Page 96 of Stay for Me

“The men were being stupid,” Valerie answered for him, giving him an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry for that, by the way. Cowboys are…rowdy.”

“I’m aware,” he said, turning and giving me a wink.

After he left the room, Val closed the door softly and turned, leaning against it, unsure of what to do.

So, I started. “I’m sorry.”

Confusion twisted her features. “For what, Di? You did nothing wrong.”

“I was a shitty friend to you,” I confessed. “I avoided you because of my—”

“—I don’t care about any of that,” she cut me off, rushing over to me. “My best friend almost died today. You think I care about you not seeing me for a few weeks?”

A lump formed in my throat as I looked up at her, wondering how the hell I got so lucky to have a friend like her. “You don’t—you aren’t mad at me?”

“Di, when my mom died, I didn’t leave Den’s bedroom for a month.”

“That’s different.”

“Pain is pain. There is no justification. If you're hurting, you’re hurting, and babe, you’ve beenhurting. You needed time and away from the ranch,” she stressed, her voice shaking. “Now, can I sit right here, or do you want me by the door?”

I pointed to the bed.

“Thank God,” she breathed, plopping down and pulling me into her arms. I put my head on her shoulder, and then—the dam opened. Sobs took over my body, tears flooded my eyes, and suddenly, I was clinging to her as the pieces of my heart drifted further and further apart.

I didn’t know how much time had passed. Abbie and Harmony were knocking on the door. Then, they ended up on the bed, holding me while I let it all out. When there were no more tears left to give, I settled back into the pillows, clicking my thumb and index fingernails together, my anxiety running rampant.

“Have you kissed him?”

“Abbie!”

Abbie rolled her eyes at Valerie. “Oh, come on, we were all thinking it. Hallow Ranch cowboys stake their claim with a kiss.”

Val bit the inside of her cheek and looked over to me. “That’s actually true.”

I looked over to Abbie. “No, we haven’t kissed.”

Disappointment was painted across all their faces then and more silence followed.

“Maybe Mags hasn’t had his ‘fuck it’ moment,” Harmony guessed after a few minutes.

I sat up a little straighter. “His what?”

“You know, the moment when he loses control and gives in,” Abbie said. “Beau had multiple with me.”

“We know,” Val and Harmony said at the same time.

“I don’t know,” I mumbled.

“Well, Mase’s ‘fuck it’ moment with me was when he came over for dinner and then decided he needed to leave all of a sudden. He was acting weird, and when I asked him if it was because of me, he did the growly thing and kissed me in the middle of my hallway. It made my knees weak.”

Valerie hummed. “I love the growly thing.”

“Seconded,” Abbie chimed in.

“I think…I think Mags just did the growly thing to me,” I murmured.

All heads snapped in my direction, and Harmony’s cheeks were tinted. “He did?”

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