Shylo glanced at the untouched menus before giving a small shake of her head. Shane looked up at the waitress. “Could you give us a few more minutes? We need to talk for a bit.”
“Of course, hon.” She smiled politely. “Wave me over when you're ready.”
As the woman moved on to the next table, the awkward silence returned. Shylo resisted the urge to fill it with meaningless small talk. She'd waited all night to hear what Shane had to say. Now that the moment had arrived, she wasn't sure she wanted him to speak at all.
“First things first,” he said, meeting her gaze. “Tucker suggested we get DNA tests, and I think he's right.”
She'd expected that. In fact, she would've offered to do that if he hadn't brought it up. “I agree.”
“I don't want you to think it's because I don't believe you. I just think it's something we both need before we make any decisions that'll affect the rest of our lives.”
The tightness in her chest eased, if only a little. His request wasn't a rejection. It was simply the sensible next step. For the first time since they'd sat down, it felt as though they were moving in the same direction.
Shane took a sip of coffee before setting the mug back on the table. “So... once we get the results—I'm pretty certain they'll tell us what we already know—what do you want then?”
The question caught her off guard. “I don't know what you mean.”
“What do you want your life to look like?” He met her gaze. “Do you want your share of the ranch and then head back to West Virginia? Or do you want to stay?”
Stay?
She'd prepared herself for a conversation about lawyers, appraisals, and inheritances.
Not that.
“I meant what I said last night.” Her voice caught, and she cleared her throat. “I'd rather have a brother who isn't a jerk like Troy than anything else. I don't have any family anymore. I never realized how lonely that could be until my mom passed away.
“So... yes. I'd like to stay here and get to know you and your family better. I'd love to call your daughters—and your son once he's born—my nieces and nephew.” She offered him a tentative smile. “If that's okay with you.”
He held her gaze for several long seconds before a slow smile spread across his face. “I was hoping you'd say that.”
The words landed somewhere deep inside her, loosening another knot she'd carried since arriving in Hazard Falls.
“If staying is what you want,” he continued, “I'd like that too.”
She blinked. “You would?”
He nodded. “I grew up an only child. Even though there were plenty of people working on the ranch, it wasn't the same as having a sibling. I won’t turn away the chance to have a sister now.”
Leaning forward, he crossed his arms on the tabletop. “And if you're going to be my sister, you deserve the same opportunity Dad gave me. He taught me the ranch from the ground up. Every part of running it.” A faint smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. “Seems only fair you experience that too.”
She stared at him, certain she'd misunderstood. “You'd teach me?”
“Yep.”
“But—but I've never worked on a ranch. Hell, I never even stepped foot on one before I came here.” A nervous laugh escaped before she could stop it. “I've waited tables. Worked retail. That's about the extent of my qualifications.”
“So?”
“So...” She spread her hands helplessly. “None of that exactly screams someone who belongs on a ranch.”
“No, it doesn’t.” He grinned. “But everybody's got to start somewhere, right?”
She searched his face for any sign that he was joking.
There wasn't one.
“Shylo, if you decide this is where you want to be, I'll teach you everything you need to know about running a ranch. Tucker will, too, once he tones down his alpha-protection mode.” His grin widened. “Don't take that personally. If it makes you feel any better, he wasn't thrilled when Paige showed up to be our nanny either. Big changes take him a little while to adjust to.”
