Page 59 of Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

Funny enough… it is almost like a painting of how I feel inside.

"Take me directly to the ranch," I instruct the pilot, my eyes scanning the ground below for any sign of the cottage.

The moment the helicopter touches down behind the main residence, I'm out and moving.

Two months ago, I would never imagine that I could very well be recreating a scene from a movie. I would never imagine that I would be running across the ranch, racing to see a girl that made my heart race.

My walk quickly turns into a jog, then a full-out run as I make my way towards Hayley's cottage. For a moment, I feel like I'm back in high school, heart racing with the anticipation of seeing my crush.

As the cottage comes into view, I slow my pace, suddenly aware of how disheveled I must look. I run a hand through my hair in a futile attempt to tame it, adjust my rumpled shirt, and try to catch my breath. Standing at the bottom of the three steps leading to the porch, I take a moment to compose myself.

Before I can climb the steps, the door swings open, and there she is – the woman who's been occupying my thoughts for days, standing right in front of me.

"Austin?" Hayley calls out, stepping onto the porch. Her eyes are wide with surprise, her voice filled with confusion and something else I can't quite place. "Your cousin thought you'd be gone for another week."

I take a step forward, my eyes never leaving hers. "You said you missed me," I reply, my voice softer than I intended. "I missed you too."

"Oh..." she breathes, her lips parting slightly in surprise. A flush creeps across her cheeks, and I feel my own heart start to race again. I have to stifle a groan – how is it possible that she affects me this much?

As she speaks, I can barely take my eyes off her.

Is this it? Is it real?

But then, another type of reality sets in.

As we're talking, something keeps nagging me at the back of my mind.

I glance at my watch. Twenty minutes.

That's all the time I have before I need to leave again. Twenty minutes to say everything I've been wanting to say, to hold her if she'll let me, to make sure she knows how much she means to me.

"Can I come in?" I ask, gesturing towards the cottage. "I don't have much time, but I couldn't... I couldn't stay away after your message."

Hayley nods, stepping aside to let me pass. As I brush by her, I catch a whiff of her perfume – something floral and light that makes my head spin. Inside the cottage, everything is just as I remembered it, but somehow it all feels different. More significant, somehow.

"I can't believe you came all this way," Hayley says, closing the door behind us. "What about what you had to do outside the country?"

I turn to face her, drinking in the sight of her. She's wearing duck-print pjs and a hoodie, her hair loose around her shoulders, and she's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

"Work can wait," I say, even though I know it's not entirely true. "This was more important."

Hayley's eyes widen at my words, and I see a flicker of something – hope, maybe? – cross her face. "Austin, I-"

"Wait," I interrupt, holding up a hand. "Before you say anything, I need you to know something." I take a moment to steel myself. "These past few days in China, all I could think about was you. The kiss we shared, the time we've spent together... Hayley, I'm falling for you. Hard. And I know my lifeis complicated, and I know I'm not always here, but I want to make this work. If you'll have me."

The words tumble out in a rush, and once they're out, I feel both terrified and exhilarated. Hayley stares at me, her expression unreadable, and for a moment, I'm afraid I've said too much.

But then she smiles, and it's like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. "Austin," she says, taking a step towards me. "I've been thinking about you too. About us. And I-"

The shrill ring of my phone cuts through the moment like a knife. I curse under my breath, pulling it out to see Wei's name on the screen.

I ignore it, focusing only on her. "Yes, you-"

"Are you sure?" Hayley says hesitantly. "It seems import-"

"Trust me Hayley, nothing is more important than this."

"OK…" She says, running her hand through her hair.

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