I brushed the tip of my mostly healed nose against hers. “‘I swear by the greatest, grimmest oath that binds the happy gods.’” If she were mine I would jump through any hoop to make her happy.
She smiled. “Homer.The Odyssey.” But then her expression turned sober. “You’reso oldthough, Ash.”
I scoffed. “This coming from the woman whose favorite book is about a main male character who’s twenty years older than the female main character.”
“It’s a book. Not real life.” She gasped. “Did you just use Rochester to justify your life choices?” She reached down and pinched my sides, making me jerk. “Are you saying you and he have something in common?”
“No. You will never hear that coming out of my mouth. Any man who thinks it's okay to dress up as a fortune teller to mess with a woman's feelings is seriously lacking in the emotional maturity department.” I adjusted in the saddle. “But if you want to make comparisons between me and Mr. Knightly, be my guest. There’s an age gap I can get behind.”
She tipped her head to the side, thinking. “So, if this happens between us, I’m getting my very own regency-type romance?”
“Something like that.” I tugged on Maisy’s reins to slow her a bit, disappointment filling my chest at our ride coming to an end.
“Aunt Tally!” Charlie yelled in the distance, waving. Ford was next to her, grinning like a Cheshire Cat at Tally in my arms.
Tally sat up with a jerk and spun around, legs straddlingMaisy in less than two seconds. “Sorry, the lines got blurred there for a minute,” she whispered.
“No worries. I won’t tell anyone.” The tops of her ears turned red and I chuckled, straightening in the saddle.
The house came into view. A Craftsman-style “cottage,” with a rose garden in the front. The billionaire who’d sold Ford the ranch had built it to entice his grown daughter to move here. She never would leave Tulsa though, so eventually he sold the entire ranch and moved to be near her.
Tally gripped my arms and gasped. “Oh my gosh. It’s like a fairytale.” She looked over her shoulder at me, wearing an expression of disbelief. “You don’t want to live here?”
I’d been seriously thinking about it. But I wasn’t going to tell her that.
“It comes with Ford as a neighbor.” I shrugged. “You should’ve seen it a couple of weeks ago. Tulips everywhere.”
She scoffed. “I’d be his neighbor if I could live here. I think he’d be fun to live next to.”
I’d known all day what needed to happen. I’m sure Ford would agree, though he’d flirt with her way too much. Probably try to throw her proximity in my face. Become her bestie and text me all about their conversations.
But she’d be happy here. He’d be happy to have people around. My family would be relieved he wouldn’t be totally alone over here on this huge piece of land.
My shoulders fell in happy resignation. “You should live here.”
“What? No.” She whipped around to look at me. “I couldn’t. I can’t afford this.”
“He doesn’t want any money,” I said. “Correction. Hewon’ttake any money. He just wants someone nearby. He’d love having the kids around. He’s lonely. Why do you think he likes performing? The man needs an audience at all times.”
She turned around, taking in the houseand the flowers and adorable Charlie beaming from the white picket fence out in front. It was like something from a sappy Hallmark commercial. Or a Thomas Kincaid painting.
As we rode up, Ford cocked a brow at me. But there was a proud sparkle in his eye.
I pulled Maisy to a stop and pointed to Tally’s head like a neon sign. “I think I found you a neighbor with two cute kids who happen to need a new home.”
I cocked my head.
He looked at me longingly. But then he looked at Tally…
And broke into an excited grin.
fifteen
TALLY
He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of,
his and mine are the same.
