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“It’s not your fault. But I asked Jamie to go back there and check on things.”

Her eyes flick back to me. “Really?”

“Yeah. I know you’re worried about being away from the ranch. Jamie knows your dad already, and he’s used to wrangling difficult people.”

She doesn’t correct me. We both know Bill is, in fact, difficult. There’s a long silence, then her throat bobs.

“Sorry again,” she whispers.

I go to her, taking her by the hands. “Why did you leave?”

Her chest heaves. “Because…I don’t know where this goes. And I’m scared.”

“Scared of what?” I press.

We both know the answer, but I need to hear it from her lips. She tries to look away again, but I take her face in my hand and make her look up at me.

“I like you,” she whispers. “But I can’t be with you.”

My stomach turns cold. “Why?”

She shrugs, tears gathering. “Because you’re Coen Taylor. And I won’t leave the ranch. Dad needs someone, and I already made a big choice that affected Serena in staying with him. I can’t leave. I’m the reason she’s living there and not here—”

“Is that it? Just logistics?”

She stops. “No.”

“Then what?”

Her eyes fill with tears in earnest. One drips down over my fingers.

“I’m scared Dad is right,” she whispers.

“About me?”

“Yeah. Logically, in my head, I don’t think you’d do anything like that. But if you did…I can’t do that.” Her voice strengthens. “I’ve spent my life paying the price for a man who cheated. I won’t do it again.”

I’m not sure what the right thing to feel is right now. My knee-jerk reaction is to be offended, but I know this isn’t intentional. She’s not accusing me.

She’s just really fucking hurt.

It kind of makes me want to haul back and punch Bill. If he were twenty years younger, I just might. The consequences of what he did hurt his wife, but they also hurt his daughters. Now, years later, they’re hurting what we have too.

It's strange how one thoughtless choice echoes for generations.

I’ve always known that. It made me careful, paranoid sometimes. But right here, right now, I am willing to go all in on this girl. I’ll regret it forever if I don’t. I don’t care what it takes. I want to figure this out.

So, I say that, as serious as it sounds.

“I want you,” I say. “And I won’t hurt you. Please, Sabrina.”

Her lips quivers. “What about the ranch?” she whispers.

“Hell, I’ll build a studio out there, I don’t care. Just don’t leave.”

Her mouth curves in a watery smile. “I kind of like it when you beg.”

“I’ll beg for a chance. I don’t have any pride. Not when it comes to you.”