Page 28 of Where She Belongs

“Tate?”

His eyes snapped to her face, only to find her grinning at him. She didn’t say another word. Instead, she jerked her chin toward the house.

He chuckled as he followed her. Her reaction to his staring had been unexpected. And not entirely disappointing.

Once inside, they each got a paper plate and settled on the floor of her living room to eat their pizza. Every so often, Rylee stole a look at him. It was quiet in her house and there was no sign of her cat.

“Where’s your new tenant?” he said.

“Tenant?”

“The cat?”

She grinned. “Oh. You mean Nightmare.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I think she’s out catching rodents. Doesn’t have much of a taste for the kibble I’ve bought for her.”

“Prefers the excitement of the kill, huh?”

Rylee giggled. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

He eyed her. “Have… you considered…”

She swallowed her bite, watching him expectantly. “Have I considered what?”

Tate resettled himself. “Have you decided what you’re going to do with the farm?”

A frown pulled at her brows as she plucked a piece of pepperoni from the slice still on her plate. She popped it in her mouth and shrugged. “Honestly, I have no idea. After getting things back in shape, I figured I’d leave.”

“And sell?”

Her eyes snapped up to meet his. “I don’t know if I could do that.”

The relief went through him hard, for a reason he wasn’t ready to name. He didn’t want her to leave again. What did that say about him? About them?

She snickered. “You have a hard time hiding your opinion on the matter. I didn’t think you wanted me to stay that bad.”

He stiffened, already feeling the heat crawl up his neck to give him away. Scrambling for an answer that wouldn’t put him on the spot any more than he already was, he landed on, “I just didn’t want the property to go up for sale when we’re already dealing with the land that borders both of us. That developer could come in and scoop up more space and then where would that leave us? The town?”

Rylee’s amusement faded. “Right, of course. I didn’t think about that.” She shook her head. “No, I don’t think I’d sell, but I still don’t know what I want to do with it. I don’t think I could bring myself to tear any of it down. There are too many memories here.”

He nodded slowly. “I get that.”

Her focus unnerved him. But it was when she spoke that all reservations when it came to her went out the window. “I have to say, I’m impressed with what you did with your family’s land. Starting your own business couldn’t have been easy.”

Tate nodded, pushing his plate away and leaning back with his palms to the floor. “I love it. Working with my family has always been a dream. Granted, my sisters don’t do much when it comes to the business. They’re still finding their way. But Jason seems to like it—love it, actually.” He smiled. “And I’d do anything to make sure he felt comfortable.”

“You’re such a good big brother.”

“Thanks.” There was no deflecting. Being somebody’s big brother was the one job he’d never had to be talked into. Though lately, it seemed as though Jason was keeping to himself more. Tate couldn’t put his finger on why things felt different, but he figured it would pass just like the times before. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Have you considered doing something with your family’s property like I did?”

She snorted. It was loud and obnoxious and absolutely adorable at the same time. Then her eyes landed on him and she sobered. “And do what?” she asked. “I don’t know anything about⁠—”

“That’s not true. You know more about farming than I do. Would you tell me I’m not capable of⁠—”

“Yes,” she threw at him. “Yes, I’d tell you that you’d be in over your head, and I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it, either.”