Page 19 of Loving Decker

“Not really, because I always just seem to blurt out all this stuff without thinking.”

“Like what?”

“Well, like, if the Haws sell, Willow Creek will be ruined for us and everyone else in the town.”

Dylan whistled.

“Well, do you want to have a subdivision at the property line? They are right next door.”

“No, I don’t, but I don’t think pushing her into bankruptcy, kicking her out of Willow Creek, and giving her property to the bank is a better idea.”

Decker’s mouth went dry. “That’s an important thought.” He croaked, and then poured himself a cup of water. “Do you think that’s what would happen to her?”

“Yes, I do. And I’m pretty sure her grandpa would want that least of all.”

Decker’s eyes lit. “You know, you’re right. Of course he wouldn’t want that.” His smile grew. “Sometimes I think you got all the wisdom, and I got all the looks.”

“Yeah, whatever. Now get out of here.”

“Where am I going?”

“To talk to Faith.”

“I am?” He stood taller. “I am.” He turned to walk out of the room. What was he gonna say to Faith? They weren’t a thing. But they were friends. And he wanted them to start being something more. It was time to admit a few things, wasn’t it?

As his truck pulled into her place, he was filled with a wave of nostalgia. He had plenty of memories sitting in that very farmhouse, gathered around a warm kitchen table, laughing. He’d come to this front door a million times it felt like, to pick up his best friend. And his best friend needed him. Right now.

When he was in high school, his family started talking about living in Willow Creek forever. His dad had just introduced the idea of always being home for family Sunday dinners, no matter where life took them, and Decker had left the house feeling down.

And guilty.

Was he the only Dawson who wanted to get out? It’s not like he wanted to leave forever, and it’s not like he wanted anything to change, but he had definitely taken the news of Sunday dinners with disappointment instead of the joy his brothers seemed to feel. Was it anti-Dawson to want to go out in the world and do different things?

He did his time in the rodeo. He was the best roper in the world for a brief season. He loved Willow Creek, obviously, and couldn’t bear to see it change. But he had skills he wanted to use elsewhere, maybe. At least the idea of Botts and Lindel appealed to him. Would he really do it? He didn’t know. But he had to think about it.

Faith came to mind.

And as much as he tried to move her somewhere else, she persisted. Her face, her laugh, her personality, and oddly, the times they had climbed trees on her property. He laughed to himself. All those years ago, when he’d told her his worry about leaving, she’d just listened and said, “I think Willow Creek will go on without you.”

At the time, he hadn’t really loved her response. But over the years, he’d turned to it often. Yes, yes it would.

Then why was he so reactive to the thought of selling?

Because he would feel responsible. If he stayed, he could make things work. If he left, and they had to sell, it would be his fault. Maybe that was it. He wasn’t entirely sure, but he knew it was physically painful to think of losing any of their family’s land. It was painful to think that he would one day ride out to check the fencing on the Haws-Dawson property line, and it would no longer be Faith’s land on the other side.

He squinted in the sun. Faith was out on the tractor mowing a field. He laughed to himself. She was gonna be out on that thing all day.

He made his way to their barn and grabbed one of the four-wheelers and took off out to the back pasture toward her.

She was riding away from him, and with the noise of her mower, she wouldn’t know he was coming. He watched her work. The closer he came, the better he could see the sun shining off her hair and the smaller details like a shirt damp with sweat, or the stray hairs blowing around her.

A woman out on her land.

Just seeing her like this brought the realization that this moment, right here, was how he’d always imagined a beautiful woman to be. Strong, smart, hard-working, gorgeous. All encompassing. She was more because of who she was, where she belonged, and the work she did. All this time, Faith Haws had been right in front of him.

And he really was an idiot if he messed this up.

He pulled to a stop outside of the pasture she was mowing, jogged over to her next row, and stood right in the middle of it.

---