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“He got the maximum, twenty years. And this is a close-knit town and the sheriff has a lot of pull; there won’t be a parole hearing any time soon, if at all.”
Zach took a ragged breath and tried to put that angst behind him. He still had something important to tell his father before he could relax.
“You need to know something,” Zach announced slowly.
At his serious tone, his father’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that?”
Determination made Zach grip the arms of the chair. “I’m in love with Katie Turner and I plan on marrying her if I can talk her into it.”
“Shit,” Jeff exhaled slowly.
Zach took immediate offense. “You have a problem with Katie?”
“Not at all, son. We love the girl.”
Zach calmed back down. “Then what’s the problem?” Zach asked, confusion coloring his voice.
His father broke out in a wide smile as he relaxed back into his chair. “Your mother won the damn bet.”
****
After Josh left the room, Katie’s mother tried to corner her about the trip she’d been on with Zach and why she’d lied, but Katie wouldn’t play along. “I’m not going to talk about this yet. Give it a few days, okay?”
“Okay. I just don’t understand—”
“Mom. Neither do I. Not completely. Let’s talk about something else, okay?”
Her mother took a deep breath and attempted a smile. “Sure.”
“I’m sure you’re happy about Josh and Hannah.”
“I’m thrilled!” The enthusiasm on her mom’s face wavered a bit. “The only thing that would have made me happier is if they hadn’t eloped. We could have had a real wedding!”
“I’m sure they had their reasons. Maybe it was for the best that they did what they did. It’s not like there hasn’t been any angst between our families.”
“Well, that’s true. And it really makes me wonder what’s going on with you and Zach.”
Katie shook her head at her mother, who was tenacious to say the least. “Let it go for now, Mom. We’ll do this in a few days, okay?”
“All right.”
Katie stood to her feet. “I’m going to call Hannah and find out where she and Ava are. I need some down time and want to catch-up.”
****
Zach spent a quiet evening with his parents while he listened to Janet babble about Hannah and Josh’s plans. His stepmother was excited for the couple, excited to have them so close, and Zach heard all about the house they were going to build on the border between the two ranches and every detail of what was going on in their seemingly perfect lives.
He was happy for them, he really was.
As he tried to sleep that night, all he could think about was Katie. He wondered how much time he should give her before he tried to speak to her.
Needles of impatience prodded him and made the blood simmer in his veins.
He finally gave up; he knew that no matter how hard he tried to give her a few days, it wasn’t going to happen. He’d be over at the Turners’ house the next day, and only after giving himself permission to see her was he able to grab a couple of hours of much needed sleep.
****
Katie had a great time with Hannah and Ava as they hung out and caught up on all their old friends and the town gossip. She managed, for the most part, to put Zach out of her mind for a while. But there was no way in hell that she expected to find him in her living room at nine o’clock the next morning.
The hour was practically obscene to come visit someone.
Her mother tapped on her bedroom door and told her that he was waiting for her. Katie almost panicked, but quickly brushed her teeth and hair and threw on a pair of old jeans. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the room to face him.
As she came close enough to see his expression, she felt a jolt of distress. His face could almost be described as haggard, and Katie felt a sharp arrow of sympathy for him.
Her mother was bound to be curious, but she’d vacated the house and gone out to the barn to give Katie some time alone with Zach. Her cousin had already left for work, but Hannah was still in Josh’s old bedroom that the couple was using for now.
Without saying anything, Katie motioned Zach into her childhood bedroom where they could shut the door and have some privacy in case anyone decided to walk into the main room of the house. Katie loved her mom, but she knew the older woman was extremely curious and she wouldn’t put anything past her.
As Zach briefly glanced around her room, Katie gave him an inquiring look. His eyes landed back on her and he launched into speech, his face set in a determined line. “So, I did what I had to do; I brought you home.” His mouth flattened and his stare was intense as he continued his explanation. “Your cousin didn’t waste any time. The loan’s been paid off. So, the slate’s clean. But I want it on the record that I was going to refinance the loan for your parents.” As she stayed silent, intent on listening to him, he said, “At least give me that, Katie.” She realized that he wanted some kind of answer from her so she nodded her head, her eyes glued to him the entire time, her pulse making her blood race through her veins so quickly that she was almost lightheaded.
She remained silent and he spelled it out for her in words that she couldn’t misunderstand. “I’m ready to do this now. I’m ready to talk about this.”
Katie had assumed they’d have at least a few days apart, maybe even a week. “That was … that was quick.”
“I never said it was going to take a long time. It was about getting you here. It was about getting that damn loan out of the way and making the contract that I made you sign null and void. The entire point was to put you back in the driver’s seat, so to speak. From this moment on, I have to know that everything that happens between us will be of your own choosing.” His eyes narrowed. “You have to understand that everything that happens is because you want it to happen.”
“Okay, I understand,” she answered simply.
He took a step closer. “The reason that I told your cousin that I’m in love with you,” A look of anxiety spread over his features before he continued, “is because I am in love with you.”
The impact of his words sent Katie’s hand to her heart and her eyes briefly closed before opening again and finding that he’d come another step closer but then halted. She was completely silent and he continued, “I fucked up with you in a way that I don’t know if you’ll ever be able to forgive.” He swallowed visibly. “I don’t know what I’m going to have to do to make it right, but I’m willing to do anything.”
“Zach—”
“Please don’t say anything yet, Katie. Give me a little bit of hope, okay? If you blow me off now, I don’t know what … I don’t know how—”
His words stopped and Katie knew he couldn’t go on. She took the last few steps until she stood in front of him. She lifted his hand between them and held it cradled in both of hers as she looked down at it. She ran her fingers over his rough knuckles. “I forgive you.” She cleared her throat and continued to look down. “I know that you didn’t know.” She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. “I should have told you a long, long time ago.”
He shook his head. “Katie—”
“I should have told you three years ago when you took me to your apartment. I should have told you then instead of just running away. At the very least, I should have told you when you sent the very first flowers—”
“Oh, God. The flowers,” he hung his head as if only now realizing how they might have impacted her.
She shook her head slowly, back and forth. “It wasn’t your fault. I should have told you.”
His eyes lifted and seared into hers. “I don’t know if it would have changed anything.”
“It would have. You’d have been as understanding then and you’re being now.”
He lifted his free hand and wrapped it around her jawline. “All I’ve ever wanted was for you to give us a chance.”
“I
know that now. I think I’ve always known it. But I wasn’t ready.”
His features clenched in lines of pain as his chest lifted with the ragged breath that filled his lungs. “Are you ready now?”
She smiled, an almost bittersweet smile. “I think I am.”
Relief, total and all consuming, spread across his countenance. “We’re going to play by your rules in all things.”
She knew what he was saying and it comforted her. “Okay.”
His hand slid from her cheek up to her hair. “I don’t want to rush you, but … when can we start?”
“I still have a lot of vacation time,” she offered.
“And what do you want to do?”
“Can we … will you take me back to South Padre?”
He stared at her with such relief and longing that Katie’s stomach flipped over. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly, and with a sense of urgency, he said, “Can we leave today?”
Katie smiled. “Yes.”
His hand ran up and down her spine and the action soothed her as he smiled into her eyes. “I’ve got some business to take care of in town. Can you be ready in a few hours?”
“Sure.”
He leaned in a kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll see you soon.
****
Zach walked toward the Sheriff’s Department with one thought in his head. He needed the story his father had told him about Whitaker corroborated. He needed to know that the man was no longer a threat, and he wanted to hear that reassurance from Josh Turner. Instinctively, he knew he could trust Josh’s word on this more so than the sheriff’s. And the reason for that was because Josh loved Katie, and Zach would be better able to read the truth in his eyes.
Josh was leaving the building and had turned in the opposite direction just as he walked up. Zach recognized him immediately. He’d seen the younger man around town in years past, but the recognition came because Josh looked damn near identical to his father. Abruptly, Zach realized why his entire family had kept Hannah’s romance a secret. They had no way of knowing how Zach would react.
