Liam didn't speak for most of the ride. JD appreciated the silence. With his elbow propped against the window and his chin resting in his palm, he watched the trees blur past in the winding road.
Usually, he found something mesmerizing about the vast openness of the countryside—the way each neighbor's land stretched for miles, the iron gates standing like lonely sentinels guarding their homes.
But tonight?
He wasn't in the mood to appreciate the beauty of it. His mind was too full.
Too tangled up in her.
Joanne.
How the hell was he supposed to deal with this?
He let out a slow breath through his nose, lost in his thoughts, until the headlights washed over a large wooden sign. The McDonald Farm.
"I'll walk in." JD straightened, turning to Liam. He didn't want Liam going in. Not again.
Liam didn't argue. He pulled over, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. His jaw shifted slightly, as if chewing on a thought.
JD sighed, knowing he owed at least a thank you.
"Appreciate the ride," he said, even though the words felt obligatory.
Liam gave a slow nod.
JD reached for the door handle but paused. "By the way, is my car fixed?"
Liam nodded.
"Great," JD reached for his wallet. "How much do I owe you?"
"It's on the house," Liam said, waving a hand. JD didn't like that but it looked like that was not all Liam had to say.
Just like JD predicted, after a beat, Liam added, "If you leave it in my garage, I'll give it a good paint job. That's on the house too."
JD narrowed his eyes. What? Out of nowhere, Liam was offering free labor?
JD scoffed. "What's the catch?"
Liam's brows flickered. He let out a scoff of his own, then simply shut the door.
Gotcha. JD smirked as Liam's truck pulled away.
He had barely started unlocking the gate when—
Tires skidding.
The truck came to an abrupt stop, then reversed.
JD turned, arms folding. "What now?"
Liam rolled down the window, his expression unreadable. "She looked occupied… On the phone. Tensed."
JD's smirk twitched. "Who?"
Liam's gaze flicked toward the farmhouse. "Joanne."
Something sharp twisted in JD's gut. Not just because of the concern dripping on Liam's tone, also because he knew why Joanne was fixated on the phone lately.
She was waiting.
For Jonathan.
His grip on the gate tightened, but he kept his expression smooth. "Yeah? And?"
Liam studied him. "You know what that was about?"
JD forced a slow breath through his nose. Was Liam rubbing this in? He already knew, didn't he? He did keep tabs on her!
JD's lips curled. "Shouldn't you worry more about your wife, man?"
Liam's entire demeanor shifted. A dark flicker crossed his face, and his grip on the wheel turned white-knuckled.
Then—
The tires screeched.
Liam gunned the gas, the truck roaring forward and disappearing down the road. JD exhaled, staring at the empty space where Liam had been.
He didn't know how to face her.
Imagining Joanne smiling at her phone, waiting for another man's call—
It made something inside him twist so tight he felt sick.
He thought about leaving.About turning back.
He got the message. His grandfather was waiting to take him back. He could rebuild his old life. Get back on track.
But then—
His eyes drifted to the rows of oak trees… To the farmhouse that had started to feel like home…To the scent of Joanne's cooking still lingering in his memory… To the sound of her laughter, the warmth of her voice, the way she had changed him without even trying.
JD closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.
Then, with steady steps, he pushed open the gate and walked inside.
---
Joanne's phone vibrated. Her gaze flicked down, her fingers tightening around the device as she checked the notification.
Her heart jumped when she saw the truck parked at the gates—Liam's. And JD was with him. She lingered by the window, watching them. Something about their body language suggested a conversation heavier than small talk.
But when JD finally stepped inside the house, she forgot all about Liam. Her excitement bubbled over. She rushed to the foyer, her grin wide. "Guess what happened today?"
JD froze for a fraction of a second.
She was glowing.
There was a brightness in her eyes, a joy so effortless that it made something in his chest unclench—if only for a moment.
But then, reality sank its teeth in.
He knew why she was happy. And it wasn't because of him.
JD swallowed hard, forcing his voice to stay neutral. "What?"
He bent down, kicking off his boots. She never allowed outside shoes past the doorway. Some rule she picked up from God-knows-where. He used to find it irritating.
Now, it just felt like another layer of home he didn't want to lose.
Joanne clasped her hands together, practically bouncing. "Jonathan might be convinced! I'm finally getting what I wanted."
JD stiffened.
Jonathan.
He took a step back, not trusting himself to react. Without a word, he turned toward the stairs.
Unbothered, Joanne continued, her voice filled with energy. "I sent you an email! You can check—no, wait, I don't want to be a horrible boss. Check it during work hours!"
JD could hear her feet tapping against the hardwood floor, could picture the way her eyes shined when she got excited.
He could see it all, even without looking at her.
But he didn't turn around. He couldn't.
Joanne hesitated, suddenly aware of how eager she sounded—how familiar this moment felt.
Like a wife excitedly telling her husband about her day.
The realization hit her like a slap. Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment.
JD wasn't her husband; He wasn't even family.
He was just a paying guest.
And here she was, nagging him the moment he walked through the door.
"Sorry," she said quickly, stepping back. "You go freshen up. I'll check on the barn."
JD paused on the stairs.
Email?
Curiosity gnawed at him.
Pulling out his phone, he signed into his work account. And there it was—A message from the CEO.
He skimmed through it, his eyes narrowing at the key points. Jonathan Meyer. Steel shipments. Logistics pitch.
His grip on the railing tightened.
"Jonathan Meyer wants to use our logistics?" JD asked aloud.
Joanne turned back, relief washing over her that he actually read the email. She hadn't wanted to pressure him, which was why she told him not to check it.
But still, she was glad he did.
"Yes! He wants to discuss it further—over dinner."
JD's jaw flexed.
His eyes flicked from the email to her bright expression.
Dinner.
"He asked you to dinner?" His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it.
Joanne nodded, oblivious to the weight behind the question. "To discuss logistics, yes."
JD tilted his head, processing. Slowly, he made his way to the dining table and pulled out a chair. He wanted to know if she misunderstood something.
"Tell me everything."