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“So you keep telling me.”
“I love you.”
He grinned like a kid. “And I love you, Big Red. You have a new life ahead of you. I only hope you’ll allow me to be a small part of it.”
“I’ll think about it.”
As Britta came racing into the room, heading directly for the larger-than-life man, the boulder he’d accused me of carrying around for so long was suddenly lifted by an invisible crane. It wasn’t about the money or the freedom it brought me. It had everything to do with the fact my daughter was safe, never to be forced to endure the pain I had for so many years, but it was also because a man who still to this day barely knew me, had made me feel as if I was the most special woman in the world.
And I loved him dearly for it.
CHAPTER 26
Sebastian
“What the fuck are we missing?” At this point, my question seemed rhetorical. Or maybe just lame. We’d been poring over the various things I’d found regarding why the ranch had suddenly caught the eye of developers with mafia ties. That remained the big question.
“Maybe the reason the ranch appeared so valuable was nothing more than what good ole Mr. Barclay told you. It’s prime real estate,” Jackson said as he leaned back in his chair.
I was pacing the floor, glancing at the will and other paperwork I had on the kitchen table. We’d pulled our laptops into the same room for convenience, keeping the coffeepot hot and the anxiety high. “There’s more. I can feel it.”
“And you’ve searched every drawer and box in the house?”
“I tore through everything again. There’s nothing here.”
“If he was threatened then maybe he was hiding something, taking it off site.”
“Yeah, but where? One of the barns?”
Jackson rubbed his eyes, climbing from the chair and heading to get his third cup of coffee for the late morning. “Where’s that darlin’ woman of yours?”
He had a way of making me laugh. “She’s with the horses, getting back to grooming them.”
“I’m glad everything worked out with the custody battle.”
“Yeah, me too, brother. It just took a little strong arming.”
“Which you are damn good at. I need to learn a few tips and tricks from you. Who knows. Maybe I can move here with you, work on that business you mentioned.”
“Wedding coordinator? I can see that.”
We both laughed but it was good to see his horizons might be opening. What was I saying? Mine as well. I was prepared to chuck everything, moving here with glee in my heart. I could only imagine what our father would say. Fuck him. At this point, I couldn’t care less about my past life. “What about that date last night?”
He returned to his seat, sitting down with flair. “Megan is unexpected, sensual and beautiful. She’s got this great laugh, you know the kind I mean, the one that when you hear it from across the room, you stop because it gives you a smile. We had an amazing conversation, talking about things that had nothing to do with our world. I loved it. Hearing about the area and what she did for a living and her friendship with Jessie was amazing.”
Smirking, I leaned against the counter. “Are your hands sweating?”
He snorted, almost spitting out his coffee. “I don’t fall head over heels that fast, but I can say I want to see her again. In fact, we’re going out to dinner tonight. What about your hands?”
I lifted both hands, grinning like a kid. “Wet and clammy. And Jessie knows about Elizabeth. I think it’s time to let go of the past.”
“About damn time, brother. Now, let’s figure this shit out so we can enjoy those women we care about. You know what? I have an idea. Let me see…”
“What’s that?”
“Let me check something before I say anything.”
I returned to the papers I had on the table as his fingers flew. I hadn’t realized it but several minutes had passed. The reason why? I couldn’t stop thinking about the woman I adored. She’d changed my life for the better. All I wanted to do was to be around her.
