“Truett,” I say quietly, nodding toward the window. “Noah’s here. He’s talking to Jesse and Aubree.”
Truett turns his head to look, his expression darkening. Even from here, we can see the serious set of Noah’s shoulders, the way Jesse’s hands clench into fists at his sides, the worried look on Aubree’s face.
“Shit,” Truett mutters, trying to push himself up straighter. The movement makes him grimace, and I automatically reach out to steady him.
“Don’t,” I warn. “You’ll tear your stitches.”
He settles back against the pillows, but his whole body is tense. “They probably want to question us about last night. Someone probably told them the trucks and trailers headed toward the ranch.”
“What were you doing last night?” I ask, though part of me isn’t sure I want to know.
His laugh is bitter. “Something stupid. Something I thought would help save the ranch, but instead nearly got me killed.” He looks at me then, his expression pained. “This is exactly what I’m talking about, Nora. This is why I need to stay away from you until I get my life straightened out.”
“Stay away from me?” The words hit like a physical blow. “You’re going to shut me out because of this?”
“I have to. I won’t put you in danger. I won’t risk?—”
“Stop.” My voice is sharper than I intended, cutting through his words. I stand up, pacing to the window where I can see Noah gesturing toward the house. “Just stop talking like you have all the control here.”
“Nora…”
I whirl around to face him. “No, Truett. You listen to me. You just told me you’ve wanted to hear me say how I feel about you. Well, here’s some more honesty for you. I’m tired of you making decisions for me like I’m some fragile flower who can’t handle the truth or make her own choices.”
His eyes widen, but I’m not done.
“Do you think I don’t know what you’ve been doing to try to save this ranch? I’ve lived in this community my entire life. I’m not blind, Truett. And I’m not stupid.”
“I never said you were.”
“But you’re treating me like I am.” I move closer to the bed, my hands clenched into fists. “You’re sitting there talking about staying away from me ‘for my own good’ like I don’t get a say in it. Like my feelings don’t matter. Like I’m not strong enough to handle whatever comes next.”
He stares at me, something like awe flickering in his expression. “Nora…”
“I’ve been in love with you since I was seventeen years old,” I continue, the words pouring out of me like water through a broken dam. “Seventeen, Truett. That’s eight years of watching you from the sidelines, eight years of hoping you’d see me as more than just Aubree’s best friend. Eight years of keeping my mouth shut while you dated other women and made decisions that broke my heart.”
Tears are streaming down my face now, but I don’t care. I’m past caring about anything except making him understand.
“So don’t you dare sit there and tell me what I can and can’t handle. Don’t you dare try to protect me from the choices I want to make. If I want to be with you, danger and all, that’s my choice. Not yours.”
The room falls silent except for the sound of our breathing. Truett’s eyes never leave my face, and I can see a war playing out behind them—want and fear, hope and desperation.
Outside, I hear Noah’s truck door slam, footsteps on the gravel. He’ll be at the door any minute.
“Eight years,” Truett says finally, his voice hoarse.
“Eight years,” I confirm.
“And you never said anything.”
“Neither did you.”
He closes his eyes, leaning his head back against the pillows. “God, Nora. I don’t deserve you.”
Despite everything, I laugh. It’s watery and shaky, but it’s real. “Yes, you do.”
When he opens his eyes again, they’re burning with an intensity that makes my knees weak. “If I kiss you right now, there’s no going back. No matter what happens with Noah, with the ranch, with whatever mess I’ve gotten myself into, if I kiss you, I’m not letting you go again.”
My heart pounds so hard I’m sure he can hear it. “Good,” I whisper. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”
