“Great.” Nick’s jaw tightened, but there was a curve to his lips. “Then you can show it to me next weekend, and we’ll make plans to fix it up.”
“Okay.” He was giving her everything he could, and she had everything she wanted, Nick, the business, and soon she’d even have her own place. So why was sadness stacking up inside her? She needed to get out of there before she broke down in tears, and there was only one way to do that. Fake it until I make it.
She put on the brightest smile she could muster and said, “I have to get going. If I load up my horses, can you grab my bags?”
“You’ve got it, babe.”
She stepped away, and he pulled her back into his arms, his piercing dark eyes holding her captive.
“I believe in you, Trixie, and I want everything that you want.” He pressed his lips to hers, kissing her hard, and then he swatted her butt and smiled. “Go get those babies. I’ll get your bags and bring my family around to say goodbye.”
She kept that fake smile in place as she loaded up her horses and said goodbye to Nick’s animals. Pugsly’s snorty grunts nearly did her in, but she managed to hold it together, and when Nick’s family passed her from one warm embrace to the next, wishing her luck and saying they’d miss her, she struggled again. When Carly and Zev reminded them they wanted to make plans to get together in Colorado after the New Year, Charlotte and Beau offered Nick and Trixie a room at the inn. Jillian and Morgyn jumped on that bandwagon, and before Trixie knew it, everyone was making plans for a family vacation in Colorado.
“I’m going to miss having you here,” Jillian said, squeezing her tight.
“Not half as much as I’ll miss being here.”
Clint put his arms around Trixie, hugging her as long and as tight as her own father would, and said, “Thanks for not giving up on my boy.”
“Never,” she whispered.
“I haven’t seen that spark in his eyes since the first time he rode a horse.”
Trixie smiled. “Are you comparing me to a horse?”
“I’m comparing you to a first love.”
Oh boy. Tears threatened again. She hugged Lily and whispered, “Take care of Nick for me?”
“You know I will, sweetheart,” Lily said. “But I’m no match for the empty spot you’ll leave behind.”
And just like that, Trixie’s tears broke free. She quickly wiped them away, but not before Nick noticed. He glowered at his mother, hauling Trixie into his arms, and ran his hand soothingly down her back and said, “It’s okay, darlin’.”
“I’m fine.” She pushed back, fake-smiling up at him. “But I have to get on the road.”
He pressed his lips to hers and said, “Drive safely, darlin’. I’ll call you tonight.” He hugged her again, tighter, kissing the top of her head, then helped her into her truck. He kissed her through the open window and held her gaze for so long, his brothers cleared their throats. He gave her another kiss and said, “I’ll miss you.”
I love you. “I’ll miss you, too.”
He winked and stepped back from the truck, standing with his family. Trixie put on her seat belt and waved. “Bye. Thank you again. I love you all!”
As she drove away from the barns, she watched Nick staring after her in the side-view mirror until she turned up the long driveway and could no longer see him, and the tears she’d been holding back broke free.
NICK FELT LIKE his heart was tethered to the bumper of Trixie’s truck and wrenched from his chest as his world, his life, his love drove out of sight.
“I can’t believe you let her go,” Jax said.
“What’d you want me to do? Her life is there, Jax. Everything she wants is waiting for her in Oak Falls.” Except me.
“Are you okay?” Beau asked.
“No, I’m not fucking okay.” Nick looked at his family staring at him with the same expression he was sure he’d worn all those years ago when they’d been the broken ones, and he’d wondered how he’d save them all. They were fine now. They’d survived and found their way to happier lives. They didn’t need him watching over them anymore. So what the hell was he doing there, while his heart was being dragged on the pavement, shredding to smithereens with every mile Trixie drove?
His father stepped beside him. “What can we do?”
“Not a damn thing.” Nick headed for the corral, and they all followed.
“What are you doing?” Beau asked.
“Breaking down those fucked-up boundaries you said I have.” He threw open the gate and climbed onto Romeo’s bare back. He kicked his heels, and the horse bolted through the gate.
“Where are you going?” Beau hollered.
“To get my girl! Hiya!” Nick leaned forward as Romeo cut across the yard at breakneck speed, heading toward the road.
Nick balanced with his knees, moving as one with the horse as Romeo jumped over the fence at the edge of the property. They flew along the shoulder of the road, Nick’s eyes trained on the land ahead, searching for Trixie’s trailer. His chest was so tight, it was hard to breathe. He was a fucking idiot. Boundaries. He didn’t even think he had boundaries where Trixie was concerned. He was so fucking wrong. He had harsher boundaries than Alcatraz.
The trailer came into view, and he tightened his knees and leaned forward, calling out, “Hiya!” Romeo did the impossible, cranking up his speed until they caught up with Trixie’s truck.
Come on, baby, look over!
They kept pace with her. Nick had never been so thankful for slow speed limits. Trixie finally glanced over and did a double take, her eyes wide. She shouted something, shaking her head. Always fucking challenging me. He motioned for her to pull over. Her truck slowed, and Nick sat back, signaling Romeo to slow down, too. It took Trixie and Romeo about the same amount of time to come to a stop.
Nick jumped off the horse as Trixie flew out of her truck. Her nose was pink, her eyes swollen and red, tears streaming down her face as she hollered, “Are you crazy? What are you—”
He plastered his mouth to hers, silencing and loving her. Her salty tears slipped between their lips, and he didn’t care. She was in his arms, and he was never going to let her go.
As their lips parted, she said, “Nick, what was—”
He kissed her again. Not to shut her up, but because he needed that damn kiss more than he needed to explain himself. He deepened the kiss until the fight went out of her. She clutched his shirt with both hands and came away breathless.
“Please don’t say a word. Let me get this out,” he said. “I love you, Trixie Jericho. God, I fucking love you so much it hurts, and I’m a fool for not saying it sooner. You want to be in Oak Falls. I get that. Give me a few hours to pack my shit, load my horses, and take care of my other animals, because I’m coming with you, darlin’. I want to be by your side every day of our lives. I’ll fix that cabin up for you, make you a sign for the barn. Hell, I’ll do whatever you need, give you whatever you want, but I’m coming with you, baby.”
Sobs bubbled out, and she gulped a breath. “But you need your space.”
“Not from you, I don’t. I want you in my space. I want your damn hair in my shower drain, your sweet smell on my sheets, your challenging snark coming at me at the most frustrating times. I want you, baby, and I hope to hell you want me, too.”