Page 47 of Sean

“I thought we’d gotten past your doubts about me,” he said. “I told you from the beginning that I’d protect you, and I will. Why were you going to run without talking to me first?”

She sighed and backed away. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that it’s hard to believe in anyone anymore. When I was caring for Lucy and Amos at their home, I had no one to confide in. Then, after all of this started, the only people I was able to count on were Sophie, Helen, and their guys.

“And me,” he said. “You’ve had me since the day you showed up at my house.”

“I was afraid your plan just wasn’t realistic and would lead to another disappointment. So many things have gone wrong. To count on something going right… I’m sorry, but…” She seemed to shrink in on herself, which broke his heart and made it impossible for him to be upset with her.

He took her in his arms and tucked her head against his shoulder. “I need you to believe that I’m here for you and the kids.” More than ever that was important to him. The fact that she would have left the ranch, left him, because she thought he wouldn’t be able to keep her safe, cut deep. He wouldn’t have hesitated for a second about going after her so that he could protect her. Didn’t she understand that?

“I’m trying to believe that. I do most of the time, but I worry that I’m asking too much of you and your family.” She turned her face up to his, unshed tears were in her eyes.

“Do you hear anyone complaining?” He tried to make his tone lighter.

“No, but you don’t complain.”

“I will if you leave without warning. You’ll hear me complaining from wherever you’re at.” That made her chuckle, but he was dead serious.

“I promise not to do that then.” She pressed her lips to his in a sweet kiss, which quieted some of the riot of emotions inside him. Some—but not all. He still felt shaky, still felt that they were on shaky ground, and he didn’t like that at all.

He helped her stow the bags away so the kids wouldn’t see them and ask questions. When, while she went out to play with the kids, he called Corbin again to let him know that they were ready to move forward. Julia would testify. Corbin put him in touch with an FBI agent and the Virginia Beach police department so they could coordinate the sting and get Wilson arrested.

When all of that was done, he did his chores in the barns and spent time with Maverick. Tara came along and eventually he got the cantankerous horse to let her in the stall. That was genuine progress, and for once, his sister seemed pleased with him. Throughout it all, his thoughts were on Julia. He didn’t manage to get another minute alone with her all day—but that might not have been such a bad thing, given the way that she had him twisted up inside.

They’d agreed to a no-commitment relationship, but it was still a shock to think it could have ended that abruptly. That she’d have just left, as easy as that. That evening as he walked from the barn to the house by himself, he fired off a text to Ethan and Owen.

“How did you know when you’d found the right woman?” He hit send and regretted it two seconds later. He couldn’t unsend, so he immediately sent another message. “Ignore that.”

Muttering curse words to himself, he walked into the kitchen and saw his mom sitting at the table. He considered getting past her as quickly as possible, but she pushed back the chair next to hers and gave him her best mom look. He found himself sitting down and too late realized that she had a glass of milk poured for him and a plate of chocolate chip cookies at the ready.

Shit. Mom interrogation tools. He grabbed a cookie and shoved it into his mouth. If he was going to have to suffer through an interrogation, he should at least get the rewards. Besides, “Don’t talk with your mouth full” was one of the household rules, and it would save him for about fifteen seconds.

“I’ve given you and Julia privacy,” she began. “I know there’s something between you, but you’re both adults and it’s not my business.”

“Appreciate that,” he mumbled as he swallowed.

“However, I am your mother, and I saw your reaction when you thought Julia was going. You were hurt, maybe angry. I can’t let that go without talking about it.”

He took a gulp of milk, weighing how much to confide in her. What had she already guessed? Probably a lot. There weren’t a lot of secrets in this house.

“Julia and I have gotten close,” he said. “I care for her. A lot.” He wasn’t going to explain that Julia spent her nights in his bed. Kelly likely had already figured that out. And if she hadn’t, she wouldn’t be hearing it from him.

“And she cares for you?”

“I think so.” How much, though, since she’d been willing to leave? On the other hand, she’d also seemed relieved that she could stay. That had to mean something. Or was she just glad not to be on her own with the kids again? Ah, hell. This was so complicated. Things had been so much easier when he just kept to himself. There was no going back, though. He got that. He’d let his emotions out of the box, and they weren’t going to get stuffed back in easily, if ever.

“Have you expressed your feelings? Explicitly?”

“I’ve told her that she can count on me. That she didn’t have to face this alone. That I’ll do whatever it takes to help and protect her.” He’d conveyed all that between last night and this morning. His mother’s sigh told him that he’d missed the boat somehow. “What?”

“That’s telling her about your concerns for her situation and for her physical safety. That’s not telling her how you feel about her inside.” Kelly poked at his chest in the vicinity of his heart.

“How would I even…?” He crammed another cookie in his mouth before he could finish his question.

“You’ll figure it out. And I’d suggest you do it soon, because once she knows, knows that she and the kids matter to you as more than a job or a favor to a friend or a short-term relationship, she’ll have an easier time counting on you.”

“She does know that,” he insisted because he wanted to believe it was true. Was it, though? Would she truly put her faith in him if he told her that he was thinking about them being together, thinking about them as a family?

TWENTY-FOUR

---