Most Eligible Cowboy, page 16
But there was something in Devil’s Bluffs for her.
Colter.
His actions weren’t of a man pushing her away. They were of a man protecting her. A man trying to make a safe home for her.
“Adeline. Are you there?” Eric asked.
She gulped at the air, trying to steady the ground beneath her. So much had happened in, what...an hour? Her mind raced, body heated, but somehow in all that her words came easy. “I’m here, and yes.”
“Yes?”
Feeling for the first time in a very long time like her life wasn’t already decided for her, but she owned her next steps. She said, “Yes, I want to get to know you, too.”
Fourteen
“Thanks for getting someone to watch Austin,” Colter said to Beau the following afternoon, sliding onto the chair at his kitchen table next to his mother.
Leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his chest, Beau said, “No problem. Austin was glad for the playdate with his buddy.”
Colter inclined his head and then studied his mother. He noted the darkness under her eyes, but he saw the strength there, too. Beverly would live on, fiercely and happily, to honor the life she’d had with Grant. To enjoy the remainder of her days appreciating the wonderful life they’d built.
She was quite the woman.
A woman who reminded him of someone else. A woman Colter refused to miss any longer. A woman who, he’d realized, had his whole heart. If losing his father had taught him anything, it was he couldn’t wait for happiness to find him—he needed to chase it.
Determined to fix where he’d gone so terribly wrong, he said, “I’m sure you are wondering why I’ve called you over here.”
Mom set her spoon down on the saucer after stirring her tea. “We’re curious, yes. What’s going on?”
“I’ve decided to take your advice,” Colter told his brother. “I’m going to remove those obstacles in my way.”
“Oh?” Beau asked, eyebrows lifted. “How are you going to do that?”
Colter focused on his mother’s gentle eyes and heaved a sigh, dreading what came next. “I know this comes at a terrible time.” He took her hand. “But...”
“You’re in love with Adeline,” Mom stated casually.
Colter snorted a laugh. “I’m that obvious, huh?”
“To your mother, yes,” she said, patting his arm in the way she always did to let him know everything was fine. “So, I take it, you’ve called us here because you’ve decided you need to leave home and head back to the city.”
He should have known his mother would have already had this all figured out. He huffed another laugh. “Why don’t we just skip the part where I talk and you just tell me what I should do next?”
Mom smiled sweetly in her motherly way. “Now, that I can’t do. I can only tell what you were thinking so far.”
Her love was nothing he took for granted. Her kindness made him want to do better. “I’m aware my leaving now comes at a bad time, and I’m sorry to spring this on you.”
“Don’t be sorry,” his mother replied immediately. “Life happens. You can’t hit the pause and start buttons on living your life. We lost your father, yes, but he would want us all to keep living and to be happy.”
Colter agreed with a nod. “I kept thinking that I needed to be here, to do everything, to honor Dad, to do right by him. But I’ve come to the realization that Dad would be more disappointed if I let my chance at happiness go, to keep on in a role that is not fulfilling me and that is keeping me from Adeline.”
“He would,” Mom agreed.
Beau asked, “You’re really thinking about moving back to the city?”
“It’s the only way to have Adeline,” Colter explained. He’d thought all this through. From every angle. “Her life is in New York City. It’s a sacrifice I can make for her to be happy, and I will make it.” At Beau’s wrinkling brow, Colter pressed on, “I know taking on more work would be impossible for you. You have enough on your plate.”
“It would be too much with Austin,” Beau stated, carving a jerky hand through his hair.
“I know, and I wouldn’t do that to you,” Colter explained, running his thumb against the wood grain on the table. “Obviously, it will take more than this conversation to figure everything out, but first, I want to stay on as CEO for the ranch but lessen my workload.”
Beau cocked his head. “How?”
“Hire a CFO. We’ll take my salary and put it toward hiring some office staff. People to run day-to-day business on the cattle side of the ranch in my absence. And we can promote Shane to Farm Manager to run the farm, so I can return to doing what I love.”
“Flying,” Mom offered.
“Exactly. I miss spending more time in the air.” Colter leaned back in his chair, stretching out his tight legs beneath the table. “I reached out to my old employer, and they’ve offered me a position with their New York City affiliate. They’ll pay me well. I don’t need the money I’d make here as CEO.”
Mom paused to consider, taking another drink from her teacup, the floral scent infusing the air. “Okay, but what does this mean for the ranch, then?”
Colter took his mother’s free hand in his, holding tight. “Like I said, I don’t want to give up my position overseeing the ranch, but heading up the company was Dad’s dream. He did it well. I want to honor that—keep it going in the Ward name—but it’s not my dream. It’s never been my dream.”
Mom paused as she set her teacup back on the saucer. Then her voice cracked. “Your father didn’t want either of you to give up your dreams to take over the ranch. He only wanted you to be happy. So, if moving back to the city and flying is what you want, Colter, then please, do that.”
He noted her high chin but spotted the slight waver in her expression, too. He pressed his other hand atop their joined hands. “I will always be involved with the ranch, but ever since I stepped into Dad’s role, I’ve been thinking I couldn’t have it all. But I can. We can. We simply have to make some changes and hire the right people.”
“You’ll still oversee the cattle side of the ranch?” Beau asked.
“Yes,” Colter replied. “If all goes as I think it will, I can fly home for any important meetings and be in control of the direction of the farm and any big decisions. But I suspect most of my business can be done remotely.” He looked to his mother, taking in her falling expression. “I also thought, if I can somehow get Adeline to forget that she just ended a relationship and get her to love me, we could split our time between the city and here, coming back on weekends and any other time we can. Not paying Julia alimony anymore would make that doable now.”
Mom smiled, teary-eyed. “That would make me very happy.”
“Good,” Colter said, squeezing her hand. “Please take what I’m saying to heart. I don’t want to walk away from the ranch. I want our land and business to stay under Ward protection, but I need to make these choices for myself.”
Mom held on to him just as tight. “You should make these choices. You’ve done so much for your father and for me. You deserve to be happy.” She watched him closely, then patted his hand. “But you’re right, this isn’t something that will happen overnight.”
Beau’s gaze was distant, thoughtful, as he scraped a hand against his jawline. “I suppose we’ll have to build office space if we’re hiring staff.”
“I thought perhaps near the main road, where that patch of land never seems to grow a damn thing,” Colter offered.
“That could work,” Mom said before releasing Colter’s hands to sip her tea.
Beau gave a nod of approval. “I like this idea. I think it’s good, and I think bringing in fresh eyes with new ideas could only help the ranch. I’ll help wherever I can.”
“Thank you,” Colter said to his brother. “I know this is a big undertaking that will take some time to get resolved.” To his mother, he added, “I’m still here. For you. For the ranch. No matter what.”
“I know that,” she said with an affectionate grin. Her gaze fell to the full duffel bag near the back door. “What’s your plan now?”
“I’m flying to New York City tonight and will do my best to convince Adeline that she loves me, too.”
“That girl loves you,” Mom said. “We could all see it.”
“Let’s hope you’re right” was Colter’s only reply.
“Come on, then, Beau,” said Mom, slowly rising from her seat. She placed her teacup in the dishwasher. “Let’s get out of your brother’s way.”
Colter rose, and before his mother headed for the door, he embraced her. “You’d tell me the truth if this upset you, right?” he asked.
“I’m not upset, honey,” she said, cupping his face, rubbing his cheeks like she had for as long as he could remember. “I adore Adeline. Nothing would make me happier than making her a part of our family.” His arms tightened around her when her voice trembled. “The one thing I know that I got right in life was loving your father. When you have true love, a great love, life has meaning.” She brought his face down and kissed both his cheeks. “Following your heart only leads to good things. I’m proud of you.”
He hadn’t thought he needed his mom’s approval, but a heavy weight on his shoulders eased with her support. “Thank you.”
Beau took Colter into a rough hug. Then he let go and said, “Just don’t say something stupid and mess it all up.”
“I’ll try not to.” Colter snorted, following them to the front door.
Outside on the porch, Beau trotted down the steps, waiting at the bottom to hold Mom’s hand as she walked down, when Mom suddenly stopped.
“Oh, I forgot to mention,” she said, glancing at Colter. “Do you still have your grandmother’s ring?”
“Yeah, of course,” Colter replied. “Want me to get it?”
“Hmm.” Mom’s smile slowly built. “I think it’s best if you keep it.”
* * *
Seated in the back seat of the Uber, Adeline said into her phone to Nora, “I think I’m going to puke.” Ever since she got off the phone with her father last night, she’d been on autopilot.
She’d used a good chunk of her savings to take a private flight, using the same company that Colter had worked with before, to get to Dallas fast. Then an Uber got her the rest of the way, and she’d been on the phone with Nora ever since.
The Uber driver glanced in horror at her in the rearview mirror. She waved him off. “Don’t worry, I won’t puke in your car.”
With a relieved look, he glanced back at the road.
“That poor driver,” Nora said with a laugh. “And, dude, let’s be real here. You have faced Brock and your father and have come out stronger and happier for it. Those things were both hard as hell. What you have with Colter is easy. This is good. You deserve this. Relax.”
“I do deserve this, don’t I?”
“Yes, you do. So stop almost puking, lift up your beautiful chin and go and get your cowboy.”
Adeline smiled—a real smile that seemed to feel so honest now that she was back in Devil’s Bluffs. New York had felt different when she’d gone back. Like nothing made sense there anymore. Here, everything seemed...right.
The Uber driver turned into the driveway, and Adeline spotted Beau’s truck driving away from Colter’s house and down the road. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies as she said, “We’re here. I need to go.”
“Call me after. Good luck,” Nora said.
“I will. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Adeline ended the call and then asked the Uber driver, “Can you please go faster?”
The driver hit the gas, speeding up the driveway, and she tapped her fingers against her twitchy leg. Until she saw Colter’s truck in the driveway. He was there...and she was... Well, she hadn’t quite figured that part out yet.
When they reached the porch, the car’s tires skidded to a halt. “Thank you,” Adeline said, taking her overnight bag with her as she exited the Uber.
“Enjoy your evening, miss,” the driver said.
She slammed the door shut, and as he drove off down the driveway, she walked closer to the house. Until she stopped, pressing her hand against her chest, convinced she was having heart palpitations. Through the big front window, Colter was heading toward the back door, carrying a duffel bag.
“Are you...leaving...” She threw the strap of her bag over her shoulder and ran as fast as she could muster around the house, spotting him heading toward his helicopter.
Breathless, she yelled, “Where are you going?”
He stiffened. Then he glanced over his shoulder. Like he couldn’t believe she was standing there, he dropped his bag and moved closer, but not as close as she wanted him. Not nearly close enough. The distance between them felt cold...empty.
“Where are you going?” she repeated.
“To the city,” he said, statue-still. “To you.”
“You hate the city.”
“I love you more.”
All the guards around her heart shattered. “You love me?”
“Madly.” He took a step toward her, warming the air between them. “Deeply.” And another step. Until he stood directly in front of her. “I am in love with you, Adeline, and I don’t want to live without you.”
Her breath hitched. Tears welled in her eyes. “I love you, too.”
“Now that is exactly what I wanted to hear.” He charged forward and gathered her in his arms as she wrapped her thighs around his legs.
The dry air brushed across her as his mouth met hers, and she gave everything she had to him. She wasn’t thinking hesitation or lust—she was only thinking about the rightness of the moment. How it didn’t matter if everything made sense between them. Somehow, someway, this was going to all work out, because they were meant to be together.
She vaguely felt him moving, but his sizzling kisses never broke away. Not until he reached the back door to open it and kicked it shut behind them. While he carried her to the bedroom, she placed butterfly kisses on his mouth, his jaw, his neck, where she nipped a little.
He groaned deep, then tossed her on the mattress. She laughed, bouncing against it, but stopped when he hovered over her. Intensity stared back at her. “How are you here?”
“Well, Eric called,” she told him, cupping his handsome face, scraping her fingers against the scruff. “He told me what you said to him. I guess I realized that while it is scary for me to stay in Devil’s Bluffs, and my life is very uncertain here, there is also nowhere else I’d rather be.”
He slowly shook his head, pulling her up to sitting. He went down to one knee in front of her. “I’ve already talked to my family. We’re hiring staff to handle the cattle portion of the farm. I’m moving to New York City.”
“I mean, you are more than welcome to move there if you want,” she said with a slight shrug. “But earlier today, my boss and I came to an arrangement that I would freelance for her. I also accepted the position as editor for the Devil’s Bluffs Chronicle, since Waylon is retiring.”
His eyes widened. “You’re moving here?”
“No, I’m not moving here,” she corrected. “I moved here. Tonight.” Of course, then she realized she’d spoken too soon. “I’ll need to go back to New York City to pack up all my stuff and ship it here. Then sell my condo. But my heart...it lives here, in Devil’s Bluffs.”
“With me?”
She cupped his face again. “With you.”
“Adeline,” Colter murmured, resting his forehead against hers. “I was ready to uproot my whole life, and here you are offering me everything. Changing everything. Like you did from the first night I saw you at the bar.”
“Changing everything for the better,” she said. “I know why my mom left here, why she needed to move away. But this is my home. It’s always been my home. And I want to get to know Eric. I want to see where all this takes me.”
“I’ll be right at your side to do that, too.”
“I know,” she said, her chest swelling with possibilities. “I thought, maybe, we could go to New York City on the weekends sometimes to visit Nora and my mother.”
“We can go as often as you want,” he said, adamant. “Do whatever you want.”
She laughed, stroking his face. “Better be careful. You’re offering me the world, and I just might take you up on it.”
“I will give you everything,” he said. “And then I will give you even more. You made me believe in love again when I thought that was impossible.”
She felt breathless, weightless and everything in between as she said, “You made me fall in love with you after the greatest betrayal. Though, to think on it, maybe I’ve always loved you.”
Emotion-packed eyes held hers as his hand lowered to his pocket, and then he put his grandmother’s ring on her knee. “I took too long to notice you, but I won’t ever not see you again. This ring never should have come off your finger. What do you say, New York—will you marry me for real?”
Her finger tingled as he slid the ring back onto her hand. What had been missing was now whole again. “Yes, Colter, absolutely, yes. I’ll marry you.”
Intensity and happiness and so many other things she could never name flashed through his expression as he sealed his mouth across hers. He swept her away in a kiss that was more that affection, it was a promise, one she felt weave around her.
Frantically, he removed her clothing, piece by piece, and she removed his until there was nothing between them. Only skin against skin, and all the love between them. He backed away only once, to sheathe himself in a condom, before his kiss turned hot and wicked as he laid her out on the bed.
“Not tonight,” she told him. “Tonight, I want to have you.” She squirmed out from under him until he allowed her to push him onto his back. Staring down at the man who’d stolen her heart so early in her life, and then again when she wasn’t looking for love at all, she straddled his waist and gazed upon him. His handsome face. His mouthwatering, muscular physique. “This might end badly for me, you know,” she said, wiggling her hips to find the tip of him.
