Page 68 of The Cowboy’s Intriguing Love

Ty: Not until you’re in the air.

Shay: Aw. I don’t want to go. I want to turn around and come back out to you.

Ty: I’ll see you next weekend.

Shay: I’ll see what shifts I can give up.

Ty: You don’t need to. I’ll go with you wherever I can.

Shay: I’m going to be OK. I don’t want you to worry.

Ty: I will. You be careful, OK?

Shay: I will.

Ty scowled at his phone when it rang. It was Cash – he’d have to wait.

Shay: I’m going straight to the bakery when I get back to the lake – to say thank you to April.

Ty: Tell her I said thanks, too. And if she wants anything from up here, I’ll bring her some. Anything she wants, she can have.

Shay: I wasn’t thrilled about her meddling at first, but I’m so grateful now.

Ty: Me too – forever grateful.

Ty watched the screen. Talking about forever might be too much, but he didn’t want to take it back. As the minutes ticked by, and she didn’t reply, he started to think that maybe it was too much. He let out a sigh of relief when she answered.

Shay: Sorry. They made us move to another gate. I wasn’t ignoring you, and I didn’t need time to think about what you said oranything like that. I’m going to be brave and say it – I hope we get forever.

He couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

Ty: If you want me, I’m yours – forever.

Shay: I’m yours forever, too, Ty.

Shay: Crap! They’re starting boarding now. I don’t want to keep you. You need to get on the road if you’re going to get home before dark. So … I’ll see ya later. I’ll let you know when I land, but don’t worry about answering if you’re driving. I can wait.”

Ty: I can pull over.

Shay: Ok.

Ty: See ya later.

He tapped out another three words and stared at them. They were true, he knew it in his heart, even if his head wanted a little more time to process it. But he didn’t want to say it for the first time in a text. Instead, he sent a heart emoji, thinking as he did about all the shit his brothers would give him if they could see.

But they couldn’t see, and it dawned on him that he didn’t care what anyone had to say about it. He leaned back in his seat when he realized that Tanner was probably the one who’d tease him. The rest of them would understand how he felt.

He grinned when another text came in.

Shay: I have to switch off now. Drive safe.

And then she sent another with just a heart, and he hoped like hell that it meant the same three words that he’d meant.

As soon as he was far enough north that he was clear of the congestion around the city, he told his phone toCall Cash.

“What took you so long? Did she get off all right?”

“She did. How did you … Alma?”

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