Page 104 of Pretend To Be My Cowboy
He couldn’t shake the image of her tearstained face, the pain in her eyes when he’d broken her trust. He’d done that. He’d thought he was doing right by her, and instead he’d caused her pain.
“What if I hurt her?”
Again. What if he hurt her again? The question came out gruff and low, but Kit heard it, and he...laughed.
“Then you un-hurt her, man.” Kit slapped a hand on his back. “You make it right, and you do better.”
Nash turned to his friend. “What if, for her, it really was all fake?”
Kit arched his brows. “Then you make it real.”
“She has a life in Chicago,” Nash said.
“Then offer her one here.”
Nash scrubbed a hand over his face. “Are you going to counter everything I say?”
“If you keep on saying stupid stuff, I will.” Kit snickered. “I could do this all night, man.”
Nash gave a grunt of acknowledgement. He was being stubborn. Finding excuses not to talk to her, not to spill his guts. Because the moment he did, it would be out there.
And he could get hurt.
He shut his eyes tight with a groan. He was being a coward. He didn’t want to hurt her any more than he already had—and he was terrified that she’d break his heart in turn.
Kit’s tone turned serious. “Nash, you’re my best friend and I want you to be happy.”
“Thanks,” Nash muttered.
But Kit wasn’t done. “So get your moping butt out of this church hall and go get your woman.”
Nash looked over in surprise.
Kit nodded toward the door. “Life’s too short for any other option.”
There was a sadness in Kit’s smile that made Nash’s heart hurt. His best friend had lost so much and in spite of his skepticism, Nash knew Kit missed being in love.
Because love was a gift.
And you didn’t just turn your back on it because you were scared.
Nash couldn’t do anything but nod at his best friend, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Life was too short to waste another minute without Emma. And time was ticking before her flight. He couldn’t afford to waste a second being scared of what ifs, not when she was here now.
Not when he still had a chance to make her see just how much she meant to him. “You’re right, Kit.”
“Of course I’m right,” Kit called out from behind him as he weaved his way through the dancing to reach his sister. He made an excuse and kissed her cheek. She was glowing with happiness as she winked and told him to go get his girl.
Again.
This time he’d find Emma and he wouldn’t let her go until she knew exactly how he felt.
34
Emma had fallen asleep.
Her eyes puffy from crying, she woke up as light began to seep into the living room. She sat up quickly, her mind racing to make sense of the fact that, while still stretched out on the living room couch, she’d been covered with a blanket and had her bedroom pillow laid beneath her head.
The smell of coffee had her waking up even further and she blinked at the room around her, her gaze falling to the coffee table.
