Mag’s gaze falls on Blair. “She’s at her shop in town. Said for you two to go there when you’re ready. We thought we’d have a small lunch for y’all now before you head into town to see her. Since I’ve got to work the dinner shift tonight, I thought we could all meet for an early supper before you hit the road again.” She looks over to me. “Though y’all are welcome to bed down here for the night before drivin’ back tomorrow.”
I turn to Blair who melts into my side and tilts her face up to mine. “Whatever you want to do, doctor.”
“Wait, I thoughtyouwere the doc?” Red says, brows furrowed.
Wyatt snorts. “Theybothare. She’s a heart doctor, he’s a head doctor. So together, the whole body is covered.”
I chuckle at that, loving the light that blazes bright in Blair’s eyes as she laughs too.
“Now, did someone say there’s food?” Wyatt says, moving toward the front door. “I’m starvin’.”
“When are younot,” I call out as we all follow after him. I turn to Blair. “You doin’ OK?”
She smiles before lifting up on her toes to give me a quick peck. “I’m with you, so the answer is always.”
Number forty-five of the infinite reasons I love this woman—she always knows the right thing to say.
After leaving Wyatt with his family, I direct my truck back onto the highway and drive to Spring Haven, grabbing a parking spot right outside Starchild’s shop, Happy Auras.
Shutting the engine off, I release my seatbelt and turn her way, giving her fingers a gentle–hopefully reassuring–squeeze. “Can I ask somethin’?”
“Of course,” she replies.
“You seem nervous. You know you don’thaveto do this if you don’t want to. We can just meet her and then look around the town for a while until we meet the others at the diner.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not that. I’ve been wanting to meet Star since Aster told me she lived here, especially after I found out she knows about the Call. I guess I’m just nervous about what her reading might say now that I know about the prophesy. It was Star who played a part in me going to Timber Falls and meetingyou.”
“OK…”
She rests her other hand on top of our joined ones. “I don’t know what today is going to bring and there’s so many things up in the air.” Her eyes turn intense. “I know we’re activelynottalking about what’s going to happen when my contract is up but being here–knowing I’m going to get another reading from her–I can’t help but worry about what she might say.”
Lifting my arm, I press my palm to her cheek, loving the way she leans into it. “Gorgeous, I love you more than anythin’ in this world.”
“I know. I love you too,” she replies automatically.
“And you’re right, we haven’t talked about it, but we’ve still got time. There are some hard decisions we’re goin’ to have to make but I don’t want you worryin’ about me in all of this. I know I don’t ever want to be without you. That’s a done deal. So, if that means we have to pull up stakes and move somewhere else, you’ve got to know that I’m all in. Where you go, I go.”
She’s already shaking her head before I finish speaking. “Sutton, I can’t ask you to do that. I’d never want you to leavethe mountain for me. Cooper Ranch is your home. It’s where you belong.”
“Gorgeous, whereveryouare is where I belong. My place is by your side until our time on earth is done. There’s no me without you. Yeah?”
Her glassy gaze locks with mine. “You’re such a good man.”
I lean in and kiss her soft and slow, the warm burn of our kiss washing through me like a flood.
Pulling back, I smile. “How ‘bout we go in and find out what the cards have in store for you. Just know that whatever happens, whatever they say, you’ve got me. Always.”
As if those were the magic words she needed to hear, she takes a deep breath before giving me one last kiss. “OK. Let’s do this.”
Chapter 24
Blair
The bell over the door jingles as we step inside as the smell of lemongrass and sandalwood fills the air around us. Somehow it eases the tension I’ve been holding onto since we left Bull Mountain Ranch.
I’ve been trying so hard to sort through all of my options since Tabitha offered me her job. First it was shock, then warring emotions about whatIwant and what Ineed.
My heart is telling me that Timber Falls is where I’m meant to be. I’m in love with the man of my dreams, his family have welcomed me in with open arms, and the ranch feels like home. I’m ever warming up to that damn donkey whose life’s mission is to forever keep us on our toes. There isn’t one thing I don’t like about living there.
