She liked being his friend, but if that’s all he wanted, then he needed to let her take the time and space she needed to find someone who wanted to make her happy.
Clint had made a real effort today and she appreciated it. For a while there, they’d talked and laughed and enjoyed their time together.
Her phone dinged with another text. She picked it up.
CLINT: Never leave me wanting again with just a peck on the cheek
She laughed under her breath and realized that after all he’d done she owed him a sexier goodbye than a friendly peck.
CLINT: Miss you already
She smiled at the simple words that meant so much.
CLINT: I’ll pick you up at your place for the movie
CLINT: I expect a kiss good-morning to make up for the one you gave me at lunch
Which meant he wanted to spend the night.
The thing about the kiss niggled at the back of her mind.
Why hadn’t she planted a kiss on him filled with heat?
Because she’d been thinking about Tate rescuing her from James and making him pay for tormenting her and how sweet that was for Tate to do just for her.
She needed to stop thinking about Tate and impossible things and focus on the here and now and the man who missed and wanted her.
Maybe she couldn’t unlove Tate, but she could make room in her heart to love someone else.
She sat back in her seat and stared up at the ceiling hoping Tate hadn’t doomed her to never falling in love with someone else and a life of loneliness pining away for a man who didn’t want her.
People settled all the time. If that’s what she was doing with Clint, well, he wasn’t such a bad guy. She could do worse.
At least she wouldn’t be alone.
That’s what had changed between her and Tate.
All those calls they shared, all the time they spent together, it hit her all at once weeks ago when they hung up after a long call where he’d talked about how much he wanted to meet someone like the woman Drake fell hard and fast for. Tate wanted a real relationship with someone. He wanted to be in love. And after pouring out his heart, he’d hung up with her and she’d felt dismissed.
Even though they’d never talked about how she felt about him, he’d never acknowledged it or even thought about accepting her love for him. He’d never considered her for the person to be the one who filled that longing in him.
She couldn’t make him love her.
She couldn’t flip a switch in him and make him see her in a different way.
To him, she’d forever be his best friend, Lizzy Lizard, and nothing more.
Tonight she’d let him know she accepted that now, even if it left a crack in her heart.
In time, that persistent ache would heal. She’d find happiness with someone else.
So would he.
And when he did, her heart would break again, but she’d wish him all the happiness in the world because she loved him that much.
Chapter Five
Tate put the last plate and fork in the dishwasher and shut it. He and Declan shared a roof over their heads and split the chores, while the meals were prepared courtesy of their little sister, Trinity, with prepared food from Almost Homemade. Trinity and Adria put together a week’s worth of meals for them, and Trinity delivered them every Sunday. He and Declan knew she just wanted to come out there to make sure they hadn’t burned the place down, or left their underwear strewn all over the house.
The thought made him chuckle under his breath.
What did she expect, that they’d turned into heathens when she moved out and into the apartment over the shop?
“What are you smiling about? I thought you were worried about this talk with Liz.”
“I am. I was just thinking about Trinity and how she brings food out to us every week.”
Declan rolled his eyes. “She thinks we can’t do anything domestic on our own.”
“I have to admit I liked it better when she did the dishes.”
Declan frowned. “There’s so few to do now, it’s not that bad.”
Tate understood all too well how Declan felt. “The ranch is quieter nowadays.” Mom and Dad bought an RV and spent their time driving cross-country, making the house feel empty without them and Drake and Trinity living at home anymore. Tate wiped down the counter. “I’m looking forward to moving out to the cabin when Drake and Adria move their stuff out.” Their new house was being renovated, but they’d recently moved in anyway. They just hadn’t taken all their stuff yet, what with the rushed wedding and their honeymoon.
“I need a change.” Not just of where he lived but in his life.
“I do, too. This place feels too much like the family house instead of mine.” Declan ran the ranch now. He deserved the big house.
Tate could make do with the cabin. He didn’t need much room. “Well, Mom and Dad took care of the kitchen renovation before they left on their cross-country excursion. But the whole place still needs a new coat of paint. You should buy some new furniture, I don’t know . . . redecorate.”
“Yeah, because I have time to do that.”
“If you want me to hire on the new guys we need, I’ll do it and free up some of your time.”
“I’m talking to a few people. I just haven’t made up my mind yet.”
Tate didn’t push. The whole family simply accepted that Declan ran the business after Drake ditched this place and joined the army. Declan liked to do things his way. Tate didn’t resent Declan for taking the lead and not giving up any of the management responsibilities. Back in the day, Tate ran a little wild. But he’d grown up and tried to step up as much as Declan would allow him because he loved working the ranch. When Declan asked him to do something, he did it. He offered to take on more all the time. Declan took him up on it when he absolutely needed to. Otherwise, Declan did the work himself.
One of these days, Declan would resign himself to the fact that he couldn’t do everything—and no one asked him to. When that day came, Tate would be there to partner with Declan in a more even way. Until then, to keep from stressing Declan out, he took his cues from Declan and did his job. Declan counted on him to do it well.
Tate didn’t ever want to disappoint Declan.
But he’d disappointed Liz. And it ate away at him. He needed to make it right.
He checked his watch. “Liz should be here any minute.”
“Are you going to finally admit you have feelings for her?”
He hoped getting her alone so they could talk would help him figure out exactly how he felt. “Do I? Or am I just holding on to her because I don’t want anyone else to have her?”
“That’s what I asked you.”
Tate held his hands out and let them fall and slap his thighs. “Fuck if I know.”
“Kiss her.”
Tate’s brain slammed to a halt. “What?”
“Have you ever kissed her?”
“No.” He’d never crossed that line, because they were friends.
“Maybe you should. It might tell you everything you need to know.” With that, Declan walked out of the kitchen into the living room where a football game Declan recorded on the DVR blasted out of the TV.