Page 52 of Promise Me a Forever Texas Love

But that’s what he always did. Gave up. This wasn’t about making a stupid high school football team. Or striking it rich from one of his idiotic get-rich schemes. This was about spending the rest of his life with the only woman he’d ever loved. The only woman he would ever love. And even if there wasn’t a chance in hell of getting her back, he would never stop trying.

Never.

“Cadee!” he yelled and took off running toward the front parking lot.

He caught up with her just as she reached her truck. He knew there was nothing he could say to make her believe him, so he didn’t try. Instead, he whirled her around and kissed her.

He knew his hands gripped her hips too tightly, his lips tasted hers too hungrily, his tongue raided her mouth much too boldly. But he was desperate . . . and she didn’t seem to be fighting. In fact, her lips softened beneath his and her hands fisted in his shirt. It was all the proof he needed. He’d hurt her and she didn’t trust him. In order to regain her trust, he needed to prove his love with actions not words.

He cradled her face in his hands and softened the kiss before drawing back. She stared at him with dazed eyes. He’d take dazed over hurt and teary any day.

“You want proof that I love you and you’re going to get it. Because what we have, Cadee Stockton, is too special to let go of.”

He gave her another quick kiss, then opened the door of her truck. She stared at him with confused eyes before she climbed in. After she drove away, he headed back inside.

He had plans to make.

One of those plans had him knocking on his brother’s door bright and early the next morning. Jaxon jerked open the door wearing nothing but boxers and a huge scowl.

“What the fuck, Huck?”

Huck grinned. “I’ll never grow tired of hearing that rhyme.”

Jaxon rolled his eyes. “What do you want? And it better be good to get me out of bed so early.”

Huck noticed he hadn’t said “wake me up so early.” Which meant he’d probably interrupted something besides sleep. He might have felt guilty if he didn’t have good cause.

“I need to talk to you about something important.”

Jaxon hesitated for only a moment before he held open the door. “Make it quick.”

Huck stepped into the living room and was greeted by Dumplin’. The cat encircled his legs with a low purr until Huck leaned down and scratched her back. Then she turned and haughtily headed down the hallway. No doubt to snuggle with Tully.

If the scowl on Jaxon’s face was any indication, he was in a hurry to do the same thing. So Huck didn’t waste any time getting to the point of his early morning visit.

“I want to open my own carpentry business. I have all of daddy’s old tools and his workshop is plenty big enough to handle any jobs I get. In fact, I already have a couple lined up.” Jaxon opened his mouth to say something, but Huck cut him off. “I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking this is just another stupid scheme of mine that I’ll give up on in a few weeks. I can’t blame you. I have quit on a lot of things. But I’m not going to quit on this. I love building things, Jax. And I’m good at it. So even if you tell me it’s a bad idea, I’m still going to do it.”

The scowl faded from Jaxon’s face. “I don’t think it’s a bad idea. In fact, I think it’s the best idea you’ve ever come up with. You’ve always loved building things. Why not get paid for it?”

Having Jaxon’s support should have left Huck feeling elated, but after years of failure, it was hard to keep the doubt from spilling in.

“You really think I can do it, Jax?”

Jaxon placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hell, yeah, I do. You built an igloo in sixty-degree weather, for God’s sake. And a bar in record time that everyone who comes into Honky Tonk Heaven comments on. Not to mention, you built the best damn treeboat in Texas.”

He grinned. “It is a damn fine treeboat.”

Jaxon squeezed his shoulder. “It sure is. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner how proud I am of you. You are skilled, little brother. You’ve always been skilled. Not just with building things, but also with keeping our family together. Your positive attitude is why we were able to finish the renovations to Honky Tonk Heaven on time. You never let any of us give up and quit.”

“And yet, I give up and quit on everything.”

“Never on anything that really mattered. You never gave up on your family, Huck.” Jaxon paused. “Even Mama. When the rest of us had given up trying to make her happy, you never did. You could always tease a smile out of her or make her laugh . . . just like Daddy.”

“I don’t want to be like Daddy, Jax.”

Jaxon nodded. “I get it. But Daddy had a lot of good traits too. He was charming and funny and positive . . . and loved his kids. Just because you accept those traits, doesn’t mean you have to accept his bad traits.” He smiled. “Not that you have any of those. You don’t gamble and you hate to travel.” Huck’s eyes widened and Jaxon laughed. “It wasn’t hard to figure out that you hate traveling. You spent most of your childhood talking about where you were going to go when you left town and you haven’t traveled to one place. Why is that, little brother?”

Huck shrugged. “I guess I figured out there’s no place like home.”