Chapter 20
Wade
“Where is she?”Grams marched into the waiting room, right up to Wade, her pointed finger aimed at his nose.
“What are you talking about?”
“Trish. She didn’t show up to breakfast.” Her hands moved to her hips. “And neither didyou.”
“Did you ask Chet?” But the words, strong in his head, came out of his mouth quiet and weak. The fire in Grams’ eyes was enough to unsettle even the toughest man. “He was supposed to bring her to Mabel’s.”
Grams shoved a set of keys against Wade’s chest. “Go get her.”
“What?”
“I love you, Wade, I swear I do. But sometimes you’re the densest of them all.” Grams shackled his shoulders with a surprisingly painful grip and ratcheted him to his feet. “If you don’t hurry, you’re going to miss her.”
“She’s back at the house, Grams.” He’d planned to avoid her as much as possible until she drove away tomorrow morning. But that was still almost a day away. He couldn’t comprehend the urgency in Grams’ voice.
“You really think she’s waiting until tomorrow to leave?”
“What? How do you—”
“Because it’s the same thing I did to your grandfather.”
That caught his attention and left him speechless.
“Where do you think you get your stubbornness from?”
“But I should wait here, in case—”
“Eli was born a completely healthy baby. Kate is fine and recovering. Ty made it home safely. There’s nothing for you to do here.”
Because Wade was desperate to stay, he threw out his last best card. “But we need to figure out how to save the ranch. I can’t stand the thought of you selling the north pasture. You have to give Bill an answer tomorrow, and—”
“And my answer to him is no.” Grams took a deep breath, one that warned him he was trying her patience. “I’m holding more retreats.”
“But that won’t bring in enough money, Grams.”
“We went through over a hundred applications to find Trish.”
“What?”
“Oh, don’t act so surprised. I wasn’t about to let you live out the rest of your life bitter and alone without at least seeing what was out there. Plus, now I have a waitlist big enough tofillthe north pasture.” Grams shoved him toward the elevator. “You’re clean out of excuses to stall.”
“But—”
“Do you love her?”
“I just met her!” But Grams’ question threw him for the biggest loop yet. Because he knew with every fiber of his being that hewascompletely in love with Trish Meadows. It twisted him up inside.
“You are. Admit it and go after her before it’s too late.”
“She deserves better. She deserves someone who can love her with his whole heart.”
“Why can’t that be you?” Grams pinned him with that question, her arms folded across her chest. “It’s achoiceWade. Not some curse or disability.”
“I’m scared, Grams.” His words were barely more than a whisper.
