Chapter Fourteen
Daisy-Mae
Isnuggle deeper intothe couch.The lights are low and I’m sleepy, but I don’t want to give West any reason to leave.The truth is, my house feels more like a home when he’s here, it’s not so lonely, and I’m not just some bitter woman wandering the halls like Mrs.Haversham, leaving uneaten cakes lying around to spoil and fester.I mean really, who wastes a perfectly good wedding cake?
West sits beside me, his sock feet on my ottoman, the warmth of his thigh flush with mine.I think this is my favorite way to spend a Friday night, though a part of me feels guilty for appropriating all his time.The single women of Red River Canyon must hate me, but I don’t care.I know I shouldn’t get too comfortable, but besides my grammy, he’s the only dependable person I’ve ever had in my life.
An involuntary shiver runs through me.West glances in my direction.“You cold?”
“I’m fine.”
He smiles and grabs the throw blanket off the couch behind him.He spreads it out over the two of us and pulls me against his side.For a beat I hover there, not knowing what to do with my body, until his big, calloused palm gently pushes my head onto his shoulder.A nervous laugh escapes me.
“You want me to go?”
“No.”I answer too quickly, my voice all high and reedy.God, Why do I make everything so awkward?“I mean, unless you want to.”
“I’m okay here, darlin’, but if you want me to leave, you just say the word.”
“I like Friday nights like this.”
I can practically feel him smile.“Me too.”
“Really?It’s not boring?”I ask lifting my head to see his reaction.Whydoeshe spend so much time here?I mean besides my awesome baked goods, that is, because ...duh.
“Dais, if I were bored, I wouldn’t be here,” he says.“I just don’t wanna be a burden for you?”
“A burden?”I screech.“You’re the farthest thing from a burden, West.If anything, it’s the other way around.”
“Yes, it’s been absolute torture stuffing my face with the baked goods you make in order to pay me back.Thank god that’s all done with now,” he deadpans.I furrow my brow, confused.West’s smile fades.“Right.I forgot to tell you.Wade’s finished with your car.”
“Oh,” I say, trying hard to hide my disappointment.Not that I’m not grateful ...for everything, but my car fixed is bound to mean less time with West.“That’s great news.”
“Is it?”he asks quietly.
“Well, yeah.Now you don’t have to run me to work every day, which means more time for you to sleep in, right?”
“Not a whole lotta sleeping in on a ranch.”
“I guess not.So ...um ...should we go and get it tonight?”
“No.”West looks at me as if I’m crazy.“Our show’s on.”
“Right, but—”
“Dais, the last thing I want is you on that road all alone in the middle of the night,” he says, almost as if he’s a little agitated.“Besides, I wanna see how it runs first.I’ll just have Wade follow me over tomorrow.”
God.Twelve years with Eddie and he never would have gone out of his way for me, and yet, West bends over backward just to make sure I’m safe and taken care of, and he’s not even getting anything out of it.The sad reality is, I never knew men could do selfless things without expecting some kind of reward.
“Okay,” I say and snuggle into his shoulder.His arm rests along the back of the couch, behind me, and his fingers draw small patterns over my shoulder.“West?”
“Yeah, Dais?”
