AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You know what it means.”
“I know we’ve gotten to know each other these past few weeks. Unconventionally, sure. But the outcome is the same.”
“What if we don’t work out?”
Oh, we’d work out just fine.
“I’ve lived more places than my hometown these past few years. And before that, as a Ranger. Besides my family, who are a short drive away, there’s nothing keeping me in one spot. Moving around isn’t a big deal to me.”
“So you’d be on the go a lot? Out of town, I mean. Wherever the next big land deal took you?”
“I don’t have to stay as long as I did here. Sometimes I go for a few days. This time, I stayed for a bit longer, but only because I’d been working like a dog and needed a break. Renting this house was as much a vacation as it was for work.”
“I see.”
No, Natalie, I don’t think you do.But there wasn’t a lot more I could say at this point other than to tell her that I was pretty sure I’d fallen in love with her. But no fucking way would I admit that right now, given the circumstances.
“I’m supposed to meet with Dave tomorrow,” I reminded her.
“I’m well aware.”
If Natalie’s voice had an edge to it, that was understandable. I was nothing if not a patient man, but the clock really was ticking.
Silence stretched.
“This is torture, Jax. It honestly feels like I have to decide between my convictions and...” She frowned. “My heart.”
I had to know. “What is your heart telling you?”
She held my gaze. “That we’d be really good together.”
“Fucking right we would,” I said, without thinking. That was a given.
“Did you ever have to make a choice like that? In the military?”
“Not exactly,” I said. “My heart never really got in the way. But certainly I had to make tough decisions. Every Ranger comes face to face with who they are, at their core. Facing death tends to have that effect.”
“This must seem like child’s play compared to the kind of decisions you had to make.”
“Understanding yourself well enough to have convictions, never mind sticking to them when it becomes difficult, is never easy.”
“So you understand where I’m coming from?”
There was no part of me that wanted to admit I did. That Natalie was right in any way to choose anything other than being with me. But I did know myself well enough, had been forced to face my fears, my own convictions, my very soul, and any answer but the truth would be a lie.
“I do.”
“What would you do in my situation?”
“Don’t ask me that,” I warned. “Please don’t.”
“Jax? What would you do. If you had to decide between forsaking something you truly believed in for your own personal gain. Or something you really, really wanted.”
“Good to know you really, really want me,” I teased, attempting to deflect her question.
But Natalie wasn’t having any of it. She was serious. So I needed to be too.
Our eyes locked.
