Page 44 of Country Winds
“Thank you.” She let him hold her, feeling his embrace like she was in a warm cocoon.
* * *
Half an hour later, Tucker held Ellie’s hand as they walked down Hollywood Boulevard, trying to process everything. He was proud of Ellie and all she’d accomplished. But he had to admit to himself that he wasn’t comfortable with some of it.
He hesitated, then broke the silence. “I haven’t said anything, because I don’t want to step where I shouldn’t. But I think our relationship has reached the point where I can tell you what I'm thinking and feeling.”
Ellie let out an audible breath. “Not many men can do that.”
He waited a beat. “I worry about you and the men who are obsessed with you. I’ve been concerned since the moment I watched you at the gamers’ convention.”
“I’ve seen your concern when you’re watching me.” She looked up at him. “Everything will be fine, Tucker. It’s all new right now, but it will die down and I’ll go back to doing things that don’t draw as much attention.”
He stopped walking and brought her into his arms, his gaze focused on hers. “I will always be concerned. I care too much about you not to be.” He put his forehead against hers. “Bear with me, okay?”
“I appreciate your concern.” She spoke quietly. “Please don’t worry. It’s just a game.”
He raised his head. “You get fan mail from men interested in more than the game. You get marriage proposals regularly.”
She bit her lower lip, then sighed. “It’s all harmless, and it will stop soon.”
“You mentioned your agent has been calling you with requests for auditions for your voicework.” He studied her, taking in her beautiful face, illuminated by the streetlight. “How much more are you going to take on?”
Ellie stepped back, out of his embrace, and took his hands. “I’ll pick and choose what I audition for.” She looked like she was trying to puzzle it all out for herself. “The only problem is all the travel it would involve. I don’t have a studio, so I have to fly to L.A. It would be different if I could do the work from the comfort of my own home.”
The thought of her being gone so much didn’t sit well with him. He released his breath slowly as he listened to her.
She continued. “I’ll have a fantastic income if I take advantage of the moment, and my career really gets rolling.”
He took her hand, and they started walking again. Might as well go for broke. “What are your thoughts on kids?”
Ellie shot a look at him, and he met her gaze. She turned away as they walked on. After a moment, she spoke. “Honestly, I haven’t given it a lot of thought. I’m getting older, so I guess I should start thinking about it. Maybe in a couple of years?”
She sighed. “Right now, things are so crazy that I’m having a hard time focusing on other things.”
Tucker didn’t like the idea of waiting so long to have children. He’d pictured starting a family sooner rather than later, but she was looking as far as two years—could it be even longer?
Tucker thought about the winds of change that had blown through his life and Ellie’s since he met her those short months ago. It seemed like it had been much longer since she’d entered his life, yet no time at all.
Their gazes met again, and he squeezed her hand in reassurance, although he might be the one who needed the reassurance the most.
12
Ellie and Tucker walked from the blazing late June Arizona heat into the welcome coolness of the Phoenix Art Museum. Sweat droplets rolled down Ellie’s spine beneath the cool white cotton top.
She pushed her sunglasses onto her head. “Have you ever been here?”
Tucker adjusted his Diamondbacks ball cap. “Nope. This is a first for me.”
“Well, I told you I have a surprise for you.” She smiled at him and pointed to a banner announcing, “Retrospective of Frederic Remington,” a traveling art exhibition. “Ta da.”
Tucker paused, hooked his thumbs in his jeans, then smiled at her. “I like the surprise. I’ve never seen Remington’s works in person.”
Ellie picked up a flyer for the cowboy artist’s exhibit at the information desk, and they walked through displays of other artworks to get to his. She soaked up all the art they passed as they made their way through the museum.
She looked up at Tucker. “I adore museums.”
“With your background in art, I’m not surprised.” He gave a nod. “I’m not as cultured.”
