He shut his eyes, his breath freezing in his lungs. “She saw that?”
“Oh yeah. And that’s not all.”
His eyes came open at that. “What do you mean?”
They both glanced at the stairs when they creaked. Daisy was at the top of them, staring down at him.
“I’ll let you two talk,” Violet said, then headed down the hallway to the kitchen.
Daisy came down the steps slowly and never once looked up at him. When she reached the landing, she walked past him into the room to the left of the front door. He followed her into what looked like a fancy parlor with a red velveteen sofa and chairs. The white lace curtains allowed the sun to shine in, and the space looked cheery—even though there was nothing to be cheerful about at the moment.
Daisy sat on the edge of the sofa and smoothed her skirts around her legs. He eased into the chair across from her and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees, waiting for her to look up at him. When she did, he said, “Veronica threw herself at me last night. What you saw meant nothing.”
She swallowed, her throat moving with the action. “And the day I saw the two of you kissing?”
His heart nearly stopped. He remembered that day. Remembered Veronica pulling him into the small space between the dress shop and mercantile before he’d even seen her. She’d wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him before he even had time to blink.
“You saw her kiss me,” he said slowly. “I was not an active participant in the act.”
She glanced at her feet. “I don’t know if I believe you.”
He waited for her to look up, but she never did. Sliding off the chair, he got to one knee in front of her and lifted her head. “I have never wanted Veronica and never will. She grabbed me by the arm when I walked by her, and she pulled me into that alleyway and kissed me.”
As he always did, he said each word slowly, forming each one in such a way she would have no trouble understanding what he was saying. He repeated it anyway—just to be sure—and added, “I wasn’t lying when I said I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you, Daisy. I might have come to Silver Falls to marry Rose, and even been a willing participant in her little competition to win her hand, but the moment I saw you in the crowd, I didn’t even try anymore. I lost on purpose because she wasn’t the prize I wanted. It was you. It has always been you. It always will be. I love you, Daisy Campbell, and nothing will ever change that.”
Why did seeing those words on his lips hurt so much?
Because you’ve wanted them so badly.
He repeated himself more than once so she’d understand everything he said, and even though she knew it was tiring for people to repeat themselves, she loved him more for doing it. Most wouldn’t bother, but every time he spoke to her, it was in a slow, steady cadence of words he used just for her. The fact that he did it made the love she felt for him intensify into something consuming.
Knowing he wanted to marry her should have had her dragging him to the nearest preacher herself, and had he said they'd live here in Silver Falls, she would have, despite what she’d witnessed between him and Veronica. It still hurt. Seeing them together like that would forever be in the back of her mind, but she believed what he’d said. She knew Veronica instigated those encounters, so she couldn’t stay mad at him for it. But moving to Butte? Moving away from her family? Her heart ached at the thought. “I can’t leave my family, Clay.”
He lowered his head, staring down at her hands before taking them both in his own. When he looked back up at her, he smiled, the small tilting of his lips telling her it was forced.
“I love you.”
“I know,” she said.
“And I think you love me back. Where we live shouldn’t matter. Your family will still be here, Daisy. You can visit whenever you need to.”
“But I won’t be able to. You’ll not have time to bring me back as often as I’d want, and I’ll get stuck in Butte.”
“Stuck?”
The word seemed to resonate with him in a way it didn’t with her. He glanced away, his hands firm against her own, and after a small squeeze, he looked back at her and stood.
“I have to leave tomorrow.”
The words caused panic to set in. She’d waited for him for over a month, counting the days until he came back. Was she really going to let him leave without her?
“I’ll come see you before I go.” He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the lips before turning and heading for the door. She watched him go, her heart breaking with every step he took away from her, and she never moved until Violet peeked around the corner long minutes later.
“What are you doing, Daisy?” Violet walked into the room, her expression filled with disappointment. “Don’t let him leave without you.”
“I can’t live in Butte, Violet.”
“Why?”
