“I know. But what about Nantucket? And school? Tally, Ididn’t fix everything. The loan on the farm may be paid off now, but it’s still going to take a lot of work to get this place profitable.”
She licks her lips. “I gave Rochelle notice yesterday that I wasn’t coming to Nantucket.”
“Tally—”
She holds up her hand. “It wasn’t what I wanted.” She shrugs. “It would have made me happy once. But not anymore. And about school.” Her eyes drift to the horizon and then come back to mine. “I’m going to take the money I’ve saved and talk to Rayna about leasing the bakery. I figure it’s about time I start chasing my dreams on my own time. Take the dream by inches and all that.” She bites her lip, her eyes going a bit shy at that admission. “I just need a place to live. So what do say, Cowboy? You ready for a permanent roommate?”
I pull her into my arms and finally, fucking finally, I kiss my girl. When I dip her dramatically, she giggles against my lips, but quickly those giggles fade as our kiss deepens. She tastes like cinnamon and sugar, like cupcakes and all my dreams coming true.
We pull back and smile stupidly at one another. “I love you, Tally Darling.”
“I love you, Jesse Walker.”
“You know, I had this whole speech planned.”
“Oh yeah? How were you going to do that if I was in Nantucket?”
“I was never letting you get on that ferry.”
“Were you going to chase me down, show up at the boat, and, what? Hold up your phone and blare Taylor Swift’s ‘Cowboy Like Me’?”
My smile falls. “That’s not our song.”
She snorts. “Says you.”
“That’s not our song. And no, though that sounds wonderfully dramatic, my gesture is a little bigger.”
Her eyes dance, and in the early morning light they glow brighter than the sun. “Well, what are you waiting for? Grovel away.”
My hand goes to her cheek and I stare into those gorgeous amber eyes. They’re the color of the sun right as it comes up over the meadow, a hue of pink and orange tinging the corners like it’s reflected off the wildflower field. “Give me an hour, woman. I’ve got to round up the brigade.”
Her eyes dance. “Oh, your people are involved, too?”
“No, Tally,ourpeople are involved.”
And I laugh because who the fuck ever thought I’d find one person in this town as amazing as Tally. But somehow I’ve found a whole community of them: people to help whenever someone needs it, who show up for farmers markets and festivals, who rebuild a farm that’s on its last breath, who made my girl’s dream come true. Nowthatis a dream worth chasing. A life worth living.
I smile at the woman I’ve fallen so head over heels for. My wildflower. Wherever the wind blows us, I know she’ll be happy because we’ll be together.
I scoop her up and carry her toward our cottage. “Oh, I guess I can tell you one of your surprises.”
She squeals in excitement when I land on the steps of our cottage and then kick open the door. “This is our home now.”
Tally smiles at me. “I was hoping you’d say that. But what about your sister?”
“She’s moving into the house. So is your mother. Quinn will take Penny’s old room, and Billie will take my old room.”
“You meanmyold room.” Tally sticks out her tongue. Brat.
I grab it with my lips and suck on it. “Yes. Your old room. That okay?”
Tally’s grin is radiant. “Yes. Yes, to all of it. We’re really going to live out here?”
I nod. “Yeah, Wildflower. I can’t think of anywhere better.”
“I can think of one thing that would make it better.” Tally’s tone is pure sex.
“Oh yeah?”
