Page 42 of The Wrangler Takes a Wife

“A sales tactic. Yeah, Vernon came and talked to me about selling, but I never agreed to sell this place. I wouldn’t without talking to you.”

How could Amara have gotten it so wrong? She shuffled her feet.

“Come sit with me,” Chase coaxed, taking a seat.

As she walked by him to sit, he pulled her into his lap. If what he was saying was true, why wasn’t he angry with her?

“I’m so confused. Why did you have a meeting with Vernon and not tell me?”

“I wouldn’t consider it a meeting. He stopped by, talking a big game. The guy pissed me off, so I made him follow me to the east side of the barn. He gave me his pitch, which I barely listened to. Then I turned him down.”

“The east side is all muddy.”

“It was more fun to get him all dirty than to run him off. He was as slick as a used car salesman.”

“So, you never considered selling?”

“No, I didn’t. We are long overdue for a talk. First, I would like you to put back on your rings.” He held them up. “Please.”

His tone was gruff but Amara didn’t miss the vulnerability in his eyes. She felt terrible. Even though he told her to do it, he slid the rings back on her finger himself.

“Don’t take them off again.”

Like ever?“But we aren’t even a real couple.”

“Aren’t we? I think it’s time we stopped lying to ourselves and each other. There is nothing fake about our marriage, or how I feel about you.”

“How do you feel about me?”

“First, there are a couple of things I want to set straight. Even if I wanted to sell Sagebrush Hill, I couldn’t. Well, not yet. My uncle made the stipulation that I can’t sell it before two years.”

Amara did not know about the clause. It wasn’t as if Jo could or would share the terms of a client’s will. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know. I should have told you. It would have prevented you from getting so upset and trying to leave me. I wouldn’t have allowed it. There is no way I’m letting you go. Which brings me to how I feel about you.”

Her heart rate picked up.

“You mean the world to me. I want us to continue to build a life together because I love you. You’re everything I could want and then some.” His words were like a gentle promise which was wrapped around her heart, making her feel cherished and deeply valued. In that moment, she knew their bond was something truly special and worth nurturing. Somehow, she would make up for the distrust she displayed today.

For now, she just wanted him to know how she felt. “I love you too, Chase.”

He pulled her tight, and she nestled into his lap, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his breath. The soft hum of the refrigeratorwas the only sound as they let the tension of their earlier misunderstanding melt away. Their declaration of love bonded them. It didn’t matter how they had started, all that mattered was where they would go from here. The mistake didn’t define them, and working through it only strengthened them. They finally were honest with each other.

“If you want, I can eliminate the worry about me selling Sagebrush Hill.” He rubbed her back.

“Yeah, how?”

“I could sign over the land to you and you’ll be sure I’m here to stay.”

“I’ll forget all about this in a year.” Her smile was dismissive.

“Not in a year. I can sign it over to you right now.”

“You said you can’t sell.”

“I can’t, but I can give it to you. Like I did with fields 8 and 9.”

“You said it was being leased to me.” Amara was all kinds of confused.

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