Page 101 of The Cowboy Who Came Home
Edith Baxter smiled back at him, and in that split second where his mind tried to catch up with his eyes and his heart hammered like a scared jackrabbit on ten pots of coffee, tears started leaking out of her eyes.
Oh, that simply wouldn’t do, and Finn hastened to unclip his seatbelt and get out of his truck. “Edith,” he said, his adrenaline still racing like it had sixty more laps around the track. “Edith.”
He took her into his arms and held her. He had questions for her. So much to say to her. But now that she stood in his arms, nothing came out of his mouth. Momma would be disappointed, but Finn hadn’t been able to do any of the things she’d suggested.
Instead, he wanted to make a big gesture. Do something so Edith would know how he felt and that everything he said had merit.
“What are you doing here?” he asked. “Appointment with Reagan and Bull?”
Edith stepped out of his arms and wiped her face. “I hate that I’m crying in front of you again.”
Finn smiled at her. “I’m just so happy to see you.”
Her eyes flitted around and then met his. “I’m really sorry about this…this…reversion I went through.” She reached for him, then suddenly drew her hand back. “I’m—I miss you. I’m sorry, Finn.” Her voice grew in intensity, but Finn couldn’t stop smiling.
“I’m in love with you,” he said, the words just there. They didn’t stick in his throat or rust on the way out. He spread his arms wide. “I know you might not be ready for it, and that’s fine. I’m in this with you, Edith, and I’m not going anywhere. If you need time, you’ll have time.”
Edith started shaking her head, but she didn’t say anything.
“If you want space, you can have all you want. The ranch is big, right? And your she-shed will be there, and you just have to look at me a certain way, and I’ll back right off.”
“Finn.” A tiny smile touched her face, but again, she didn’t say more.
He turned back to his truck, where the driver’s door still sat open. “I’ve already called the industrial tow truck, and they have a couple of dates in October they can come.” He grabbed the clipboard that he’d been making plans and notes on for the past few weeks since he’d first gone out to the Bentley Ranch.
“I’ve been making a ton of notes on what we might call the ranch, and then I started panicking that you wouldn’t want your she-shed moved until we get married.” He flipped a page and then another one, his nerves catching up to his mouth. “And then…things sort of go haywire there, because I don’t know when would be a good time for us to get married, because I’m not sure…when you…might…want to get married.” He whispered the last few words, realizing just how far ahead of himself he’d gotten.
Edith grinned fully at him now, so Finn figured he hadn’t messed up too badly. Still, he tossed the clipboard back inside the truck and closed the door for good measure. When he faced her again, her smile had slipped slightly.
“You’re so pretty,” he said.
She ducked her head, her hair falling over her shoulder. Finn wanted to wipe it back, but he refrained. She’d knocked on his window, cried in his arms, and then said only a few words.
Good words, but still. Only a few of them.
“Say something,” he said.
“I’m in love with you, Hopscotch.”
Finn blinked at her and watched as her smile spread and her laughter filled the sky.
“I love you, Finn,” she said as she sobered. “And I don’t need time…or space…or, or for us to have special looks that tell you to back off. I don’t want you to back off. I want us to walk into the future side-by-side.”
“You’re speaking my language now.” He took her into his arms again and whispered in her ear, his lips so, so close to her lobe. “So when would your perfect wedding be?”
“April,” she murmured.
April felt impossibly far away, but Finn had just finished giving his speech on time and space and patience. “April it is,” he whispered.
“Are you ever going to kiss me?”
Finn lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “After your therapy, do you want to come over to the ranch and help us pack?”
“I’d love to,” she said.
“Okay,” he said. “Then I’m going to kiss you now.” He leaned in close, taking his time to really breathe in the essence of this woman. He realized in those few slow moments how difficult it must have been for Edith to approach his truck, and she’d done it anyway.
“I love you, Edith.”
