“We did. But then she chose to leave. I don’t know why I even ever let myself get involved with her.”
Tally let out a gentle laugh. “Of course you do. Because she is a wonderful woman. Generous like her grandmother. And I know she misses you.”
He looked up at her. “Tally, I just can’t. I can’t take a chance that she’ll leave me just like my ex-wife. And she already chose leaving over me. Her chance of staying here won’t change that fact.”
“Randy, I adore you, and I say this with love. You’re being a fool.” Tally shook her head. “Don’t let that ex-wife of yours ruin your future. You’re letting what she did influence all your choices. Don’t give her that hold over you.”
He stared at Tally, surprised by her tough love.
She continued, “And can’t you see how hard this was on Evie? Look at it from her side. First, she lost her beloved Nana, then she finally decided to stay,thenfound out about the loan. She was losing the cottage she loved, and she got a job offer back home. It was the practical decision to make to go back home.”
“But I wanted her to pick me,” he admitted softly.
“Then give her a reason to. Tell her how you feel about her. Give her a reason to stay, even if she loses the cottage and has no job. Take a chance. Ask her to stay.” Tally pinned him with a stare. “You sometimes have to risk it all for love.”
CHAPTER 20
Randy’s heart pounded as he paced back and forth on the porch of Evie’s cottage. He wiped his sweaty palms on his shorts, trying to summon the courage to knock. Tally’s words rang in his mind, urging him to take a chance. But what if he told Evie how he felt and asked her to stay and she still rejected him?
He took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock, then lowered it again. This was ridiculous. He was acting like a nervous teenager. He was a grown man, for Pete’s sake. He should be able to have a simple conversation with a woman he cared about. And he did care about her. A lot.
Before he could change his mind again, he rapped his knuckles against the wooden door. He held his breath as he waited, straining to hear any movement inside. Maybe she wasn’t home. Maybe this was a sign he shouldn’t?—
The door swung open, and there she was, looking unbelievably beautiful even with a smudge of dirt on her cheek. Her eyes widened in surprise, then a flicker of hope crossed her face before her expression turned neutral.
“I… wasn’t expecting you.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He cleared it and tried again. “Evie, I… Can we talk? Please?”
She hesitated for a moment. Finally, she nodded and stepped back. “Come in.”
He followed her into the living room, his eyes immediately drawn to the boxes lined up in neat stacks around the room. Other boxes stood open and waiting to be filled. His stomach clenched at the sight.
They stood facing each other, an awkward silence stretching between them. He shoved his hands in his pockets, not sure what to do with them. She crossed her arms over her chest.
“I’m sorry,” they both blurted out at the same time.
He let out a small laugh, some of the tension easing from his shoulders. “Let me go first.” He took a deep breath. “First, I’m sorry for how I reacted when you told me about leaving. I shouldn’t have gotten angry. I should have tried to understand your position better.”
Her expression softened. “And I’m sorry for not fighting harder to stay. For not considering your feelings more.”
They fell silent again, the air between them thick with unspoken words and emotions.
He gathered his courage and took a step closer to her. “I… I don’t want you to go. I know it’s selfish of me to ask, especially with everything that’s happening with the cottage. But I can’t bear the thought of you leaving.”
Her eyes widened. “Randy, I?—”
“Please, let me finish,” he said gently. “I know I hurt you by pushing you away. The truth is, I was scared. My ex-wife left me, and I’ve been afraid to open my heart again. But being with you… it’s made me realize that some things are worth the risk.”
He reached out and took her hand in his. “I can’t promise it’ll be easy. We both have our own baggage to deal with. But I wantto try, Evie. I want to see where this could go. Will you stay? Will you give us a chance? Even if everything falls through with the cottage, will you stay?”
He paused and looked deep into her eyes. “Choose me, Evie. Stay for me, staywithme. Choose me.”
Evie stood looking at Randy, unable to tear her gaze away from his face. His eyes were filled with a mix of hope and vulnerability, and she could see the depth of his feelings for her. In that moment, everything became clear. She knew where she belonged, and it was right here, with Randy.
She took a deep breath and said, “I choose you, Randy. I want to stay.”
“Even if things don’t work out with the cottage?”
