Heartbreak's Reward (Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight Book 2) by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

might be a tough act for me to follow.”
    “Remember what I said about twenty miles back…act natural? Be Jase Carlson. I meant to ask, is your name Jason?”
    “Nope. Plain old Jase. Some people call me J.C., although don’t ever confuse that by calling me Jas-ccc. Plain Jase works.” He pointed ahead. “We’re going right here. The place has a lot of amenities, too. Nora was happy here. Probably happier when my little brother was with her.”
    “That’s not very nice. You can’t blame people for being in love.” She glanced upward. A rail wrapped around the top of the building. “It looks like something on the rooftop.”
    “I blame love on everything, including broken hearts.” Jase took a big breath and took his time blowing it out. He glanced to the roof. “There’s a patio up there. Nice in the fall and winter. Not now. But I’m happy for them. He’s been through his own kind of hell.”
    “And you?” Brenna knew she got close to crossing a line by being so inquisitive. In truth, she’d like to know more about this man.
    “Nothing about me, Brenna.” He shifted out of gear, rested his elbow on the console, and leaned closer. “If you’re ready, let’s get inside.”
    Jase opened his door and waited in the front of his truck for her. They walked up to the front door and Destiny swung it open.
    “Hi, Uncle Jase!” She wrapped her arms around his legs and he picked her up. “Hello there, sweetie pie. Nice to see you here.”
    “Daddy’s comin’ later.”
    Nora appeared at the door and took hold of Jase’s hand. “Much later, honey,” she said to Destiny. Turning back, she motioned her hand inside. “Come in.”
    Jase introduced Nora and Destiny to Brenna.
    “Please have a seat in the living room,” said Nora. “You can see there isn’t a lot to the place, but what’s here is pleasant. I enjoyed it.” She led them into the living room and turned. “Can I get you something to drink?”
    “Got any beer in there?” asked Jase.
    “No thank you,” said Brenna. She admired Nora’s coppery red hair. Her blue eyes were friendly. She rocked the business casual type of attire she wore, portraying a woman with confidence.
    “Jase, we’re all out of beer. I don’t keep much here now.”
    “Okay,” he said, “I don’t need anything.”
    Brenna turned to the little girl. So cute. Pretty blonde hair, long, full of waves and soft curls. Her eyes were the lightest of blue, large and round. They almost matched Nora’s and if she didn’t know better, she’d think they were mother and daughter. “So you’re the one who might be in my class this year. That’s exciting.”
    “My uncle told me your name.”
    Brenna glanced at Jase. “Oh, he did, huh? What did your uncle say about my name?”
    “Nothing,” she said, dropping to the floor. She turned back, snickered at her uncle, and rummaged through her backpack.
    “Des,” said Jase. “Remember we had a talk?”
    She tossed herself to the sofa and started laughing. “Yep, sir.”
    “Well, Brenna,” said Nora, “If you’d like to see the rest of the place, follow me for the grand tour. Once our little one gets the giggles it might go on for a while.”
    “Uh, uh,’ said Destiny burying her face into a pillow on the light colored sofa.
    Brenna stood and nodded. “Looking forward to it. This is thrilling to think of maybe finding a place so soon.” Brenna turned toward Jase to see if he was about to follow, but he remained on the sofa. She took a look out the front window on the way to the stairway. “Nice view of the desert landscape.” Nothing green and lush like she knew, but maybe something she’d get used to.
    “I’ll wait here with Destiny.” He continued to stare at her when she turned back from the window.
    Brenna followed Nora toward the stairway. “Do you know if they have an age minimum here? A teenager will be living with me.”
    “I’ll double check to be sure. We do have Destiny here with us and no one