No Easy Way Out

Chapter 9

Over the next few weeks, Christina got herself & JJ settled in La Jolla, California & found herself work with a sports management company in San Diego that gave her the schedule she wanted so she & JJ could make regular weekend trips to Cabo San Lucas to visit Jamie.

It proved to be a good thing. Jamie & JJ quickly bonded, & JJ even got to bond with Isabella. He also enjoyed being around Adrianna.

For Jamie, this all didn't seem real to him. To reconnect with his son was beautiful, & to see the bond forming between JJ & Adrianna was amazing as well.

Still, Jamie did have a bad feeling that his family would try to ruin it, & that feeling would be correct.

Jamie was at his office at Halcon Acquisitions when his secretary buzzed him.

"There's a Kayce Dutton here to see you, señor," she said.

Jamie was a bit surprised at first but figured that it had to be important in order for Kayce to travel all the way to Mexico just to see him.

"Let him in, Penelope," said Jamie.

Kayce then entered Jamie's office wearing a suit jacket, dress shirt, jeans, & cowboys boots. He looked nervous & was afraid to hug his brother, knowing how he felt about the family.

"How are you, Jamie?" He asked nervously.

"Doing good, Kayce. How are Monica & the kids doing?" Asked Jamie referring to Kayce's two children, Tate & Olivia.

"They're doing as well as can be. Monica recently underwent surgery," said Kayce.

"Oh really. What for if you don't mind me asking," asked Jamie.

"Kidney problem. Doctors believe it might have been an injury from the car accident that they might not have noticed," said Kayce referring to the car accident that had badly injured Monica & killed their baby son John, who only lived 1 hour after he was prematurely delivered.

"Well, I hope she fully recovers," said Jamie.

"Thank you, Jamie," said Kayce.

Then Jamie got right to the point.

"What are you doing here in Mexico, Kayce? I know that this isn't a social visit," said Jamie sternly.

"Someone real estate developer wants the ranch," said Kayce.

"And?" Asked Jamie nonchalantly.

"We need your help, Jamie," said Kayce.

"Why?" Asked Jamie.

"Because from what Dad & Beth have discovered, this guy will use any method necessary to get what he wants, & that includes hurting the family," said Kayce.

"So you want me to come back to Montana, reapply for a law license, & use every legal avenue I know of to get this guy to fuck off, am I right?" Asked Jamie who was now angry.

"That's not what I meant, Jamie," said Kayce who started to become afraid but kept his cool.

"Oh I know exactly what you meant, brother of mine, & I'm not doing it," said Jamie. "Tell the old man & that slut of a sister that I'm not coming back, & if they can't accept that then that's their problem. Not mine."

"Don't you care about the ranch, Jamie? It's where you grew up. It's a part of who you are," said Kayce.

"No it's not, Kayce. That ranch is not who I am," said Jamie. "My last name may be Dutton, but I am not a part of that family, & to be honest, I'm fine with that because I have everything I need here. I have the most incredible wife ever, & I have two children that I would do absolutely anything for."

"We need you, Jamie," said Kayce who was trying to keep his emotions under control.

"No, you don't. Go home, Kayce. Go be with Monica & your kids," said Jamie. "I'm happy right where I am."

With that, Kayce looked at his brother sadly & walked away. Jamie breathed a sigh of relief once his office door closed.

"Thank God he's gone," he muttered to himself. He then left to go to a board meeting.

Meanwhile, Kayce made it to his rental car & found himself replaying everything that had happened in Jamie's office as he drove back to his hotel. There was one thing he was certain of.

The folks back home weren't going to be happy with what had gone down.