I wipe a few rogue tears away. “Then tell me, Grey, why haven’t you so much as looked at me since I came to work on your ranch?”
His mouth falls open, but before he can reply, I run.
GREYSON
I watch as Penny storms from the banquet hall, furious that she felt the need to run.
I tried to do everything right. I moved her straight into my house, gave her whatever she wanted, and gathered the family together to celebrate our union, so she didn’t think I was trying to hide her. I even proposed to her with my momma’s ring, at Duke’s insistence.
What else was I supposed to do?
“If you’ll excuse me?—”
Before I can finish, Papa cuts me off. “Take your seat, son.”
“I need to check on Penny.”
“No, you don’t.”
“But—”
“Give her time; give her space,” he says, cutting into his food. “Enjoy the good lord’s bounty.”
How the hell am I supposed to enjoy my meal when the love of my life just stormed off after I asked her to marry me?
Every cell in my body demands I go after my girl—and make no mistake, she is my girl—but a nagging feeling in the back of my mind tells me to listen to my pa.
Before Ma passed, they’d had thirty-three loving years together. They were the gold standard as far as relationships go, and since she’s been gone, my father hasn’t so much as looked twice at another woman.
That’s what I want with Penny.
But maybe it’s time I acknowledge that our goals may not align, and that through my heartache, I’ll have to find a way to co-parent.
I take my seat and push my food around my plate. Pa has someone package up Penny’s meal to bring it to her, which brings me a measure of relief because she needs to eat.
When the meal is finally over, Father says a few things to my kin and gestures for me to follow him, leading me through the sprawling estate to a sitting area where he spends most of his time.
“Take a seat.”
I do so without arguing, hoping he doesn’t take long.
He sits down in his favorite chair and pulls out his pipe. “So, you and Penny?”
“I…honestly don’t know.”
“I always did like that girl. Hard worker. Never complains.”
“You obviously haven’t been around her much.”
He chuckles. “I suppose I haven’t.”
“I don’t know what to do. I thought this was going to be easy, but she’s so damn stubborn.”
“That was your first mistake—assuming affairs of the heart would be easy.”
“It was for you.”
“That’s only because you saw the destination, but never the journey. Your ma wanted nothing to do with me on account that she thought I was too wild. It took me five years to whittle her doubts away.”
