I snort. “I wouldn’t say all that. But anyway, I have a date Friday night. Maybe next time.”
Hayden’s lip twitches and I walk away before he can give me shit. He knows I never was big on going out before and after the events. I would usually show my face a few times, but that’s it. I’d probably decline even if I didn’t have someone better to spend my time with.
“Heading out?”
This time I’m surprised to see Gray approaching. He’s got his keys in hand, so I assume he’s on his way out, as well. I don’t give a shit what hours he works, as long as everything gets done. Surprisingly, we’ve been working well together. Our tasks don’t overlap, so that helps.
“Yeah. You know how it is, get out when you can. I have a couple afternoon meetings tomorrow.” I’m not sure why I feel the need to explain myself. “You heading out?”
“Yeah. Plans with River. Anyway, we’re still down a pickup man for this weekend. I can do it Friday if I have to, but that doesn’t solve Saturday,” he explains as we head to the gravel parking lot.
“I can do Saturday.”
Gray looks at me, surprised. I’m not sure why, we’ve teamed up as pickup men a lot over the years. Obviously, I’m not riding, so it’s not any more of a big deal than Gray doing it Friday night.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask in annoyance.
“I just thought you were stepping away.”
“I am from bronc riding. I’m not going to compete in an event I’m hosting. But it’ll be nice to get in there and participate.”
Gray shrugs before walking to his truck. We may work well together, but it’s still awkward as fuck. I’m just glad we can be around each other, and no one needs any x-rays. Even after stopping to talk on my way out, I manage to get dinner into the oven and everything else I need to do finished before Joy gets off work. She’s still spending nearly every night here even though our schedules have freed up a lot.
Glancing at my watch, I find I still have about an hour before Joy is expected, and for the first time ever, there’s nothing I should be doing. I prop my feet up on the coffee table, lean back on the couch, and flip through channels until I find something to waste time on.
“Something smells good.”
I hadn’t even heard her come in. She places a kiss on my forehead before sitting beside me and reaching for the remote. Laughing to myself, I wait for her to find something she likes.
“Move in with me,” I blurt out, because apparently when it’s something important, I have no filter.
Joy freezes for a moment before slowly turning to look at me. I know what I said was pretty sudden, but her look of surprise is comical. Her eyes are wide, and she opens her mouth several times before closing it without a word.
“You spend most of your nights here, anyway. I hate that you come with a bag like a visitor. I want your stuff here. I want you to have a few drawers that eventually turn into you taking over my entire dresser. I want your shit all over the sink. Well…” I pause, giving her a pointed look. “I think you already have that last part down.”
Leaning to the side, she nudges me with her shoulder. “You’re joking like this isn’t a big deal.”
“Because it isn’t,” I say simply. “The last time you slept at your house, I stayed with you. And it was terrible because I had to wake up ridiculously early, and I didn’t like leaving your house before dawn. We already know we don’t like sleeping apart. It’s the next logical step.”
Her lips pull into a grin as she continues to look at me like I’ve escaped the insane asylum. I’ve never felt saner, or more sure about anything. I want her with me all the time. The thought of sleeping alone causes a dull ache in my chest.
“The next logical step?” she echoes.
“Mm-hmm,” I mutter, pulling her close. “There’s a roast in the oven, by the way. That’s what smells good. I was hoping we could eat out back. By the fire.”
She watches me in silence for what feels like an eternity. Her eyes study me, lingering on my mouth before returning to meet my gaze. Using my thumb, I make a slow back-and-forth motion against her forearm where I have a gentle grip on her. When I rushed home to get dinner in the oven, it wasn’t so I could ask her to move in. I just wanted to surprise her with dinner out back like our first date. But when she came in and snatched the remote like she belongs here, I had to make it so. I want her to belong here. To take over my space. To take over my life.
“Okay,” she finally says. “But under one condition.”
I shift in my seat to get a better look at her. “Okay, and what’s that?”
“I quit.”
Chapter 39
Joy
Ineverknewsomethingcouldfeel both strange and undoubtedly right. Tate pulls his truck into his normal parking spot and looks at me for a moment before killing the ignition and stepping out. My eyes follow him as he rounds the truck to my door as usual. He looks so good wearing a simple button-down shirt and dark-wash jeans along with his usual cowboy boots and hat. But while it feels strange coming for the rodeo without having to work, being here to support Tate however he needs me feels right.
