“I’ve heard them.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “This could get really ugly, Paget. I’m sorry. I never wanted to drag you through the mud and make you deal with all this and bring all the pain of your mother’s death up again.”
“I’m getting closure when it comes to how my mom died. I owe you for that.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“Perhaps I don’t, but you owe me a whiskey sour. Any chance you’ll be coming to town soon?”
His breath hitched. “You want to see me?”
“I think we need to talk.”
All the air in his lungs left in one swoop like a jet racing off the runway and punching up into the sky. He gripped the side of the desk and pushed to a standing position. “I’m actually at the bar. Are you at your dad’s?”
“I am.”
“Why don’t you meet me at my place in ten minutes. I’ll bring you a whiskey sour.”
“Wow,” she whispered. “I hadn’t expected to be having this conversation so quickly.”
“I’m just glad you’re willing to see me.” He shoved his cell in his back pocket and raced down the steps, taking them two at a time. As fast as he could, he made a pitcher of whiskey sours and snagged a plate of appetizers from the kitchen all while his staff bombard him with questions about the news story that broke about him and his ex-wife.
He’d deal with all that shit later.
Right now, he had a woman he needed to tell that he loved and that he would do whatever it took to make sure she knew she would be the center of his world.
And that he’d never lie to her again.
With a spring in his step, he made his way down the street. The stars dotted the night sky as the white moon rose high. An owl hooted in the distance. A woman with her dog jogged down the other side of the street. She waved.
Boone nodded. He liked living in town, but he much preferred the cabin with its wide-open spaces. Life in the country provided the kind of solitude his mind and soul craved. He could understand and appreciate why Paget loved it out there so much, and he hoped, after her father passed, she’d want to move back out there.
He knew he did.
He let out a puff of air and slowed his pace. He was getting ahead of himself, and the likelihood that she wanted to jump into a hot and heavy relationship with him was slim to none.
Turning up the walkway to his rental, he paused midstep. “Hey, you,” he said, staring at the most beautiful woman ever created.
Paget had made herself comfortable on one of his rockers on the side porch. She’d put her feet up on the ottoman and crossed her hands over her stomach. “When did you get back into town?”
“A few hours ago.” He set the box of food on the table and went about pouring the whiskey sours. “Here you go.”
“I’ve missed these.”
“I’m glad I’m good for something,” he mused, taking a chip and dipping it in some guacamole. “How’s your dad?”
“Not well, honestly. He puts on a good front, but the cancer is turning aggressive.”
“I’m sorry.”
She raised the glass to her lips and moaned. “Oh, my God. It’s still like having a mini orgasm in my mouth.”
“I like giving you orgasms.” He groaned. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
She tipped her glass. “I set myself up for that one.”
“Yeah. You kind of did.” He scooted closer, leaning in, pressing his lips on her sweet cheek. “You look good.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” She tucked her feet under her butt and faced him, catching his gaze. “I’m sorry I’ve been so hard on you. I was angry and hurt.”
“I don’t blame you. I would be too.”
“Is there anything else you’ve lied to me about?”
He shook his head. “May I explain something?”
“Sure.”
“I lied to the world about who I was, and for good reason.”
She held up her hand. “I don’t deny you that.”
“I perpetuated that lie for many reasons, but I know I should have told you the truth before we slept together. I can’t go back and change my mistake, but I can own it. That said. I will not apologize for doing things to help out the people I love.” He reached out, taking her chin in his thumb and forefinger. He searched her eyes for the answers he desperately wanted to hear. “I know you don’t like to rely on other people. That you somehow see it as weak or something. But I have a ridiculous amount of money, and I try to do good with it. My company is a not-for-profit. With the bar and grill, outside of the profits I need to run the place and make improvements, I donate to local businesses and charities.”
“I know you do.” She curled her fingers around his wrist.
“I love you, Paget. And there’s nothing wrong with me using my money to pay off some of the debt you and your dad accumulated. If we ever get married. Or hell, we don’t have to get married for the money to become ours. We just have to be in a committed relationship, and there isn’t anyone on this planet I want to make a whiskey sour for ever again.”
She coughed. “You what me?”
“I love you.”
“Oh. I see.”
Boone cupped her face. “I tried to keep my distance. When I first met you, and put it all together, I really avoided you. But then I got to know you and you stole my heart. This last month has been a living hell. The only thing that has kept me together is knowing that Rylee is going to lose everything and will go to jail, where she belongs.” His heart beat so fast it hurt. Quickly, he brushed his lips over her mouth for a sweet, but short kiss. He needed to feel her warmth for a brief moment. “I want you in my life. I want us to help take care of your dad while he’s still with us. We can do that right here. And then I want to live out our days at the cabin. Together. The two of us. You with your animals, and me with, well, you.”
“That’s quite the speech, especially when I’m the one who said we needed to talk.” She arched a brow and lowered her head.
“Sorry. I’ve just been waiting forever to tell you that.”
She smiled, holding up her drink. “I’ve missed this.”
“Just the drink? You haven’t missed me?” He traced his thumb over her lower lip. “Do you love me, Paget? Do you want me to stay in Buhl?”
“I do love you, Boone, and yes, I want to be with you. I want to take a risk and see where this takes us, if you’ll have me.”
He took her mouth in a hot, wet, passionate kiss with the promise of more to come. This was where he belonged. This was home.
Epilogue
Three Months Later…
Paget stared at the white stick in her hands and gasped.
No.
This couldn’t be.
“Are you okay in there?” Boone tapped on the door before peeking his head in.
Quickly, she shoved the stick under the hand towel. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
“You haven’t felt right since the funeral,” Boone said.
She wanted to remind him that it had only been two weeks since her father died and that it would be a long while before she returned to her normal self. Besides, they had a lot of life changes with selling her family home and moving into the cabin together.