Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77827 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77827 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“That’s fine. Laugh it up. I’ll remind you of this conversation when we’re old and gray and watching our grandkids play in the backyard.” I smirk when her eyes widen.
We both dive back into our sweet treat, and the silence between us is comfortable. It’s Baylor who breaks the quiet. “I trusted him. I trusted the plans we made, and the future that we were working toward, and he blew that trust to pieces.” Her voice is soft, almost as if she’s telling me a secret she’s not supposed to tell.
“I know he did, and I’m sorry. I hate what he did to you, but Bay, I wouldn’t be sitting next to you if he hadn’t. At least not tonight, and even though I hate the pain he caused you, I’m really fucking glad that you’re here next to me.”
“I get it.” She nods, taking her final bite, and dropping her spoon into her empty bowl. “I wish the stars had aligned for us before Todd. Before I wasted so many years on a man who didn’t love me, but the idea of me. He needed a woman on his arm. It might not have started out that way, but as years passed, as he fell more into his career and gained distance from our relationship, that’s how I felt.”
“I wish that more than anything,” I tell her. “But I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason. Each time something came up and took you away, I told myself it was for a reason, and now, here you are. Living back in our sleepy small town, and we’re both single.” Reaching over, I place my hand on her thigh, giving it a soft squeeze. “This is our time.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready. I don’t know that I’ll ever trust again. He hurt me, but he didn’t break my heart, not really. We’d been drifting apart for far longer than I’d like to admit, and we were just going through the motions, but changing the outcome of our future—a future we planned together, without discussing it with me—that cuts deep.”
“I’m sorry.” I don’t know what else to say. That Todd’s a fucking moron? Yeah, we both already know that, but his fuck-up brought my girl home, so I feel like I can’t really say much other than I’m sorry he hurt her. Because no matter what, I never want that for her, even if it means I never get my shot.
“It’s not your fault. This has been a lot, Macklin. A lot to process. You’re this guy who was older than me, and I crushed on you so hard, and then I grew up, and life took me away, and now I’m back, and you’re telling me you’ve wanted me for years. I… don’t know what to do with that.”
My grin widens. “Time,” I tell her. “Just give it time. Give me time to show you. I won’t push you. Just let me have my chance to show you.” I pause, then add, “You had a crush on me?” My heart bounces wildly inside my chest. Her face heats, and she ignores my question, which is fine. I know she meant it.
“What does that mean? What does a chance and you showing me look like?” She tilts her head to the side and then rests it on her hand, on the arm that’s propped up on the island.
“It means that I want the chance to show up for you. It looks like the two of us spending time together. You say I don’t know the woman you are now, so we’ll get to know each other again. I won’t push this on you, Baylor, but I am going to be next to you at every given chance.”
“How?” Her voice is soft, and her eyes are full of questions, and an emotion that looks an awful lot like hope, at least that’s what I’m telling myself.
“I don’t know. I mean, if you’re at the Hideaway and on the dance floor, I’m going to be there with you. If you need someone to have dinner with, someone to make you ice cream sundaes, someone to curl up and watch a movie with, I’m your man.”
“That sounds like dating.”
“Maybe.” I shrug. It does sound like dating, but I don’t know how else to tell her that I’m about to be her shadow, because I’ll be damned if another man comes along to steal my girl before I get the chance to fight for her.
“I don’t know if I’m ready.”
“We’re just two friends hanging out. That’s what we’ll be. Just know that this friend”—I point to my chest—“wants all of you. Any way I can have you, but you set the pace. I’ll follow your lead.” Reaching over, I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Just let me show you that you’re it for me.”