Page 56 of Take Me Please, Cowboy
“How can you say that about your own family?”
He seemed to struggle with his words.“It’s better for me to just invite you to come see us, and let you meet everyone, and decide how you feel, because Eureka is my home.I can’t move everyone, and the only way you and I could work, would be if you thought you could be happy in Eureka with me… and us.”
“No pressure,” she said, trying to make a joke of it.
“I’ll be honest, Ansley, it’s scary inviting you up.But there’s no other way to know if you could be happy in my world without letting you in.”
*
For the nextmonth, they texted and talked daily.Rye drove down to see here in Marietta, staying for a night at the Bramble House on Bramble Avenue.Ansley couldn’t leave her uncle alone all night, so she returned home even though she wanted to stay with Rye.
Things were good between them again.Things were better than they’d ever been.The sparks and chemistry were still there, but they’d also begun to talk, really talk, and sharing their feelings created more trust and a deeper bond.
“It’s my turn to come see you next,” Ansley said on Sunday when Rye prepared to head back up to Eureka.“Tell me when it would be good for you, and I’ll come up.It’s only fair.”
“How would you leave your uncle for a weekend?”he asked, keeping her securely in his arms.
“My mom arrives this week.She’s going to stay until Thanksgiving.”
“That’s good.But you don’t want to leave your mom, not after she’s only just arrived.”
Ansley pressed a kiss to his neck, breathing in the scent of skin and man and a teasing hint of his aftershave.“One of the reasons she’s coming is so I can come see you and meet your family.”
“Oh.”Rye drew back to meet her gaze.“Well, in that case, just let me know when you’re on the road.I’ll be there, waiting for you.”
*
With her mothersettled in the Campbell farmhouse, and comfortable with Uncle Clyde’s routine, Ansley was free to head to Eureka.
She didn’t pack a lot as she was only staying for a couple days.She did include her paints, charcoals, and a number of canvases in case there was time or inspiration to work.She set off at dawn and made good time, which added to her nervousness.Ansley hadn’t told him yet she was coming, thinking it’d be fun to surprise him.But what if it wasn’t a good surprise?What if his brother wasn’t well?Or if Rye had changed his mind about her coming?
But this was exactly why she had to go north.She had to see Rye in his hometown.She had to see him in his environment and, hopefully, seeing him in his world would answer the nagging question—could she be happy there?Because that was what it would come down to.She’d have to move to live with him.With them.
Would his family like her?
Would she be welcomed into the family?
Would she be comfortable with them?
When Ansley had met Rye, she hadn’t been looking for forever.She wasn’t in a hurry to marry and settle down, but Rye had changed all that.It wasn’t that he’d changed her, but he’d made her feel stronger, happier, even more creative, and those were all good things.
Could they make it work?That was the big question, and it was what compelled her to Eureka today.
Ansley had never thought of herself as a risk-taker.At home in Last Stand, she’d been quiet, always trying to fly under the radar.But there were things worth fighting for, and Rye Calhoun was one of those things.
She didn’t know where he lived in Eureka, but she’d found an address for Calhoun Roofing online.From what she could tell, Calhoun Roofing wasn’t the biggest roofing company, but they’d been around since the early nineteen eighties and had solid reviews.Of course, there was always a review or two by a disgruntled customer, but the company had responded and apologized and said they wanted to make things right and would be in touch.
Ansley half smiled, thinking that sounded like something Rye would say.Or maybe it was just how the Calhouns were—straight up good people.
She tried to imagine Rye’s reaction when she showed up on the office doorstep.He’d be shocked, but then pleased.She knew he’d be pleased.She shivered in anticipation.Just three more hours and she’d be there.
*
Rye couldn’t believehis eyes.
Ansley was here, in Eureka, in the tiny construction office on Dewey Street.His dad had opened the office in the early 1980s and when things had gotten tight, had sold off the biggest chunk of space to a window company, built a wall to divide the two businesses, and turned the small section into a very small office, usually manned by Carol, but with Rye hurt and unable to climb onto roofs, he’d sent Carol off on a much-needed vacation and he’d taken over playing office manager.
He was in the middle of doing office manager things like taking calls and placing orders for materials when Ansley walked in, and because he was being given the runaround by a supplier when the door opened, he didn’t immediately look up, but when he finally did, sunshine flooded the doorway, haloing beautiful golden Ansley.He hung up on the supplier and crossed to the door.
