roar of laughter from deep in his gut. Somehow he’d forgotten that the Sweet family men were like his own brothers—they did not cut a man undeserved slack. “If I’d known how much I was missed, I’d have made more of an effort.”

“Now don’t get carried away.” Biting back her own laughter, Rachel raised an open palmed hand to him. “You weren’t missed that much.”

Oh how he’d missed being part of this big raucous family.

In some ways, the band and crew were his family now, but it was never anything close to this family.

Heaving a sigh, he lifted his gaze to catch Rachel’s eye.

“I hope y’all understand how very sorry I am that I missed your dad’s funeral.

If it had been at all humanly possible, I would have been here. ”

Every Sweet in the room gave a short nod.

“We know.” Preston tried for a smile.

“So tell me,” he shifted in his seat, doing his best to lighten the mood, “who spiked the water?”

“Excuse me?” Jillian’s eyes rounded in confusion. Pretty eyes.

“All these weddings in just a few months. Was it Miss Alice? Love potion number nine?”

“Ha.” Jillian’s shoulders shook with laughter. “Only a musician would come up with that one.”

He couldn’t help but grin. She appeared to be the only one in the room who got the joke of the old hit from the 1960s.

There also weren’t the words to express how deeply he regretted missing so many milestones in his friends’ lives.

Sadly, not till this very minute did he realize just how cavernous that regret was.

“Well…” Jillian was the one to clear her throat, but somehow he got the impression that pretty much everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably. For just a flash of a second, he wondered if maybe someone had concocted a love potion. What was he missing?

“So,” dropping his booted heel to the floor, Preston leaned forward, “what’s the plan now with your grandmother? Are you really going to stay for as long as it takes to get a diagnosis?”

That was what he’d said, and whether his manager and record label liked it or not, that was his plan. “Yeah. That’s exactly what I intend to do, though I can’t very well hide out here forever.”

Jillian stood and crossed the room, setting her hand on his shoulder. “I speak for all of us when I say you can hide out here as long as you want.”

If he hadn’t been so startled by the heat emanating from her fingertips, he would have said a heartfelt thank you. As it was he could barely manage a nod.

“At least your parents have agreed to cooperate with getting your grandmother to see a doctor.” Jillian took a seat beside him. “That can go a long way.”

“Sadly, I’ve dealt with families who have loved ones afflicted with dementia.

” Rachel shook her head. “The ones closest to the family member are often the hardest to convince that something is off. That their memory lapses aren’t simply a factor of aging.

Not until things start going seriously south. ”

“How seriously south?” It hadn’t occurred to Blake that being a social worker, Rachel might know something about dementia.

“Anything from wandering out the door and not remembering how to come home, or thinking nine in the morning is nine at night.”

Jillian gasped, her delicate fingers rising to cover her open mouth. This was exactly what had happened to his grandmother. She’d thought four in the morning was four in the afternoon.

Blake sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s all so frustrating.”

A little more conversation continued about his intentions for calling doctors, starting with Sarah Sue’s dad.

Preston’s wife convinced him that having her father as an advocate would be a big help, and having known Doc Conroy all his life, Blake knew she was right.

Quickly the conversation dwindled, filled now with yawns and stretching, Jess already having taken her and Carson’s son to bed.

One by one, couples began to wish each other goodnight.

Preston and Sarah Sue headed off to their bunkhouse, then Garret muttered a goodnight to everyone as he slipped out the back door, presumably to the blue cottage.

Finally, only Jillian remained. “Follow me. I’ll show you to your room.”

Jillian stopped at the door across from the master bedroom. Kade’s old room. The one where he and his best friend had spent countless hours plotting teenage mischief.

She gestured inside. “Mom set out fresh towels for you on the bed.” Her gaze met his, and for a split second, the air between them thickened.

The easy, friendly smile she’d been wearing all evening faltered, replaced by something unreadable, a flicker of vulnerability.

He had to blink and take a step back. This strong, beautiful woman, willing to take on would be burglars, now partnering to solve all his problems and keep him comfortable.

Who knew that little Jillian with her wide-eyed youthful wonder would turn out to be so… perfect?