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“It’s complicated,” I whisper to Nadia.
“Nothing complicated about it, Macy,” Ryder says, obviously hearing me. “I love you. You love me. That’s as simple as it gets.”
“I think we’re just going to let you two sort this out,” Everleigh says, “aren’t we Nadia?”
“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea,” Nadia agrees.
“Do you like ice cream?” Everleigh asks Nadia, looping her arm through Nadia’s and pulling her away. “Because I know a place.”
“I love ice cream!”
I expect myself to feel betrayed at their easy abandonment, but having Ryder here with me makes everything feel different. I thought I’d sneak out of town before he even knew I left. I should have known he’d come after me. My heart swells with love I swear I didn’t want to feel. My feet still itch to run back to my Jeep and drive off, but because Gertie stares at me with those beady eyes, I’m forcing myself to be brave.
“I know you’re scared, Macy.” Ryder steps closer, reaching his hand to my arm. “I’m scared too.”
My pulse trips over itself. “You are?”
“Of course I am. I’ve never felt what I’m feeling for you before. Hell, I’ve gone to war and been less afraid than I am right now.” He reaches his other hand to me, his fingers curling protectively around my arm. The gap between us erodes away. “It’s okay to be scared. But let’s be scared together, okay?”
“Okay.” The word slips out as a whisper of its own accord.
Ryder seems both relieved and surprised. “You’ll stay?”
I look down at the letter in my hand, lifting it to him. “I can’t promise that, Ryder.”
“That’s the letter you’ve been waiting on? For your oncology program?”
I nod, another tear rolling down my cheek. For months, I’ve been hoping and praying to get in to this program. I realize now that part of my desire to get in has more to do with running away from the scary things in my life than anything. Part, but not all. “I really do want to make a difference,” I say, looking down at the letter.
Ryder hooks a thumb beneath my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “It doesn’t matter what that letter says, sweetheart. I’m in this with you. Don’t you get it? Whatever you need to do, we’ll figure it out together.”
Cupping my cheek, he draws me in for a gentle kiss. One filled with promise, love, and desire. I nearly lose myself to its gentle potency. I can’t believe I tried to run away from this. From the man I love. I’ve never experienced love like this before. It’s terrifying. But it’s also a gift I should be cherishing. In that one simple kiss, I surrender my fear completely.
Ryder’s the only one with enough sense to pull back. I’m ready to let him take me right here on the side of the road.
“Don’t you worry. I’ll take good care of you when we get back to the ranch.” He nods at the envelope in my hand. “Open it.”
With shaky fingers, I rip it open and unfold the letter. I have to reread the first sentence five times before I believe it. I look up at Ryder, feeling a bubble of excitement building in my chest and spreading. “I got in.” I can’t decide if I’m over the moon happy or ready to throw up. Maybe both. “Holy shit, I got in.”
“You got in? Sweetheart!” Ryder pulls me into his embrace, kissing the top of my head. “You absolutely deserve this. I’m so proud of you.”
The elation I feel starts to give way to fear and I pull back to look Ryder in the eyes. “How do we make this work, Ryder? The school is in Fort Collins. You’re here. You can’t leave the ranch and Paps?—”
He cups my cheek, resting his forehead against mine. “We love each other,” he says, his words instantly soothing my racing thoughts. “We will figure it out. Together.”
A loud scream jolts us both, his hold instantly tightening protectively around me. I guess he’s been watching the same Dateline episodes. Thankfully, the goat is still safely inside my Jeep, though she doesn’t seem too happy about being left out of the celebration.
“Gertie hitched a ride,” I tell Ryder, both of us laughing.
“I’ll never get used to that scream,” he mumbles, slipping his hand into mine and walking me back to my Jeep. “But she is growing on me since we have so much in common.”
“Oh?”
“She loves you and didn’t want you to leave any more than I did.”
EPILOGUE
ONE WEEK LATER…
