“Getting better at it.”
“Good. You can help me time her runs. If you can handle a stopwatch.”
“I can manage that.”
“Perfect.” Elise shot me a meaningful look before heading upstairs. “Give you two a minute.”
The kitchen fell silent.
Beau poured himself coffee, leaning against the counter across from me. “Your aunt seems… intense.”
“She is. But she’s the best.”
“She’s here for Regionals?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded, fingers drumming against the mug. “Winnie, about… everything. Can we—”
“Talk? Yeah. We should.” I met his eyes finally. “But not right now. I need to focus on training. Regionals are soon, and I can’t afford distractions.”
He flinched slightly. “I’m a distraction?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Do I?” He set the mug down, stepping closer. “Because from where I’m standing, it feels like you’re avoiding this. Avoiding us.”
“I’m not avoiding. I’m being practical.”
“Practical is code for scared.”
I bristled. “And what if I am scared? You told me you want this, you want me, but then Solene showed up and I had to watch you navigate your past while I’m supposed to just… what? Believe you? Trust that you’re not going to wake up one day and realize you made a mistake?”
“I didn’t invite her here, Winnie.”
“I know.” I exhaled, the fight draining out of me. “I know. And I watched you handle it. I watched you let her go. But Beau, this isn’t just about Solene. It’s about me figuring out if I can let myself believe in this. In you. In us.”
He was quiet for a long moment. Then: “Fair. Take your time. But Winnie? I’m not going anywhere soon. Whether you believe it yet or not.”
He grabbed his gloves and headed back outside.
I stood there, hands gripping the counter, heart pounding.
Elise appeared at the top of the stairs, coffee in hand. “That boy’s down bad.”
“I know.”
“And you’re also down bad.”
“…I know.”
“So what are you waiting for? An engraved invitation?”
“I’m waiting to make sure I’m not about to lose my ranch, my sanity, and my heart all at once.”
Elise came down, putting an arm around my shoulders. “Fair. But don’t wait so long you lose your shot at something real.”
I leaned into her. “When did you get so wise?”
