Page 24 of Opposites (Never) Attract
“They lease it with other ranchers in the state. Hard to move around the country from our spot in Wyoming.”
“Like a time share?”
Tag grunted and the silence came back thicker than ever.
“Tag, we need to talk.”
Silence.
“Honestly, Tag. We need to talk.”
More silence.
I kicked his boot with my espadrille wedge, and regretted that I’d worn the open toe ones.
He lifted his hat off his face and opened one eye, but he didn’t sit up.
“Yes, Sunshine?”
Even the way he said my name was smug.
“You need to understand why I agreed to come home.”
“Okay,” he drawled.
“It had nothing to do with what happened at the spa.”
“Got it,” he said, and dropped his hat back on his face.
I turned my leather chair on its swivel and kicked the side of his.
He lifted his hat again and turned toward me.
“There’s more?”
“I also want to point out that what happened at the spa cannot happen again.”
This time he was motivated to sit up.
“I’m a real stickler for semantics, sweetheart. What happened at the spacanabsolutely happen again. But only if you want it to.”
“Yes, well, I don’t. Want. That. It was an aberration. I’m obviously not that. Free. With my body. It all just caught me off guard.”
It’s what I’d been telling myself since he dropped me off back at my apartment after the appointment was over. I hadn’t even gone into the office that afternoon, I’d been so rattled.
“Okay, then. So what changed your mind about coming home?”
“Well,” I laughed. “Whatever’s wrong at home must be bad if they sentyouto getme. And, I don’t know…” I shrugged. “It might be nice to be a hero.”
“Show them they made fun of the wrong girl?” He said, with a knowing grin. It was so bizarre that out of everyone in my life ,(outside of Harmony), Tag seemed to see me the best.
And stranger still –likedwhat he saw.
It was disconcerting.
“Something like that. But mostly…I’m going home for Harmony. I’m the oldest sister and I’ve been gone for a very long time. I’m not unaware of that. You said she was taking things over and that sounds like her. She’s always had to fill that role. And she already did her part, didn’t she? Marrying Ethan. I’m glad it worked out for them, but she can’t save the town every time. So if I can do something…helpful, then that, at the very least, is my obligation to them.”
A cloudy expression crossed his face.
