The Proposal & Solid Soul - Brenda Jackson [39]
“Yes, Dil?”
“Pam wanted me to call and verify that you and Bella are coming for breakfast.”
Jason smiled. “Yes, we’ll be there. In fact, I’m about to saddle up one of the mares. I thought we’d ride over on horseback. We can enjoy the sights along the way.”
“That’s a good idea. Everything’s okay at her place?”
“Yes, so far so good. The sheriff has increased the patrols around Bella’s house and I appreciate it. Thank him the next time the two of you shoot pool together.”
Dillon chuckled. “I will. And just so you know, I like Bella. She has a lot of class.”
Jason smiled. That meant a lot coming from his older brother. While growing up he’d always thought Dillon was smart with a good head on his shoulders. Jason’s admiration increased when Dillon had worked hard to keep the family together.
“And thanks, Dillon.”
“For what?”
“For being you. For being there when all of us needed you to be. For doing what you knew Mom and Dad, as well as Uncle Thomas and Aunt Susan would have wanted you to do.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Jason.”
“Yes, I do.”
Dillon didn’t say anything for a moment. “Then you’re welcome. Now don’t keep us waiting with Bella. We won’t start breakfast until the two of you get here. At least all of us except Denver. He wakes up hungry. Pam has fed him already,” Dillon said.
Jason couldn’t help but smile, and not for the first time, as he thought of one day having a son of his own. Being around Denver had the tendency to put such thoughts into his head. He enjoyed his nephew immensely.
“We’ll get there in good time, I promise,” he said before clicking off the phone.
BELLA GLANCED DOWN AT her riding attire and smiled. She wanted to be ready when Jason returned.
Grabbing her hat off the rack she placed it on her head and opened the door to step outside on the porch. Riley had gotten out of the truck and was leaning against it. He glanced over at her and smiled.
“Ready to go riding I see,” he said.
“Yes, Jason told me to be ready. We’re having breakfast with Dillon and Pam.”
“Yes, I had planned to have breakfast with them as well but I have a meeting at the office.”
Bella nodded. “You enjoy working inside?”
Riley chuckled. “Yes, I’ll leave the horses, dirt and grime to Jason. He’s always liked being outdoors. When he worked at Blue Ridge I knew it was just a matter of time before wanderlust got ahold of him. He’s good with horses, so are Zane and Derringer. Joining in with the Montana Westmorelands in that horse business was great for them.”
Bella nodded again. “So exactly what do you do at Blue Ridge?”
“Mmm, a little bit of everything. I like to think of myself as Dillon’s right-hand man. But my main job is PR. I have to make sure Blue Ridge keeps a stellar image.”
Bella continued to engage in conversation with Riley while thinking he was another kind Westmoreland man. It seemed that all of them were. But she’d heard Bailey remark more than once that Riley was also a ladies’ man, and she could definitely believe that. Like Jason, he was handsome to a fault.
“So, Riley, when will you settle down and get married?” she asked him, just to see what his response would be.
“Married? Me? Never. I like things just the way they are. I am definitely not the marrying kind.”
Bella smiled, wondering if Jason wasn’t the marrying kind, as well, although he’d given a marriage proposal to her. Did he want joint ownership of her land and Hercules that much? Evidently so.
JASON SMILED AS HE HEADED back to Bella’s ranch with a horse he knew she would love riding. Fancy Free was an even tempered mare. In the distance, he could see Bella was standing on the porch waiting for him. He would discount the fact that she seemed to be having an enjoyable conversation with Riley, who seemed to be flirting with her.
He ignored the signs of jealousy seeping into his bones. Riley was his brother and if you couldn’t trust your own brother who could you trust? A lightbulb suddenly went off in his head. Hell. Had Abel assumed the same thing about Cain?
He tightened his hands on his horse and increased his pace