“Honestly, I don’t want it.The only person who calls that phone is sitting right next to me.”She grins and it about blows my goddamn socks off.“I appreciate you taking a lonely spinster out.”She clears her throat and says, “I’m sorry if I hindered your regular Friday night hookups.”
I’m no saint.I’ve been known to spend a little time with the single ladies in this town in the past, but I don’t go to Earl’s for them.I do it to blow off steam after a long week of work.I do it to have a friendly beer with my brothers after riding their asses all week as their boss, but none of that compares to spending a night on Daisy’s couch, watching shitty reality TV or the way she curls into my chest when I pull her close in my bed.
I frown.“What hookups?”
Her delicate shoulders rise and fall in a shrug.“I saw you and Alexis getting close.”
This woman has no idea.No idea how fucking gorgeous she is, how special, or how taken I am with her.I bet that scumbag ex of hers never told her a day in her life how beautiful she was.“Alexis gets close to anyone she thinks will give her a big, fat tip.”
“I know I’m blonde, West, but don’t mistake me for stupid.I know you’re Red River Canyon’s most eligible bachelor.You could snap your fingers and have any woman in that bar.”
“Not any woman,” I say before I can shut my big, fat trap.Still, I turn and meet her gaze, willing her to hear me, praying she’ll see how much I want her without having to say it.Because, apparently, I’m a fucking pussy.“Daisy—”
“West,” she says at the same time.And then chuckles.“Sorry.You go.”
“I just ...I gotta get this out.”I smooth my sweaty palms over my jeans.Then I turn in my seat and lean in as I take a deep breath.“I don’t want any woman.I want y—”
A broken-hearted cry comes from inside my house.
“Waylon,” Daisy says, unbuckling her belt and grabbing her purse.“Sorry.Can we talk about this later?”
I give her a tight smile and nod.“Sure.”It’s not like I was trying to confess my undying love or anything.
“Thanks for tonight.”She leans over and kisses my cheek.Like an asshole, I long to turn my head, meet her lips and keep her with me, but I’m not the only guy who needs her tonight.
“Any time, darlin’.”
She grabs her purse, opens the door, and bounds up my front porch.I stay in the truck long after she’s made it inside, staring at her, Mama, and Waylon through the living room window.Warm light bathes the front porch, and Daisy rocks her baby in her arms.Longing and guilt war within me.Daisy and Waylon are a family.They’re everything I never knew I wanted.But I’m just an outsider looking in, too gutless to step up for fear of ruining everything we have, too afraid to claim them publicly as my own, even if I already have in my heart.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Daisy-Mae
West sits on the porch, a beer in his hand, and Ham by his side as I close the door behind me and set the baby monitor down on the small table between the loungers.
“He go down okay?”
