“Make it through another weekend without you.” He threw one arm out in a gesture, as if to indicate the whole world was awfulwithout her, which it was. “I mean, the wedding was wonderful, but I hated every minute of it, because I was there by myself.”
He felt wild and out of control, the way he did after he’d finished an eight-second ride and was waiting for his score to come up on the board. He forced himself to look at Winnie and take another breath.
His eyes met hers, and Ty could see his future in her face.
She spoke of home and goodness, and while he hadn’t been sure if he was in love with Winnie Landry or not, as he stood there on her parents’ front stoop—movement behind her threatening to steal his attention—Ty allowed the very real feeling of love to fill his heart.
“I love you,” Ty said, as if it were a terrible thing. He threw his hands up and let them fall back to his sides. “Yep, there it is. I’m in love with you. And Momma says love shouldn’t make a man miserable, but I’ve beensounhappy since you left. And then she said that if I am miserable without you, that maybe I’m in love, which doesn’t make any sense, but there you have it.”
He forced himself to slow down and take a breath. “And I know I just bought that ranch, and I think it’s awesome, but I’d sell it and move here, if that’s what I needed to do to be with you.” He flicked his eyes behind her, where her mother stood beside a man who had to be her father.
“Or maybe your parents can move to Three Rivers. I’ve got two houses on my place, and I can take care of them and the cats. I justhaveto be with you.”
He looked at her again. “And maybe it’s too fast, and maybe it’s too soon, and maybe I’m a complete fool, but Rock said he knew he was going to end up with Clover after their first date. And Carolina says that I should never be afraid to speak what’s in my heart. And Finn told me to just get everything out between us and then let you decide.”
Ty’s mind finally slowed and the words in his mouth dried up. When Winnie didn’t immediately jump in and repeatI love youback to him, he said, “That’s it. That’s all I’ve got.”
A slow smile spread her lips. “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got?”
“Yes,” he clipped out.
She cocked one hip and put her hand there. “I don’t think I’ve heard you say so many words strung so closely together.”
“All right,” he said. “I drove three hours to be here and you’re going to ridicule me?”
“No.” She reached out and straightened his perfectly flat collar. She watched her own fingers, and then she finally lifted her eyes to his. “Are you serious right now?”
“When am I ever not serious with you?” he asked. “Do I just say stuff off the cuff?”
“No,” she whispered, and her chin shook, and Ty wanted nothing more than to erase every hard thing from her life.
“Or maybe you need me to speak a little slower,” he said. “Or climb up on the roof and yell it.”
She looked up at him again, pure vulnerability riding in her eyes now.
“I’ll do whatever it takes,” he said. “I called Jerome at home about fifteen times yesterday until he told me that you would not be at work this week. So then I immediately called in sick everywhere.” He hooked his thumb toward his truck. “And I have nowhere to stay tonight, but I’m sure there are hotels here and I’ve got enough clothes for the next week. And maybe we can just spend some time together and talk.”
They hadn’t really broken up, but Ty felt too far from Winnie to be sane.
When he looked at her again, he found her watching his truck. “Did you bring my cats?” she asked.
“No,” he said. “I pawned ’em off on Conrad.”
She pulled in a breath. “Ty, that man has a four-month-old baby.”
“Yeah, and a six-year-old daughter who loves felines,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’m paying her.”
“You’re paying someone to watch my cats?” Winnie shook her head. “No, that is not okay.”
“Well, I couldn’t bring them with me,” he said. “I did manage to look up a few places to stay, and none of them accepted cats.”
Winnie grinned at him, and Ty loved this back-and-forth between them.
“I’d offer for you to stayhere,” Winnie whispered, leaning closer. “But one, I don’t want you to. And two, there’s no extra bedrooms.”
“Oh, well, can you properly introduce me to your parents anyway?” he whispered back. “Or give me some indication that you’ve heard all the things I’ve said and that I’m not an idiot?”
She glanced over her shoulder and then put one hand on Ty’s chest and pushed him back on the porch so she could exit the house too. She pulled the door closed behind her and stayed up on the step so that she stood almost level with his height.
