But T.W. and the McQuaids were different.
“Doreen’s a wonderful lady,” she reassured T.W. “She’ll take good care of you. I promise.”
T.W.’s face was haggard as he lay against the mound of plumped pillows in his elevated hospital bed. “I don’t understand why I need someone else.”
Kinsey had already explained herself to T.W. and Leah yesterday, not long after she’d told Tyler. Even though the conversation with T.W. had been tough, it hadn’t been as hard as the one with Tyler. That had been so painful she’d hardly been able to think or breathe afterward.
The rest of yesterday had been extremely difficult, and Tyler had avoided her most of the day and night. She’d only seen him in passing, and even those encounters had been brief and tense. It had been easy to see she’d hurt him with her rejection after he’d told her he loved her.
He’d told her that he loved her.
The awe of it spread through her again as it had every time she’d thought about it. He hadn’t spoken the words casually or lightly. No, he’d said them as if he’d deeply meant them, as if he truly believed she was the love of his life and the one he wanted to be with forever.
How was it possible that he already knew? He couldn’t feel that strongly about her. Not yet.
T.W. clasped her hand and peered up at her intently. “Tyler really loves you, Kinsey.”
She startled at T.W.’s declaration, almost as if he’d been able to see the conflict battling inside her head. Or maybe he’d seen the conflict waging war in her expression.
“You’ll eventually feel the same way about him,” T.W. continued. “You won’t have a choice, really. Not when he decides he wants to make you his. He’ll win you over, and you’ll be helpless to resist.”
“T.W.,” she gently chided, lifting a hand to his cheek. All the affection for this dear man rose swiftly and brought tears to the backs of her eyes. “Tyler and I…we’re going our separate ways. We already decided that.” She’d been the one to decide and hadn’t really given Tyler any other option.
Of course, he could have tried protesting a little more. Followed her out of the bathroom, maybe even approached her later in the day to talk about it again. But he hadn’t. He’d been quiet, almost sullen—the same way he’d been when she’d first arrived—and had hardly spoken to her.
Not that she wanted him to protest or follow her or approach her again. It was for the best that he’d respected her decision and let her go, wasn’t it? She’d been right that things couldn’t work out between them. Not when he needed a woman who wanted the permanence that the ranch represented.
That wasn’t her.
“You can make this easy or hard.” T.W. gave her a weak smile. “I’d suggest you make it easy and just admit you belong with Tyler.”
“We’re too different.”
T.W. shook his head. “Naw. You’re perfect for each other. I saw it from the first day.”
“That’s just because you’re a hopeless romantic.” She smiled at him. She would miss him dearly.
He searched her face. “So you’re gonna make this hard on him, are you?”
“T.W., please.” She glanced toward her suitcases, already packed and ready to go. “I have to go. And I want to say goodbye and tell you I’ll be praying for you and keeping tabs on you.”
“That’s fine, darlin’. You go ahead and make it hard on him. All the McQuaid men have had to fight to keep their women. It makes the lovin’ all the sweeter.”
Kinsey bent and pressed a kiss to T.W.’s forehead. “I’ll miss you.”
As she straightened and began to step back, he grabbed her hand. “You’ve become like a daughter to me, Kinsey. And I’ll look forward to the day when Tyler brings you back, because he will. Mark my word.”
She needed to contradict T.W. and set him straight. Again. But she’d learned how much he wanted to see all his children married. He longed for them to be settled and happy the way he was with Leah, so she couldn’t be upset at him for pushing her and Tyler together.
She gave T.W. a final hug before rolling her suitcases out of his room. Tyler was waiting in the kitchen with Leah and Emberly. She hugged both women and then faced Tyler, who was leaning against the counter, every inch of him rugged cowboy.
A part of her wanted to hug him goodbye too. But before she could step up to him, he grabbed hold of both of her suitcases and began to carry them out of the house. Silently and stiffly, he walked ahead of her up the stairway that led to the helicopter landing pad.
Kade was already there ready to take her to the airport. While in Denver, he would also pick up Doreen, whose flight would be landing soon. Kade stowed Kinsey’s luggage away, then hopped inside and told her to take all the time she needed, insinuating that she and Tyler would want a lengthy goodbye.
But she didn’t need to say much since she’d already said everything yesterday. He helped her up into the helicopter, his dark eyes somber, his expression severe. The light that had been there was gone.
Her heart weighed heavily in her chest as she sat back in her seat. Was she making a mistake by not giving them a chance? Was she running away as he’d accused?
