“Doubt it,” I murmur. “Haven’t heard ’em yet.”
Tucker and Lukas had a sleepover in the living room last night. There was popcorn and candy and root beer floats. If I had to guess, they were probably up until the early hours of the morning.
“I’m nervous about this afternoon,” Remington admits, a boyish look in his eyes.
“There ain’t nothin’ to be nervous about,” I tell him, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “It’s gonna be great.”
It’s a big day…for everyone. There’s a buzz in the air that’s been present all week. The adoption is being finalized today; something Remington’s been working toward for months now. The whole family is going to the courthouse to show our support, and I honestly don’t know who’s more excited about this. Over the last year, Lukas has so easily woven into our lives. The bond he and Remington have is beautiful, he’s found a best friend in Tucker, and as much as I never thought I’d be helping raise ateenager in my early fifties, I can’t imagine my life being any different.
But the jitters rumbling in my stomach have little to do with this afternoon and everything to do with what I’m about to share with Remington. While he’s been working with lawyers, making sure everything is set in place for today, I’ve been handling my own little secret project on the side—something I’ve wanted to do since the moment Remington told me about his dreams.
Swallowing thickly, I say, “Before we get up, there’s somethin’ I wanna talk to you about.”
“Oh, god. That doesn’t sound good,” he teases.
“It’s nothin’ bad,” I assure him, my voice rough, giving away how nervous I am. “Look, I ain’t good at…speeches.”
Remington smiles. “You don’t say?”
“Ha ha,” I deadpan, biting back the grin trying to come through. “This is…” Pausing, I clench my jaw, exhaling a deep breath through my nose. “This matters.”
His eyes soften as he watches me patiently. My stomach is a mess, and my pulse thunders. I don’t know what I’m so damn nervous about, but it’s hard to breathe.
“I see you, Remington,” I say, dropping my gaze to where my fingers interlace with his between us. “The way you disappear into the clay, the way your whole face lights up when you’re teachin’ a class. Like it’s the only place you can breathe right.” I clear my throat. “Took me practically my whole damn life to figure out that kind of passion ain’t somethin’ you talk out of a man. It’s somethin’ you protect. Somethin’ worth fightin’ for.”
I finally lift my gaze, meeting his, and it damn near knocks the wind out of me.
“I got all this land…” I continue. “So much of it ain’t used for nothin’.”
Remington’s breath hitches, but he doesn’t say anything.
“I wanted to wait until I spoke with the builders and the county to make sure it was possible, but I got the final go-ahead last week. Remington, I want you to have the opportunity to go after your dream. Yourrealdream. I want to invest. I want to build you a pottery studio, right here on this property.”
“Gentry,” he breathes, his eyes misty and red-rimmed.
“Let me finish.” My throat tightens. “Please.”
He nods, biting down on his bottom lip.
“And I want you here,” I say, slower now. “You and Lukas. I ain’t tryin’ to be anythin’ I’m not. I ain’t replacin’ what he lost, just like I know you’re not either. But I care about you, and I care about him.” My voice cracks. I take a breath through my nose. “And I sleep better knowin’ the people I love are under the same roof.”
The wordlovesits heavy on my chest, but I don’t take it back. Even though we haven’t said it yet, I’ve known I’m in love with Remington for a while now. I hold his gaze, steady even though my chest feels cracked open.
“Wow,” he whispers. “I don’t…I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say nothin’ right now,” I say. “You can take your time and think it over. It’s a big decision. But I want to spend the rest of my life buildin’ things with you, and not just fences and barns. Somethin’ that matters. And Remington…your dream matters.”
“I don’t need time.” Cupping my face, he brushes his thumb over my cheek. “I just— Nobody has ever done somethin’ like this for me. It’s so thoughtful. It’shuge. Are you sure? You don’t have to build me a studio to get me to move in with you.” He chuckles. “I’ll gladly do that for free.”
My heart skips a beat, and I forget how to breathe for a moment.
“I’ve never been more sure of anythin’ in my life, Remington. Let me do this for you.”
A tear spills over, soaking the pillow as he holds my gaze. His bottom lip quivers, and he tightens his grip on my hand, like my touch is grounding him.
“Okay,” he finally murmurs, his voice rough, thick with emotion. “Wow. Okay, let’s do this.”
A wide grin spreads across my face, my chest exploding with warmth glee. “I love you, Remington Buchanan. I’m in love with you, and you just made me the happiest man in the world.”
