Which, of course, makes me want to know what she said.
I don’t say anything in the moment, or even on the truck ride back to the ranch.
But after we saddle up Gemma and Diamond, two gentle horses that Luke, who was in his office in the barn, recommended to us, and we’re riding side by side along a flat trail, I say to Michael,
“Okay, this is going to sound nosy. And it is. It definitely is.”
He smirks. “You want to know what Lynn said to me at the door.”
I flush with heat. “I know. I’m so overstepping.”
He chuckles. “I would want to know, too.”
“You would?”
“Of course. It’s human nature.”
His cheeks are flushed now too. And suddenly, I don’t need to know anymore.
“Don’t tell me.”
He looks over at me. “Why not?”
“Because if my aunt wanted me to hear her message, she wouldn’t have whispered it. Whatever she said, it was clearly meant just for you.”
He reaches over and touches my hand with his. “Thanks.” After a beat, he adds, “She didn’t say anything you need to worry about.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Michael
Theoretically, what I said was a hundred percent honest. Lynn didn’t say anything disparaging about Emery at all.
But she did issue me a bit of a warning with her reminder of our conversation she and I had the night I met Emery.
“It’s okay to let someone in, you know. It doesn’t make you selfish.”
I simply nodded, but she got me thinking. Which was no doubt her intention because she loves her niece to pieces, and while she’s all too happy to play matchmaker, she doesn’t ever want to see Emery get hurt.
I’m sure she’s curious about how serious Emery and I are.
I don’t know myself. All I know is my stomach lurched when I found out Emery got a job offer of a lifetime here in Montana. Because that would mean she’d be here for the long haul, and I’d be thousands of miles away on the other side of the country. Whichshouldbe for the best. Emery will be happy with her career, and I’ll be happy with mine. The seeds of doubt are creeping in though, and I do my best to ignore them.
The fact that she’s potentially going to own a piece of realestate in my hometown, and now we’re traveling there together…is surreal.
“If my aunt was trying to stress you out about not hurting me or whatever…” Emery is saying next to me. “Don’t pay her any mind. She’d be shocked to hear that I suggested a no-strings arrangement. She’s a bit old-fashioned, which tends to equal sexist. She thinks all women want to get married and most men are running scared.”
“I get it. But she isn’t wrong about wanting to watch out for you. I don’t ever want to hurt you, Emery.”
I stop Diamond as we reach an open meadow and let him eagerly eat some grass. Emery does the same with Gemma.
While our horses are taking a break, we dismount and tie our reins to the lone pine tree in the area.
“Your dad and I talked about your fly fishing lessons,” I say.
“You did? That must have given you both a good laugh.”
“We both said we couldn’t understand how you have any issues with it because you have all the basics down.”
