“You need to catch up to Chet.” He only briefly met her eyes before dropping his own to the floor. “He’ll leave you behind when he’s hungry.”
“Wade—”
“You should go back to Omaha.” His voice was low but firm. “There’s nothing here for you.”
His words sliced through her heart. The building suddenly felt confining. The walls and people scattered about suffocated her. She stumbled back and the elevator door closed, taking Wade up and away from her.
Her entire body trembled as she made her way outside.
Chet had his back leaned against a pillar, feet crossed at the ankles. “Ready?”
How could she possibly face Lina after what her grandson had just done to her heart? She yearned to curl up in bed the rest of the day and shut out the world. After such a final declaration, she was certain Wade would do his best to avoid her until she left. “Chet, is it too much a bother to drop me back at the ranch?”
Chapter 19
Wade
The memoryof Trish’s beautiful hazel eyes watering and laced with pain would haunt him for the rest of his days. He never meant to cause her pain, but by opening himself to the possibility of falling, he’d hurt them both. Wade couldn’t let her cling to some impossible hope that they could have a future. He couldn’t give her the love she deserved.
The elevator opened, but Wade couldn’t bring himself to go immediately back to the waiting room. Grams would be upset with him when he didn’t join them for breakfast, but she’d soon be busy enough helping Kate and Ty with his nephew that she’d forget. Instead, he happened upon a sign with directions to a skywalk and headed that way.
Gloomy gray clouds blanketed the sky, threatening rain. It would mean waiting a few more days to bale hay. That yearly event always promised a very long couple of days, but the celebration after was always a blast. Except, Wade didn’t feel a whole lot like celebrating. He felt more like running away to his cabin and living in solitude.
But his cabin might be sold to some unappreciative tourist with too much money in his pockets for his own good. There was no telling what kind of development that buyer would do to the land. Land that deserved to stay the way it was. But unless Wade could come up with another way to bring in several thousand dollars more, and soon, Grams might not have another option.
Why hadn’t she been honest with him about the state of things? He was running the ranch now. He had a right to know what financial shape they were in.
After pacing back and forth along the skywalk a few times, he stopped in the center and looked out the north set of windows. That view showcased the Bighorn mountains in the distance, their snowcaps already more prominent than they’d been a week ago. Wade could imagine Trish snapping pictures with her cell phone, a glow in her expression.
“Hey, man.” With his long legs, it only took Ty a few strides to stand beside Wade. “Everyone else getting something to eat?”
“Yeah.” Wade shoved his hands into the pockets of his Wranglers.
“They’re getting Kate all moved. She kicked me out for a few minutes.”
They both chuckled at that.
“Congratulations, Ty.” He shook Ty’s hand, feeling a bit like a jerk for not leading with that. “Can’t wait to meet my nephew.”
With radiance in his entire demeanor, Ty told him all about his newborn son. “He’s already tall, just like me!” Ty should be exhausted, ready to drop, but he seemed to be riding a wave of happiness at the growth of his family. “Think you could help me get that nursey finished? I got it painted before I left, but Kate reminded me a few times that it’s not done.”
“Of course.” It would be a good excuse to keep his distance from Trish until she left. It might make him a coward, but he couldn’t bear to tell her good-bye. Not after the way he dismissed her in the elevator. “I can swing over later today.”
Ty dug a buzzing phone out of his uniform sleeve pocket. “She’s all moved. Want to meet your nephew?”
* * *
Trish
Trish triedand failed to sleep. Her heart ached in ways she hadn’t even known were possible. Shadow licked her tear-soaked cheek, and Trish hugged her tight. Her apartment wasn’t dog friendly, but maybe she could find a little house to rent that would allow one. If she could, she’d just steal Shadow. “You want to move to Omaha?” she asked the dog whose nose was inches from her own. Shadow’s ears perked.
Since she’d skipped breakfast, Trish found herself famished. She’d thought about sneaking downstairs to scope out the kitchen for goodies, but she was too afraid she’d encounter one of the other writers. She couldn’t face them, not after the agent had turned down her bookandWade had dismissed her as though she were no one special. Tomorrow, before she left, she’d find a way to paste on a smile and ask them how their sessions with the literary agent went. She hoped well.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She contemplated turning it off, but her eyes caught the caller name—Henry—and she nearly came unglued with aggravation. She tried to ignore the call, but she had endured enough.
“What?” she barked.
“Whoa, babe, is that any way to greet the man in your life?”
