Page 97 of Stay for Me

“Look,” Val began, “I’m not going to make you tell me something you don’t want to tell me…”

“…but,” Abbie picked up, “we wouldn’t be opposed to you telling us every single detail.”

Harmony smacked Abbie with a pillow. “We don’t need to know every detail.”

“Speak for yourself,” Abbie deadpanned. “I still remember the day he showed up in front of the barn, asking Denver for a job.” She looked to the window, the memory flooding back as she told us about it.

“I didn’t see him until a few weeks later,” I said once she was done, remembering the first time I saw him. My eyes dropped to my lap, my cheeks heating. “I fell for him right then. I was in love with him the second he looked at me.” My voice was a barely a whisper now. Over ten years later, I still couldn’t comprehend it.

The girls waited, and I continued, telling them about the last decade.

And like they asked, I gave them every single detail.

When I was done, all three of them had the same look in their eyes, but it was Valerie who whispered, “That cowboy is so in love with you, babe.”

I was ready to deny it, shaking my head as I did, but when I opened my mouth, Abbie cut me off. “You know, it makes sense now.”

“What makes sense?” I pressed, looking at her as she chewed on the inside of her lip.

Her smile was smile, but the weight of it was overwhelming. “Every time, without fail, when you’re brought up in conversation, he has a reaction.”

“What? No, he doesn’t,” Val chimed in.

“Mags is always quiet and broody,” Harm mumbles.

“Yeah, but when Di is brought up, he either looks to his boots or he walks away,” Abbie said, giving me another one of her small smiles. “You’ve had that cowboy wrapped around your finger for a while now. He’s just too stubborn to admit it.”

“He doesn’t think he’s good enough,” I whispered, the realization slamming into me.

“You have to show him he is, babe,” Val murmured.

“He’s broken,” Abbie added, meeting my eyes. “And I know you’re the only one on this Earth who can make him whole again.”

My body ached as I sat up further. “I don’t know how to be—I don’t know where to start.”

“Talk to him,” Harmony urged, leaning forward to grab my hand. “After everyone leaves, sit him down and have a conversation.”

“Mags?”Icalled,hobblingto the mouth of the hallway, my eyes scanning over the empty kitchen, seeing all the dishes from dinner were cleaned and put away. I looked over into the living room, finding it spotless. There was no evidence that, just an hour ago, every single person who lived and worked on this ranch, plus Chase and Thomas, were all here for dinner—made by Jigs, Valerie, and Abbie.

My eyes lingered on the desk on the opposite side of the room, the notebook open, the pen missing.

I’d come out here for the conversation, for answers.

Suddenly, the front door flew open, and Mags stormed through, his dark eyes filled with fire. “What the fuck are you doing?” he growled, moving around his furniture and coming directly for me.

“I was just—AHH!” I was in his arms then, being carried through the living room.

Mags set me on the couch a second later, his chest heaving with anger. “Told you to go to bed,” he clipped, grabbing the Afghan from the back of the couch and covering me with it, his movements hurried and erratic.

I gaped at him, the light from the small fire flickering on the side over his face as he planted his hands on the cushions behind me, caging me in like he had just a few hours ago. “I’m not a child, Mags. I can do what I want,” I quipped. A muscle jumped in his cheek, and I took a second to take him in. He was still in his jeans and boots, but his hat and flannel were gone, leaving him in only a black T-shirt. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” I finished softly.

He said nothing.

“Are you okay?” I asked, looking over to the desk and then back to him. “I didn’t hear you come in after everyone left.”

His answer was short and gruff. “Had to think.”

“Oh.”

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