Page 26 of Forever in the Country

He crosses his big arms over his chest and stares at me. “It’s her decision and all, but do you want her to go?”

I don’t answer right away and not because I need to think about it—I don’t. I’m just sick of doing the right thing.

“She doesn’t deserve me like this.”

“Son, let me tell you what my daddy told me.” The chair creaks as he tips back in it. “Flora and I were hemmin’ and hawin’ about having a baby but we didn’t have much, and I just kept lookin’ to the next thing thinkin’thatwould make me feel ready. And you know what he said to me?”

I shake my head.

“He said we would never beready. We could prepare until the cows came home but there would never be a ‘right time.’”

“So what, you just do it, consequences be damned?”

“No.” His answer is firm as his gaze locks on mine. “You trust your partner to help you through it. You’ve done the work, son. You let your brothers and your sister walk with you and you’ve leaned on Rhea the most through it all.”

“Didn’t have much choice with the lot of them.”

His lips tip up slightly. “But you did have one.” I give a halfhearted nod. “She loves you, you know.”

“I know. That’s the problem.”

I won’t survive if she stops loving me.

Silence stretches between us before he raps his knuckles on the table twice before standing.

“Let me ask you this,” he says as he stares down at me. “Will you stay if you lose her?” Vincent’s gaze is knowing. “I know you’ve got the shelter, but you’ve been restless since you landed on your granddaddy’s porch. You must be tired from waitin’ for the other shoe to drop after all these years.”

“I’m not sure she’s going to forgive me.”

She’d forgive me as a friend—as family. But beingwithher—there was no guarantee.

He chuckles and shakes his head. “Guess it just depends how hard you’re gonna work for it. For her.”

That was the question…and it wasn’t. I wanted her—God, how I wanted her—but did she deserve the darkness I couldn’t shake?

It wasn’t something I could answer tonight. Pulling myself from the table, I push in the chair and climb the stairs, praying I’ll be able to fall asleep.

13

RHEA

Sneaking into Colt’s lake house last night had been harder than I’d anticipated. The shortstop for the Illinois Blues was my accidental friend and nothing more, despite the occasional murmurings through town. In another lifetime we might have had a shot at something romantic, but in this one we were both hopelessly pining over people who hadn’t returned the sentiment.

Misery loves company and all that.

He hadn’t hesitated when I called and asked to stay here. Colt was flying down tomorrow to check on his restaurant and passion project, The Iron Cask, but for the time being, I had the place to myself.

I’d navigated down the winding driveway after turning off the main road and cutting my headlights. I had no illusions I’d go completely undetected here, but I hoped to do everything I could to postpone the inevitable. Parking in the small garage, I’d drawn the curtains as soon as I got inside.

The lake house was pretty, but it wasn’t home. Not my home at least. The interior reminded me of the Cedar Lake Spa with the soft paint tones, oversized furniture, and plank wood floors. And that had my thoughts circling back to Sorren’s and my pedicure appointments that I’d canceled for later today. I couldn’t face him.

Not yet.

Looking down at my toes, I sigh because I was really looking forward to that, and my nail polish has seen better days.

A knock on the door has me jumping, dry cereal flying across the kitchen.

“Don’t even bother acting like you’re not in there,” Isla says. Resigned, I make my way across the hardwood floor to let my sister-in-law inside.

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