Page 36 of That Touch

“Ihave something I need to tell you guys.”

I bite my inner cheek, trying not to smile so I don’t give away the secret I already know Milly is about to reveal to us.

“Ooooh, gossip!” Brooklyn giggles, looking around the table at us as we sip on our mimosas at brunch.

“So I’ve been seeing someone . . .” Milly barely gets the words out before we’re all peppering her with questions.

“Oh my God, for how long? Where’d you guys meet?” I ask, putting on my best shocked face.

“He lives in Denver, and we actually met through Jan from the library. It’s her great-nephew. We started talking, like, four months ago after we met up for the first time in Denver at a convention. We just hit it off instantly and we kind of made it official about two months ago.”

“Girl!” Brooklyn’s mouth falls open. “How did you keep this from us? I had no clue, seriously. What’s he like? His name? We need pictures!”

Milly reaches for her phone, flipping through a few photos before turning it around to show us the screen.

“Oh damn,” Brooklyn grabs the phone to take a closer look, “he is fine . . . like, seriously fine. Good for you!”

“His name is Kent. He’s actually been out here over the years . . . mainly to spend time with his great-aunt. He’s recently moved back to Denver from Chicago.”

“What does he do for work?” I ask, taking a bite of the gooey cinnamon roll I ordered.

“He’s a lawyer. He’s worked in corporate law for the last 10 years.”

“Oh, very nice. What made him come back here?”

“He missed his family and was just a little tired of the rat race of the big city. Pretty much all of his family is scattered throughout Colorado. He wants to settle down and have kids, and wanted to do that near his immediate family.”

“Settle down, huh?” Brook raises a brow at her. “So it’s getting serious already?”

She smiles sheepishly, nodding. “I think so, yeah. I know it’s crazy, because we’ve literally only known each other for a little over four months, but it just feels right. We have the same values, the same goals and plans in life, and our families sound so similar. Am I crazy? Is it too soon to be feeling like this?”

“You’re asking the wrong girl.” Brook laughs. “I fell in love with your cousin Tyler, like, a week after meeting him, so I’ll never tell you it’s too soon.”

Milly looks over at me.

“No, babe, I don’t think you’re crazy or that it’s too soon.When you know, you knowis a saying for a reason, right? Have you guys said the three big words yet?”

“Yeah, we have. Just recently, actually.”

“Aww, congrats,” we both say in unison, making her blush.

“So is he at a firm in Denver now?” I ask, wondering if she’s considering moving there since Ranger mentioned it’s the main reason she’s hesitating about taking over for her dad.

“He’s not. He’s doing some pro bono stuff, taking some time off, and doing a bit of freelance work. That’s why I’ve been hesitating about just agreeing to take my dad’s seat on the board. I know I’d enjoy it, but I’m at this pivotal point in my life where I’m possibly having to decide between a person and my career.”

“Does he know that?” Brooklyn asks, and Milly half-shrugs.

“Not really, no. I mean, he knows who my family is, but I haven’t told him about the possibility of me taking the position. I know that if I told him, he’d want me to do it, but I don’t know how we would manage the distance if he stayed in Denver.”

“It’s only an hour and a half, two hours tops,” I remind her.

“I know, but that’s not commutable for a daily drive—especially when the weather’s bad—and I don’t want to spend only weekends with him. I don’t know, it’s just a bit overwhelming at the moment. It’s like we both know how we feel about each other, but I think there are other factors holding us back from actually jumping in with both feet, if that makes sense?”

I swallow my food, knowing exactly what she means. I see the way Ranger looks at me, the way our bodies communicate without us saying a word. I know we’re in love—it’s undeniable, it’s palpable—but it feels like we’re both scared, like something is holding us back.

“At some stage, I guess we both just need to say it—to just be honest with how we feel and what we want. Otherwise, what’s the point?”

“I agree, Mill.” I nod. “And who knows, maybe he’d want to start his own firm out here or in Fort Collins since it’s closer . . . or hell, maybe he’d work for the brewery?”

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