“Naw. Not directly. He crashed his car speeding to get away from us. He’ll live, but he broke his arm. I don’t think we’ll ever be friends.”
I kissed her again. All I wanted to do was kiss her all night.
But that was no way to tell her how I felt.
Another customer interrupted, and I spent the time pacing while she showed them the tourist nook, telling them which hiking guide to buy.
When they were finally done, I beelined back to her register again.
Then I blurted out, “These damn customers need to stop getting in the way.”
“You’re the one trying to have a serious conversation in the middle of my work shift. Could you imagine if I did this to you at the logging camp?”
Naw. The guys would be all over our business.
“Do you want me to go?” I asked reluctantly.
“No. You should stay here with me and tell me what’s got you so jittery tonight. You’re bouncing all over the place, Amos.”
Was I? Oh, shit. Yeah. I guess I was.
Quietly she asked, “Is this about our thirty-day agreement? Because I want to extend it too. That was the last thing you said to me before Dax ruined our moment.”
“Yeah. But no more agreements. I’m done with time limits. I need more of you, girl.”
Her eyes went dreamy on me, her lips curving up into the most perfect smile I’d ever seen.
“I like the sound of that, Amos,” she leaned in towards me. “Are you going to tell me about this cabin you teased me with? I’ve been waiting two days to find out if you meant that.”
“Yeah, I meant it,” I rumbled, my eyes trained right on hers.
Then I managed to tell her what was in my heart.
I’d had two days to get my head on straight.
“A man can’t be good boyfriend material, let alonehusbandmaterial, living in a bunkhouse with six other guys.” I exhaled slowly. “So I talked to Zane. I’m going back to work for him. He wants to give me a raise and put me in charge of a crew. He’s been missing my ass ever since I left him for the Harrison camp.And I’m going to rent a cabin from Winslow until I can afford to buy my own land.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “A cabin! So that part was real?”
My heart grew warm and gushy, which was a strange sensation. It didn’t happen often, but Shelly brought that side out in me.
“It’s got a little garden out back that I’m probably going to kill, and itcoulduse a woman’s touch. There’s room for bookshelves, if a certain someone wanted to help me fill them. I hear you might be partial to romances.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“Amos,” she whispered. “What are you saying?”
I came around the counter and stood in front of her, taking her hands in mine.
“I meant what I said the other night,” I rumbled. “This isn’t temporary for me. I want you for the rest of my life. I’m in love with you, Shelly-Rae Anderson.”
For one second, she didn’t move. Didn’t react at all.
My heart tilted in my chest, disoriented.
Did Shelly really love me? Or was I just another Tucker in her life.
But then she made a sound that was halfway between a laugh and a sob and sank into my arms.
