She shook her head. “I don’t want to look like the jealous girlfriend to Marianne by hovering over you. I want to be able to trust you.” She turned away and threw up her hands. “Now I look like an idiot instead and she probably thinks you are babysitting a child.”
“It doesn’t matter what she thinks.”
“It does to me, because she’s your friend.” She turned back to him. “I’ve never misbehaved in such a way in my entire life.”
“And it will stop now.”
She pursed her lips. She certainly didn’t like to be spoken to like a child, but she certainly acted irresponsible.
“Don’t make that face Tammy. I was worried.”
She breathed deep and let it out slow. “I know.”
He turned and walked a few steps away for a moment and ran his fingers through his hair disheveling it. Then he stopped, placed his hands on his hips and looked at the floor.
Tammy waited patiently. This was it. Dread washed through her. He was going to tell her he didn’t want to marry her after all. She’d never seen him so unsettled before in her life.
Finally he turned back and saw the fear in her expression. “What?”
“I understand if you want to call this off.”
“What off?”
“The wedding.”
“Christ Tammy, I’m pissed off. I’m not ending our relationship on one incident. Your father just died. I understand you needed to cut loose and forget about things for a night, but I can’t help the way I feel. This is new ground for me too. Just because I’m unbelievably furious with you, doesn’t mean I love you any less.”
“Well, I don’t know! I’ve never seen you like this,” she shouted.
“That’s because I don’t let anyone see me like this. That alone should tell you how much I care.”
She bit her lip to keep from crying. He always knew how to put things in perspective.
“Come here.” His voice was soft. He was no longer angry.
She didn’t hesitate and ran into his arms. He held her tight and lowered his head on hers.
“No more parties without me.”
She nodded.
“Use your phone.”
She nodded again.
“Now tell me you love me.”
She smiled and sniffed. “I do love you Lance.” She lifted her head and looked up at him. “More than anything else in my life.”
He finally smiled, then bent his head, and kissed her. “Sit down, eat, then we’ll go home.”
It was Colton that picked them up at the airport in Billings again. He gave Tammy a genuine tight bear hug. “How are you holding up?”
“With all the wonderful support—”
“What the hell is this?” Colt interrupted grabbing her hand and lifting it up to see the enormous engagement ring. His eyes went to his brother and his brows popped up. “I’ll bedamned! All I can say is, it’s about bloody time you opened your eyes.”
Tammy flushed as Lance grinned from ear to ear not the least bit affected by his brother’s candid behavior. It was one of those rare jaw dropping smiles that could melt any woman’s heart.
