Page 63 of Heal Me
Emily shook her head. “How do you think I felt every time you guys got on a bull or bronco? I was so afraid that you’d snap your neck or be gored by an angry bull. And you dislocated your shoulder that one time!”
“Which is why I stopped riding them,” Ric said. “I loved riding bulls and I wasn’t a bit afraid while I was doing it, either. So, I get where Kate’s coming from. I do. But I had to finish raising you and I wasn’t going to get myself killed and leave you alone because I was too much of a thrill-seeker.”
Tyler said, “I understand what you’re saying, Ric, but I think you went about it all wrong. Most people don’t respond well when they’re given an order, especially when it involves personal matters.” He and Emily exchanged a meaningful look. “For what it’s worth, I think Kate’s the one for you, Ric. You know it, too. You’re the best negotiator I know. That’s why we call you the Fixer. Are you willing to fight for your relationship with Kate, to work things out, or are you going to let fear and pride get in the way of your happiness?”
Ric took another pull from his bottle and nodded. “I know that I have some stuff to figure out.”
“From the sounds of it, it involves more than Kate,” Emily said.
Chuckling, Ric shook his head. “Before I broke my ankle and had to stay with you guys, I was perfectly happy here in New York. You remember how bored I was back in Cooper’s Creek. All I could think about was business, all of the stuff I was going to have to catch up on. Now all I can think about is being back there with all of my family and friends.”
“And Kate,” Tyler said.
“Yeah,” Ric said. “But even if it doesn’t work out with her, I’d still rather be at least in Denver. I’m sorry, Ty, but my heart isn’t in New York now. I only came here because I was running. Stupid of me.”
“Running doesn’t work.” Emily nudged Tyler. “Does it, honey?”
Tyler wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. “Nope. I learned that lesson, too.”
Ric smiled glad to see them so happy.
“Do you want to sell to Lisbon?” Tyler asked.
Sitting the bottle of scotch on the coffee table, Ric said, “Not all of our company, just New York. Look, the fact is that we’ve got our hands full with the hospital and our investment clients in Denver and the West Coast.
“We’ve got plenty of money and we can probably work out something with Lisbon to keep our hand in the game a little here. I think we should diversify somewhat, though. Get into some other markets. We can do that from Denver and L.A. and come to the city when we need to. What do you think?”
Tyler grinned. “I think you’re reading my mind. Lisbon is chomping at the bit so hard that I’m sure we can work out a great deal. Let’s discuss it more tomorrow when we can get Chase in on the conversation, okay?”
“Sounds good,” Ric said. “Thanks for lending me an ear. Goodnight, guys.”
“’Night. Love you, bro,” Emily said.
Ric smiled. “Love you, too, sis.”
He hung up and closed his laptop. After taking a couple more swigs from his bottle, he lay down on the couch and picked up his phone. Bringing up his pics, he started flipping through all of the ones he’d taken of Kate.
His favorites were the couple that he’d taken while she’d been asleep and those in which she was making silly faces. Smiling at the one where she was making an exaggerated model face, he wished to hell that he hadn’t been so overbearing about the situation with her. Damn, but he missed her.
The temptation to call her was almost too much to resist, but it was getting late and he was drunk. Not the right time to talk to her. With a sigh of regret, Ric sat the phone on the coffee table and closed his eyes.
“Come on, Ric the Fixer. How are you going to fix this?”
He needed to figure it out quickly or he was going to lose the best thing that had ever happened to him.
