“No. I am. I mean, it’s Rip, and he’s wonderful. I just… I don’t want him to have any regrets. This is all kind of fast.”
“Is it, though? Maybe it’s easier for me to see because I’ve been watching the Rip and McKenna show for years. When you left for college, he spent more time here than at his place.”
“Really?”
“Yep. Always stopping by to see if we needed anything. How do you think he started helping me pack in my supplies? He missed you. I think being here around us, in this house, made him feel closer to you.” She gives me a minute to process. “He blew it off as being a good neighbor, and he is the best, but Harold and I both knew there was more. There wasn’t a single time he was here, or we would run into him in town, that he didn’t ask about you. He was starving for any little morsel of information we could give him.”
“I wish he would have told me.” I can’t believe he wanted me all that time. I mean, I know he told me, but to hear it from Gram somehow makes it more real. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think Rip is lying to me, not at all. But this is my grandmother. She’s never held back punches when telling me what I need to hear, good or bad. She and my grandfather saved me from my parents, and we’ve had many hard conversations in my lifetime. So, yeah, coming from her, it’s definitely more real.
“Do you, though? Would you have been able to leave him?”
I think about how I’m dreading going to sleep tonight without him, and I know there’s a really good chance I would have stayed. “Probably not, but we’ll never know for sure.”
“He wanted you to follow your dream, McKenna. You’ve done that, and now you can think about what comes next. Marriage and a family.”
“Hey now, who said anything about marriage and a family?”
“Do you not want to be married? Not have a family of your own? Has that changed since you’ve been away at college?”
“No.”
“That’s what I thought,” she says smugly. “Now, let’s get this dessert delivered.” She sniggers, and I know she’s enjoying this. I’m glad to see that both of them are doing well and moving forward with a healthier lifestyle.
“What is this?” Gramps asks. He’s looking down at his bowl of fresh fruit and whipped cream like he might cry.
“It’s healthy and just the right amount of sweet.” Grams tells him with a tilt in her lips. “This is your new dessert.”
“You’re enjoying this?”
“I am. You’re acting like a toddler when I’m trying to save your life.”
Gramps nods. “Love you, Aggie,” he says softly.
“I love you too. Now dig in.”
Later that night, I’m in bed and have been staring at the ceiling for what feels like hours. I miss Rip. What’s worse is that it’s my own stubbornness as to why he’s not here holding me now. When my phone vibrates on the nightstand, I know it’s him.
Rip: I miss you.
The text is followed by a picture of my side of his big king-size bed.
Rip: This bed is too empty.
I type out a message but decide to call him instead. I need to hear his voice. Backing out of the message, I hit his contact.
“Kenna.”
“Hey.”
“Can’t sleep?”
“No.”
“Me either.”
“Want me to come and get you?”
I glance at the alarm clock. It’s already one in the morning. “No. You have to be up in a few hours.” He gets up at five every day to start the chores on the farm.
“Well, that’s a few hours of sleep I’ll get compared to none.”
“No, I don’t want to wake my grandparents.”
“I hate this.”
“How is it that I’ve been home for a little over a month, and I’m already so attached to you?”
“Because we’re meant to be, Kenna.”
“It’s hard to resist you when you say things like that.”
“Good.” He chuckles softly.
“I should let you go. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
“Pretend like I’m there with my arms around you. Holding you close.”
“Yeah,” I say, feeling my eyes getting heavy. How can just talking to this man put me so at ease?
“Sweet dreams, baby.”
“Night, Rip.” I end the call, place my phone back on the nightstand, and drift off to sleep with his voice in my head.
Chapter 23
Rip
Today my little sister marries the love of her life, and I’m a grumpy bastard. Why, you ask? My best friend gets to walk down the aisle with my girl while I’m walking with his girlfriend. As maid of honor and best man, that’s the order of things, but I don’t have to like it. It’s not just me. I’m not the only one. Corbin is a little grouchy himself.
“What’s up with the two of you?” Colby asks.
“Nothing,” Corbin and I mumble at the same time.
“Fuck that. This is my wedding day. You know how long I’ve waited to marry Lara. You two surly bastards aren’t going to ruin in. Start talking.”
I look at Corbin and shrug. “Fine, I’m irritated I don’t get to walk in with Sara.”
Colby rolls his eyes. “And you?” he asks me.
“What he said, with Kenna,” I confess.
“Seriously? Are the two of you so pussy-whipped that you’re whining that you can’t walk in with your girlfriends at my wedding?”
Corbin and I share another look. “Yes,” we say at the same time.
Colby surprises me when he throws his head back in laughter. Reaching into the pocket of his blue jeans, he pulls out his cell and dials. The phone rings out in the room, letting us know he has it on speaker.
“Hey, handsome, you ready for this?” Laramie asks him.
“I’ve been ready. However, our brothers are not feeling the same way.”
“What?” Laramie asks with panic in her voice.
“Yeah, they’re both sulking because they can’t walk in with their girlfriends.”
“Colby!” Lara scolds him. “You gave me a heart attack. Is that all? They’re sulking?”
“Pretty much,” he says smugly, knowing damn well Lara is going to put us in our place.
“Whatever, I don’t care about the order. They can just take their right places when they reach the archway that Corbin, Colby, and their father built for today. All I care about is that everyone who is important to me is there to watch us get married. The rest is just details.”
“Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?” I ask, loud enough that she can hear.
Laramie laughs “I’m getting married today, big brother. It’s going to take a whole hell of a lot more than you and my brother-in-law bitching about not walking down the aisle with your women. Besides, I’m sure the four of you aren’t far behind us.”
“Right.” Corbin laughs. “How long did the two of you date before taking the plunge?” he asks.