He looked down at her. “What do you mean?” They needed to have this conversation, but Jake feared what the outcome might be.
Emily pushed herself to a sitting position, her face serious.
Jake sat up too. “I love you, Emily, and I want to be with you forever. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make this relationship work. I’ll leave the ranch in Zane’s hands if I need to.”
Emily gasped and tears filled her eyes. “Why would you even consider doing that?” Before Jake could respond, she continued. “I’m touched you would be willing to make that sacrifice for me, but I would never ask you to do that. Ranching made you into the wonderful, compassionate, hard-working man I love. This ranch was my refuge during the darkest time of my life. I’d never ask you to walk away from it.”
Jake pulled her close to his side. Her words filled him with hope. He wouldn’t have to choose between Emily and the ranch. “It’s not fair of me to expect you to leave your life behind and give up everything you’ve worked so hard for to join me on the ranch.”
“I’m not giving up anything. I’ll simply be exchanging what I have for something else. Something better. I plan to talk to your uncle and see if he thinks the hospital board would like to take on a psychologist. If I need to, I’m sure I can find a job in the Tri-cities area. It would mean a bit of a commute, but it’s closer than Spokane.”
Jake’s heart swelled. It was all he could do to keep from crushing Emily in his embrace.
“As much as I love you, Jake, I couldn’t give up that piece of me either. I need to be a therapist for myself as much as for others.”
“I’d never expect you to give that up, but I need to know if you can accept me and the ranch as a package deal. I sleep very little during calving season, which can drag on for months. And when it’s hay cutting time, I spend my nights baling and the days hauling. There may be times you feel neglected and lonely.”
Emily shifted to sit on his lap.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, reveling in this new bold version of the woman he loved.
Her breath tickled his ear as she whispered, “If I get too lonely, maybe I’ll just have to spend the night baling hay with you.”
A pleasant shiver rippled through him, sending his pulse racing. Jake tightened his hold around her waist and chuckled. The thought of Emily in the close confines of his tractor with him warmed his blood.
“Hmm... that could be fun, but it could also be disastrous.” He pressed his lips to hers in a lingering kiss.
“I’m sure I can manage to keep myself busy. But don’t worry, I’ll be sure to make time to watch you break the colts. I enjoy watching that.”
“I remember,” Jake said before claiming her lips again.
Chapter 33
One month later.
Jake hitsubmit on the final phase of the government’s paperwork for the solar project and pulled his checkbook from the drawer. Today’s paperwork was almost done, and this was the last time Jake would have to do it.
Emily had insisted he hire a part-time secretary after pointing out how ornery he got every time he did the paperwork.
Jake had easily caved, because it freed up more time to spend with Emily. And because he really did hate the paperwork.
Ben had hooked Jake up with his own secretary. Sheila would come to the ranch for one hour every afternoon and for two to three hours on Friday mornings.
Jake’s head snapped up at the sound of tires on the lane. Electricity shot through his veins as his heart kicked into overdrive.
Emily was early.
Jake bolted to his feet and met Emily on the front porch. “Hello, Beautiful.” He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers.
It had been a whole week since he’d seen her. Though they talked on the phone nightly, Emily had insisted he couldn’t visit this week, because she had too much to do.
She’d been working to get her patients set up with other therapists, packing up her home, and listing her condo. But tomorrow... Jake, Robert, Ben, and Daniel were moving Emily to Providence. She’d be renting the apartment above Knight’s repair shop from his Aunt Charity until they got married.
Jake hoped that would be sooner than later, but he wouldn’t rush Emily. She was still mourning her brother.
Come Monday morning though, Emily planned to start seeing patients at the hospital. Knowing it would take a while to build up a clientele, she also planned to work part time at the high school as a school psychologist.
“Hmm... I’ve missed you.” Emily buried her face in his chest when the kiss ended.
