It’s not a promise, but it’s enough for now. I reach over, taking her hand in mine and giving it a gentle squeeze. “That’s all I need to hear.”
We sit there for a while, the morning sun warming our faces and the quiet hum of the ranch around us. It’s not perfect, and it’s not certain. But it feels like we’re heading in the right direction.
Chapter Thirty
Sutton
Ihave a lot of walled-off, balled-up emotions when it comes to Wade Callahan and a relationship of any sorts. I’m terrified of what his words mean, but mostly because I’m feeling something I’ve never fully felt before…happy.
Despite the chaos of the outbreak, the strained relationship with my father, the second mortgage, I feel steady and happy because, despite all of that, I know that Wade is steady and will be there to catch me if I fall.
It’s an exceptionally terrifying thing to put all your trust in a man to catch you when he could very possibly be the one who pushes you in the first place.
I absolutely see a future with this man, but I don’t think my words conveyed what I wanted them to. I need to put some space between us so I can figure this out.
“I need to get to the bank,” I murmur. “Well, I need to shower first.”
“Need help with that?”
“I need you to behave,” I giggle.
“Worth a shot.”
He takes my hand in his and pulls me into him before he brushes his lips across mine gently.
I love it when he does that, but it also terrifies me at the same time.
“I’ll see you later.”
I get up and walk to the guest house. At the same time, I can hear Wade get up and head back to the barn.
Everything with him is so…nice. We work so well together. We get along well.
Maybe it’s the familiarity of it all. The connection from having grown up on a ranch.
Maybe he just wants free vet care.
That’s the most ridiculous thought I’ve ever had, I think.
I’ve truly never felt anything like this before with any man I’ve ever been with. It’s all just so easy, and I love that. I really do want him to go with me to the bank, but it’s something I need to do on my own. I don’t want him to think I need to be rescued; his steady, calm presence would be reassuring, though.
Dad would really never speak to me again if he knew that Wade knew our family’s financial business.
An hour later, I park my truck in front of the bank, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles ache. The sun glares off the windshield, but the heat outside is nothing compared to the storm brewing inside me. I’ve rehearsed this conversation a dozen times, but now that I’m here, my stomach twists into tighter knots.
The bank doors swing open with a faint chime as I step inside. Cool air rushes over me, carrying the faint scent of paper and polished wood. Cal is behind the counter, talking to an employee. His silver hair catches the light as he leans over some paperwork. When he sees me, his face softens into a kind smile.
“Sutton,” he greets warmly, standing up straight. “It’s so good to see you back in town.”
“Hi, Cal,” I say, my voice steady despite the nervous energy buzzing through me. “It’s great to be back.”
“Give me just a second, and we can go back into my office to talk.”
He continues his conversation with the employee and then gestures for me to follow him. I do, my boots thudding against the tile floor. His office is small but tidy, with framed pictures of his family on the desk and a window overlooking Main Street. He motions for me to take a seat across from him as he settles into his chair.
“I’ve been expecting this conversation,” he admits, folding his hands on the desk.
“Had Dad told me, I would have been here sooner. Or, I just wouldn’t have allowed him to take out a second mortgage.”
