Page 106

Taking her hand, I sit on the bed and pull her between my knees. She wipes her face again. I put my hands on her hips, remembering all the times I’ve touched her over the last few weeks. I’d like to hold her so many more times, I lose count.

“I need to say something, but I don’t want it to sound like I'm blaming you,” I say gently.

She balks. “Okay.”

“I am not Bill, and I need you not to listen to him on this,” I say. “That sounds bad, but I think your mom and stepdad would be better people to give you advice here. I won’t hurt you, and I want a chance.”

She nods.

“I want a chance too,” she says.

I lean in and rest my chin on her lower belly, looking up at her. “So we take a chance. A real one.”

“Yeah?”

Her voice breaks. I lift her shirt and kiss her bare skin. My teeth graze her hip bone. Her fingers trace through my hair.

“Don’t get too frisky,” she warns.

“I’m not,” I say. “I missed you. Don’t fucking leave again.”

“I was gone for seven hours.”

Pulling her into my lap, I brush her hair back and kiss her mouth. “Seven hours too long.”

She kisses me softly with her hand on the back of my neck. When she pulls away, I still see that little quiver of anxiety in her eyes.

“Baby, I will do whatever you need to feel better,” I say.

She takes a deep breath. “Then take me home so we can figure this out. Back to Wyoming.”

Without hesitating, I say yes, of course. She sinks back into me, and I hold her tight against my chest, thinking about the future. If I want to take a break like I told Jamie I did, this will take a lot of work to bring all my projects to a halt. Some things will have to be wrapped up. Contracts will need to be fulfilled. But it doesn’t seem so bad knowing she’s on the other side of it.

I want to call someone and tell them. If Mom was still alive, I’d call her and say hey, I met someone, and I’m coming home. Yeah, she’s great. And I’m taking a break finally. I’ll see you when we get back. She’s gonna be so excited to meet you.

A hint of bittersweetness hits. Some things change, but they don’t always leave. For the first time, I hold that bit of grief without pushing it down.

I have someone. I have something good here.

And I’m going to hold on with both hands.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

SABRINA

We don’t need to figure out everything right now. Maybe the airport or the flight back can be for that. Or after I get a chance to really talk to Serena, even though I know what she’s going to say.

Are you kidding? You’re not going to go with the hot millionaire country music producer?

That makes me smile. Then, I think about how Coen said Jamie was going back to the ranch. Either that’s going to activate Serena like a sleeper cell, or she’s going to hate him. It could go either way; she’s hard to predict, even after knowing her all her life.

We go back downstairs, hand in hand. I’m feeling a little embarrassed about my meltdown and flight out of Nashville. Maybe I should have taken a beat to think it through. Mom is sipping at what’s probably her second glass of wine, and she sets it aside when we walk in. She and Hugh give us both the up-down look.

“Feeling any better?” Hugh asks.

I nod, sniffing. I’m sure my face is all red and splotchy right now. Mom sets her glass down and goes to refill it. Then, she hands me one and waves her hand, heading toward the hall.

“Come here, Brina,” she says. “I want to talk to you on the porch.”