Tonight, he was thankful for the calm the steady rocking motion provided him as he sat watching the sun set. He was a man alone in his thoughts, full of emotions and with nothing but uncertainty for his future. Off in the distance, a single coyote echoed the lonesome howl of his heart.
An hour later Monica met him on the porch with a tearstained face. She sat in the chair beside him, careful not to make contact. “I’m sorry.”
He wetted his lips, took his time responding. “Why did you really come here? Let’s just put it all out there. I can do many things, but just being your friend is never going to be enough for me.”
“When I turned you down, it had nothing to do with how I felt about you.” She twisted her hands in her lap. “I was scared too because I knew how much I cared about you, and I didn’t want to think about what it could mean for my future and career.”
“We could have worked through that. Together,” he added with an emphasis.
“I know that now, but also, honestly, part of your reputation stuck with me, and I couldn’t believe you’d actually want a commitment.” She pulled her hair into a ponytail, then released it to fall over her shoulders, a nervous habit he’d noticed. “I never knew you stayed with me at the hospital, not until yesterday. When Carrie told me, the truth hit me, I literally left right away, leaving her to explain my abrupt departure to my parents. All that mattered was getting here because I was afraid I may have made the biggest mistake of my life.”
“Are you saying you’re willing to take a chance now?” He held his breath as he waited for the answer.
“Yes.”
ChapterSeven
Monica sat in the chair next to Rex, noting each creak of the porch as she rocked back and forth. The slow pace in Pennsylvania had pushed her sanity to its limit, but she could sit by Rex all night doing nothing but being together.
She’d found the piece of herself that had been missing. Her gaze shifted to him, and he looked back and smile. Reached for her hand and wove their fingers.
“You look tired.”
“I am,” she admitted with reluctance. “I should leave and find a hotel before my body realizes it’s been up for forty hours.”
Rex shook his head. “Don’t drive. It’s not safe when you’ve been awake that long.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Stay here, please.”
“That’s not a good idea.” Hadn’t they had this conversation earlier? Only then, it had been different.
Headlights turned into the driveway.
He pointed toward the car approaching the house. “Jenna’s home. She’ll be our chaperone. I’ll even stay in the camper.”
“I don’t know…”
“Please don’t go tonight.” His eyes locked on hers. “I can’t risk you falling asleep at the wheel and losing you when I just got you back.”
His urgent plea reached her heart. “Tonight only. Tomorrow I’ll get a hotel.”
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Jenna climbed the steps, a pleased gleam in her eyes. “The mood here certainly has shifted since I left.”
Rex chuckled. “Isn’t it past your bedtime,little sis?”
“Nope.” Jenna grinned. “I’m used to late nights studying.”
Monica sat in the chair, held down by the weight of insecurity. With Jenna’s arrival, the dynamics changed. She didn’t know how to act, but she was grateful Jenna had a good attitude about it all.
Standing up, Rex brough Monica with him. “Monica’s crashing here tonight. She’s been up for two days, and I don’t want her driving.”
“All right.” Jenna darted a gaze from Monica to her brother, an uncertain expression on her face. “I can sleep at Mom’s.”
Rex shook his head and winked. “You’re staying. You’ve been promoted to chaperone.”
