“But I will.” Wade stepped back and pointed to the sink. “I just need to have the well inspected. Which was supposed to happen next week.”
“Have you talked to Grams?” Trish asked.
Wade shook his head as he switched out the drill batteries and prepared to get to work on the cabinets’ hinges. Allen would probably call him a fool for working on his cabin when he had a beautiful woman with him so close to sunset. But Wade needed to stay busy or he’d boil up with anger again at his uncle’s plan. “She’s been avoiding me.”
A soft hand covered his, preventing him from lifting the drill. “Then get creative.”
“You do know who you’re talking about, right?”
“She’s probably overwhelmed. She has a house full of writers, a grandchild who might show up at any time, and she’s already asked you to entertain me all week. Maybe she doesn’t want to burden you. If she’s avoiding you, then find a way to be in her path.”
The glow of the setting sun kissed Trish’s cheek. Wade had to stop himself from caressing that spot, because he very much wanted to. But in hardly more than a day, she’d be gone forever. “I’ll talk to her tonight.” It had to be soon because he wasn’t sure how much time Grams had before Bill expected an answer.
“Good.”
Shadow popped around the island, her nose reaching up to the counter toward Squirrel. The cat studied the extended nose for a moment. Shadow took the opportunity to give Squirrel a good lick. Squirrel arched his back and batted Shadow’s nose, then proceeded to strut away. Shadow shoved her way around them to get to the cat, pushing Trish flat against Wade’s chest.
His breath hitched, the air suddenly hard to inhale. She fit so perfectly against him, as if she was meant to be there. When those sparkling hazel eyes looked up at him, he was completely lost. His hand reached out of its own accord. His thumb caressed her cheek, gently hooking her chin and tilting it toward him. He no more had the power to resist the temptation to kiss Trish than he had to stop the sun from setting.
An inch away he paused, seeking permission. Giving Trish a chance to slip out of his arms, to run away. But her eyes dropped to his lips, and he closed the gap with a featherlight brush against her lips. The world around him spun in fast, dizzying circles. The kiss deepened, and he could feel it clear through to his bones. Falling felt an awful lot like soaring over the highest mountain tops.
Shadow let out a booming bark, breaking the trance.
Wade let out a heavy sigh. “We have a visitor.” Shadow only barked at cattle and to announce newcomers. He reluctantly released Trish from his embrace and strode toward the window. Headlights flickered off. Allen hopped off his ATV and practically sprinted toward the front door.
Wade beat him there and opened it.
“There you two are!” He huffed, as if he’d been running a long distance.
“Did you push your four-wheeler here or something?” Wade teased.
“We’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Allen motioned for them to follow. “We gotta go. Kate’s in labor!”
Chapter 17
Trish
“Anyone beenable to get hold of Ty?” Wade asked from the front seat, next to Allen, as Trish held on the seatback for dear life. Her seatbelt had done little to reassure her with how quickly Allen raced into town, down rutted gravel roads, whipping around bends and berms toward the little town of Starlight. Trish, unused to this, felt as if she were on her first rodeo.
“Left him a voicemail,” Allen said when Wade asked again. “And I think Kate sent him about three hundred texts. He’s supposed to be over the Atlantic Ocean right now. She’s been determined to make this baby wait until he gets home.”
“I thought he had another week.”
“He did. But they let him go home with the advanced crew.”
Allen had filled them in on most of it before they even cleared the ranch gates. How the group of writers had him and Chet out to dinner at The Starlight Grill. “Wanted someprivacyfor you two, I guess.”
Wade pounded a fist on his door.
“Seems the continuous winces of pain Kate tried to dismiss made Grams finally put her foot down. Insist they go to the hospital.” Trish cringed, and mentally hit herself for brushing things off while Kate was in town yesterday.
“Was anyone going to clue me in?” Wade asked through gritted teeth as Allen turned for the hospital. Trish could feel the tension crackling in the cab of the truck. “I’m only herbrother.”
“Well, you’ve been a little busy lately. Also seem to have a habit of leaving your phone at the house anddisappearing.”
Trish felt guilty now for prying about the possible sale of the north pasture. Had she let it slide, Wade would’ve been home to hear his phone. Or if she’d simply said no when he asked if she wanted to see it, Allen wouldn’t have had to run all over the ranch looking for them.
But then Wade might never have kissed her that second time like he meant it.
