I Knew You Were Trouble: A Texas Kings Novel (26 page)

“Then impress her with
where
you take her. Make it special. Take her where only you would think to take her.”

Nate went to answer, then clamped his mouth shut.

“You know where, don’t you?” Ryder asked.

Nate slapped his brother on the back. “You’re a genius,” he told him, “a goddamn genius.”

“Here to help,” Ryder said with a laugh.

Nate grinned and blew Rose a kiss before calling out good-bye and leaving them. He was going to do it. There was no way he was going to let Faith be the one to walk away from him without at least showing her that he gave a damn about her and telling her how he felt. Ryder was right, he did love her, and it was the first time he’d ever felt like that about a woman. For him, it was usually all about the chase, but with Faith it was different. Once he’d had her in his bed, his house,
his life,
he wanted her to himself all the time. Hell, he didn’t even have any desire to be with other women, and that was saying a hell of a lot.

But he knew what to do, to show her that he’d listened when she’d been talking about her dreams, to prove to her that he was the right man for her, that he wasn’t going to hurt her or lose interest in her. And if he stood any chance of winning her back, he needed to do it now.

Nate had walked fast and now that he was closer to the house he checked the reception on his phone, seeing two bars now instead of one or none. He dialed his assistant, pleased when she picked up on the first ring.

“It’s me; I need you to—”

“Nathaniel, where have you been? I’ve been trying to call you for the last hour.”

His back bristled at his being asked where he’d been when it was no damn business of hers; then he realized that he needed to ease the hell up a bit. If he was going to ask Faith to be part of his life, he had to get used to being accountable to someone other than himself.

“Where the hell I’ve been is—” he started before he was interrupted.

“It’s your grandfather,” she said in a low voice. “The doctor wants you all there now, which is why I’ve been trying to get hold of you.”

Nate swallowed, his heart pounding, blood running so fast through his body that he felt like he was about to keel straight over if he tried to walk. But he needed to run, to get Ryder and then make the fastest trip of their lives into the hospital.

“Did they say…” He couldn’t even get the words out.

“He had a massive stroke: they don’t expect him to hold on much longer.”

The blood that had been running through him so damn hot turned cold as ice. Nate took a deep breath, then started to walk fast back in the direction he’d come. “Call the doctor back; tell them I’ll be there. Tell them to do anything they can to keep him alive until then. And call Chase.”

As soon as he hung up, Nate’s fast walk turned into an all-out sprint, his legs pumping, covering the ground as fast as he did when he ran in the mornings, trying to jog away his demons.

“Ryder!” he called. “Ryder!”

It didn’t take long for him to find them, Ryder wandering along without a care in the world and Rose still riding on his shoulders.

“Hey, don’t tell me you need more brotherly advice already?” Ryder joked.

The smile died on his brother’s face faster than it had appeared and Nate took a few deep breaths, blowing hard, before breaking the news to him.

“It’s Granddad. I think it’s the end.” Nate reached for Rose, taking her down from Ryder’s shoulders and folding her in his arms instead. He needed to hold her and there was no way Ryder could run with her up there, and every part of him was screaming out that they needed to hurry; hell, they might already be too late. “We need to go now.”

They both jogged back toward the house, pacing themselves, not saying a word.
Fuck.
Nate wasn’t ready to say good-bye to the man who’d raised them and taught them almost everything they knew, and he doubted either of his brothers was, either. His granddad meant the world to him, and once he was gone Nate would be running the King empire without guidance. It shouldn’t have and he’d never admit it to another soul, but the idea scared the shit out of him.

When they finally stopped, both heaving, Nate set a wide-eyed Rose to her feet and let Ryder take her hand. Nate stared at Ryder.

“This is the end, isn’t it?” Ryder said in a quiet voice. “It’s time to say good-bye.”

Nate nodded. “Take her back to Chloe and I’ll bring the car around.”

They went separate ways. Nate broke into a run again, but it was like he wasn’t in control of his body. When he stopped, his hands were shaking as he hunted for his keys, the back of his throat burning. For a guy used to shielding himself from emotion, the pain was so bad it took all his willpower not to double over and vomit from the waves of terror draining every inch of strength from his body.

His phone rang again and he picked up before getting into the vehicle.

“Yes!” he demanded, thinking it was going to be more news,
worse news.

“Nate, it’s Chuck!” the man yelled down the line. “We’ve hit oil! The bloody stuff is spurting up like crazy!”

Nate’s eyes stung, an unfamiliar burn prickling hard. He cleared his throat. “Great. Thanks for the call.”

He hung up, stopped for a moment, needing to catch his breath. Nausea rocked him, the bile in his throat choking him as he bent over beside the car.

“Damn you!” he yelled.

The one thing he’d wanted was his granddad to see the oil, to be there and watch it, to see it happen. And Nate knew in his heart that his grandfather was already gone.

*   *   *

“Nate?”

Nate looked up. He was exhausted, every bone in his body weary as he finally walked away from his granddad’s room. Nate was grateful to have had the last few hours alone with his brothers, so they could say their good-byes, but it had taken everything from him.

“Hey, Sam,” he managed, locking eyes on his friend as he stood from a seat in the small waiting area. The brothers had requested not to be disturbed, just the three of them wanting to spend time alone, but Nate noticed that Chloe and Hope had both been waiting, too, their arms around Ryder and Chase now that they’d walked out behind him.

“Nate, I’m sorry, man,” Sam said, opening his arms and pulling Nate in for a hug, slapping his back and holding him tight.

Nate took a deep breath. He’d prepared for this, he’d known this was coming, but all the prep in the world wasn’t helping right now.

“Thanks for coming,” he managed.

“All this bullshit with Faith, I’m sorry. Let’s just forget about it.”

Nate nodded when Sam stood back. He wasn’t going to talk about Faith right now, didn’t want to discuss the one person in the world he wished was by his side. Sam was right, they could forget what had happened, because when it happened again it was going to be different. No more sneaking around, no more stolen kisses, just Nate telling the whole world that Faith was his. If she’d have him.

“You going to have the service at home?” Sam asked, passing Nate his coffee that had been resting beside the chair he’d risen from.

Nate smiled his thanks and took the paper cup. Sam had obviously only just made it, it was full to the top, and they both drank it the same. Strong and sweet. “We’re going to bring him home as soon as we can, get him back to the ranch where he belongs, and we’ll have the service within a few days.”

Sam’s expression was sad, his eyes damp like he was ready to shed his tears for the man who’d always welcomed him onto the ranch when he and Nate were kids.

“Clay was a goddamn legend, Nate,” Sam finally said, folding his arms across his chest and shaking his head. “He made me feel like one of you boys when I was staying over, gave me my first paying job.” Sam rubbed his knuckles into his eyes before continuing. “I came to see him a few days ago, just to see how he was. I used to call most weeks. And you know what hit me?”

Nate raised an eyebrow, draining the coffee as he watched Sam. He hadn’t even known how often his friend had been to visit.

“How damn similar the two of you are. Were.” He laughed. “You’re a chip off the old block, Nate. He was so proud of you, and it’s because you’re the spitting image of him.”

Sam’s words hit Nate hard, made the bite of emotion snap at his throat again, almost took control of him, but he squared his shoulders and forced it back down.

“Thanks, Sam, it means a lot. He was always telling everyone that he knew the finest horseman in Texas, so don’t forget how much he thought of you, too.”

They both stood a bit longer, Nate feeling so tired his eyeballs seemed to be aching.

“Hey, you ready to go?”

Ryder’s hand on his shoulder jolted him back to the present, his voice deeper than usual, more raspy.

“Yeah, I’m ready.”

Sam took the cup from him and threw it in the trash. “I’ll see you at the service.”

Chloe pushed between Nate and Ryder, looping a hand through his arm and then her husband’s, keeping them both close.

“You guys remember how impressed he was with me that I could beat the pants off all of you at poker?”

That made Nate laugh. “Yeah. I don’t know if he was disgusted by us, in complete awe of you, or both.”

“Definitely in awe of me,” she said with a giggle before resting her head against Nate for a moment as they walked. “You want to come stay with us? I hate the idea of you being alone in the big house.”

He chuckled, glancing down at her. As far as sisters-in-law went, he’d hit the jackpot with his two. “We need to stop calling it the big house. It’s not like you two have small digs.”

“What’s so funny?”

Nate smiled at Chase as he joined them with Hope, one arm wrapped tight around her man.

“Nothing. Come on; let’s get out of here.”

Nate walked with them out into the lot, the outside temperature cooler than it had been when they’d arrived. It was cold now, the sky almost black.

“I’m gonna miss him,” Nate said, to himself but to his brothers, too. “There’s not a day that’ll go by that I won’t miss him.”

Ryder and Chase both nodded, standing nearby.

“Now let’s head home and crack a bottle of his favorite whiskey,” Nate announced. “Gone but not forgotten, right?”

“Yep, here’s to Wild Turkey, straight up over ice,” Ryder agreed.

Chase smiled. “Hey, we might not have Granddad, but we have you, Nate. One look into your eyes, or the way you hold yourself when you’re doing business, and it’s like he’s with us anyway.”

Nate cleared his throat, wishing to hell everyone wasn’t suddenly telling him how like his grandfather he was. Maybe he was; maybe he wasn’t—either way, he just wanted to get home and drink enough to dull the pain a little. If that was even possible.

Chapter 17

FAITH ran her hands over the fabric of her skirt, more used to being in jeans than pencil skirts that hugged her body tight and made it impossible to take more than a small step. She’d gone out and bought a new outfit to wear to Clay King’s funeral. It only seemed right to make an effort for a man that had been as good as a legend for longer than she could remember, but it was Nate she was all sweaty palmed over seeing. In all honesty, she’d come for him, but the suffocating feeling of waiting for the moment that he came near was almost unbearable.

“You okay?”

She nodded and smiled as Sam squeezed her hand, leaning in close to her. “Fine, thanks. I’m just hot.” It was the truth. She had a silk cami on underneath her jacket, and the fact that they were outside in the sun with her wearing all black wasn’t exactly sensible.

“We can go on over and take a seat if you want,” Sam suggested, gesturing to the rows of white chairs beneath a huge tent with no sides.

She shook her head, more content to swelter in her suit than risk running into Nate or his brothers. She wanted them to know she’d been here, but the idea of seeing Nate again, being up close and personal with him for even a moment, wasn’t something she’d ever be prepared for. Faith sighed. She might have been the one to walk away from him, but it didn’t mean she didn’t miss him like crazy still.

“Hey, Faith.”

Faith hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until she let it go. She turned and came face-to-face with Chloe.

“Hey,” she replied. “How are you holding up?”

Chloe blinked away visible tears. “Okay. It’s just hard seeing the guys so cut up.”

Neither of them had said Nate’s name, but it was hanging between them, and Faith decided she’d rather be the one to bring it up than wait for Chloe.

“And Nate?” Faith asked, wishing her brother wasn’t standing right beside her, listening to the entire conversation. “How’s he been?”

“Not bad, considering!” The deep, commanding voice that rang out behind her made every tiny hair on her body stand on end, her skin covered in goose pimples. She swallowed, took a deep breath, and slowly turned.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Nate,” she managed, meeting his gaze head-on and suddenly wishing she hadn’t come at all. His dark eyes were stormy, slightly bloodshot, his black hair pushed completely off his face. It was longer than it had been when she’d been with him, slightly unruly now even though he was obviously trying his best to tame it today.

“Thanks for coming,” he said, eyes never leaving hers as he spoke, his voice powerful even though he was in pain. “You too, Sam,” he continued, turning to her brother and holding out his hand. “And thanks for coming by the other day. It was good to see a friendly face after the afternoon I’d had.”

Sam shook his hand, patted him on the back, and said a few words. Faith could have listened, was standing right beside them, but all she could think about was Nate. About the fact that he was standing so close, that this big, incredible man was less than two feet from her, a man she’d voluntarily walked away from because she was so damn scared of falling for him, when what she should have done was hold him close and try to never let him go.

“Faith?”

Her head snapped up, suddenly tuning in to the conversation when she heard her name.

“I’m sorry?”

“Nate wants a word with you.” Sam looked between them. “In private.”