Page 50 of Rusty

Rusty nodded, gritting his teeth. “I hear you, Chuck. Loud and clear. It’s time for Rusty Maguire to get his damn act together. I’m gonna show Janice Jameson how goddamn special she is. Whether she’s the daughter of a fuckin’ Scottish Laird or not—she’s mine. And this time, no more damn screw-ups.”

Chuck smiled. “Good luck, Rusty.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Janice

Janice slouched in theback of the art therapy room, clutching Little Miss Giggles tightly to her chest. Paintbrushes and palettes lay scattered across the tables, but she had little interest in them today. Her mind wandered far beyond the four walls that contained her, lost in memories and dreams that felt like they belonged to another lifetime.

"Janice? Are you all right?" Nicole asked, momentarily pulling her from her reverie.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," she replied, mustering a weak smile. "Just got a lot on my mind." It was the excuse Rusty had used. Now she was using it, too.

Nicole nodded kindly. “If you don’t feel like painting today, then I can give you some stickers or a coloring book. Just let me know.”

“Thanks,” Janice said with a nod.

As her eyes drifted back to the paintings that lay unfinished on the table, she felt annoyed with herself for not being able toget into Little Space today. Work was going well, after all. She continuing with her art therapy. She was safe from her father.

So, why did she still feel so bad?

Suddenly, a hush fell over the room, so sudden and complete that it pierced through the haze surrounding Janice's thoughts. She blinked, looking up from her half-finished painting of a sunset over rolling hills. Her breath caught in her throat.

Rusty stood in the doorway.

His hazel eyes were locked on her, so intense it almost made her shudder. He wore a plaid shirt, a Stetson, and his faded blue jeans, and he looked every bit the handsome cowboy that he was.

The room remained hushed, each person waiting with bated breath for what was about to unfold.

"Janice," Rusty began, his voice nervous but determined. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and there's something I need to say."

He stepped farther into the room, never breaking eye contact with her.

Janice felt a shiver run down her spine as she watched him approach.

"Ten years ago, I made the biggest mistake of my life," Rusty continued. "I hurt you. I walked away from our relationship without an explanation, and I've regretted it every day since. I thought I was protecting you—protecting both of us—but all I did was leave a void in our lives."

Janice could feel the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes but fought to keep them at bay.

"Life without you has been empty, Janice," Rusty admitted, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I've missed your laughter, your strength, and your love. I'm so sorry for the pain I caused you—then and now."

"Rusty, I. . . ." Janice stammered, her voice thick with emotion.

"Please, don't stop me," he pleaded, raising a hand to gently silence her. "I need to get this all out."

She nodded, hanging on to his every word.

“When your father told me to leave you, I lacked the self-conviction to stand up to him. I didn’t want to risk him destroying your life, so I did what I thought I had to. Truth is, Janice, I never felt good enough for you. A lowly cow wrangler, getting mixed up with the beautiful daughter of a Scottish Laird? I guess that when Angus told me I wasn’t enough for you, I believed him.”

“But it’s not true,” Janice protested.

“Back then, Janice, I thought it was. I thought I had been a fool to want to marry you, to make you into,”—he swallowed—“Janice Maguire.”

Janice blinked at him. “I hate my family name, Rusty. I hate all that it represents.”

Rusty smiled sympathetically at her. "Well, over the past ten years, I've learned a lot about myself and what truly matters in life," Rusty explained. "Love should be celebrated, not hidden away out of fear or shame. And I want nothing more than to share my life with you, to stand by your side through the good times and the bad."

All the Littles in the room gasped excitedly.

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