With a throbbing headache and persistent ache in his chest that had only worsened when Charlene refused to take his calls, he was not in the mood to deal with her overprotective brother today. Without waiting for Jake to knock, Cole pushed the back door open. Might as well get this over with. He knew his friend wouldn’t leave until he’d had his say. “What’re you doin’ here so early on a Saturday mornin’? As if I didn’t know.” “I just saw your mama and Cassidy in town. I thought this might be a good time for us to talk.” Cole knew there would never be a good time for this conversation. “Come on in. I was just makin’ some breakfast. You want some?” Jake followed Cole into the kitchen and headed for the stainless steel carafe. “Just coffee, thanks.” Plating his eggs and bacon, Cole said, “Suit yourself.” His appetite was virtually non-existent this morning, but he still had a ranch to run, and that required a lot of stamina. “Pull up a chair and let me have it.”
