Shooting Star by Carol Lynne Read Free Book Online Page A

felt Brac freeze beside him before scooting back to the passenger window. “I hear ya ,” Brac mumbled.
    Jessup wanted to haul Brac back to his side, but decided a little distance was a good thing. It wouldn’t do for either of them to start getting attached. He didn’t even know if it was possible for him to give enough of himself to make something work between them because Brac could be called back to LA at any moment. Yeah, better to keep distance between us.
    Kit and Hawk were getting out of their car when Jessup pulled into the parking lot. “They’re here,” Brac said, his voice a little too excited for Jessup’s comfort.
    “Yep,” he mumbled, taking the keys out of the ignition. Before he’d opened his door, Brac was out of the truck and rushing towards Kit. Jessup watched the two friends hug with a heavy feeling in his chest. He wasn’t sure if it was the trace of jealousy he felt or the desire to be as close to another human being as Kit and Brac seemed to be. Either way, Jessup didn’t like it.
    He slammed the pickup door harder than necessary and joined the small group at the foot of the lodge steps. Hawk gave Jessup a friendly nod while Kit and Brac talked a mile-a-minute.
    Hawk chuckled and gestured towards the friends. “Irritating, isn’t it?”
    Pocketing his keys, Jessup gave a non-committal answer. “Is what it is, I guess.”
    Hawk started up the steps, stopping only long enough to grab Kit’s hand. “I’m hungry. The two of you can continue your conversation inside.”
    Kit laughed and followed Hawk up the steps, leaving Brac and Jessup at the bottom. Jessup gestured towards the retreating backs. “After you.”
    Brac stared at Jessup. It was obvious he wanted to say something about their brief exchange on the drive up, but instead of just coming out with it, he chose to let out a huff and trot up the steps.
    Once again Jessup wanted to run after Brac and fully explain his reasons for slamming the brakes on their budding relationship. Never would he have thought the word ‘relationship’ was even in his vocabulary, so why had he just thought it? What was it about Brac that made him long for something he’d given up on over thirty-three years earlier?
    “You comin ’?”
    “Yeah.” Jessup started up the steps. “Sorry about earlier,” he mumbled as he reached for the massive hand-carved double door.
    “Don’t worry about it. Like you said, it was nothing.” Brac pushed past Jessup and entered the lodge.
    Jessup swallowed and finally reached for Brac . “Wait.”
    Brac glanced down at the hold Jessup had around his wrist. “Why? So you can make me feel even worse than I already do?”
    “No.” Jessup sighed and released Brac . “Let’s get through dinner, and we’ll talk on the way home.”
    “You know what? I can’t do the casual thing with you, so I might ride home with Kit and Hawk. Since the photographers are gone and Cattle Valley Days start this weekend, Kit’s dying to have me back.”
    Jessup felt like he’d been slapped. “Whatever you want,” he mumbled. “I’ll…um…” He gestured over his shoulder towards the parking lot. “I’m just gonna go. You have my number in case you see any signs of trouble.”
    Before Brac could say more, Jessup turned and left the building. He didn’t slow until he reached the safety of his truck. “Fuck,” he yelled, slamming his fist against the steering wheel.
     
    * * * *
     
    By the time Brac joined Kit and Hawk in the Grizzly Bar, he was in a sour mood. Even Kit’s bright smile couldn’t chase away the hurt of Jessup’s dismissal.
    “Oh, baby, what’s wrong?” Kit asked, reaching for Brac’s arm and pulling him down to the chair beside her. “Where’s Jessup?”
    Brac shrugged. “He decided not to join us.” He didn’t tell Kit it was supposed to be their first date. When Jessup had told him he didn’t know how to date, he hadn’t been kidding.
    Hawk cleared his throat and pointed towards a group