Page 54 of Where She Belongs

Then she whispered, “Is there something in your life that fits that description, Tate?”

They stared at each other for one breath-stealing moment. Then Tate reached up and grazed her jaw with the crook of his knuckle. “This. Right here. Right now.”

Her quiet intake of breath said volumes. But she wasn’t withdrawing from him. No, instead she’d dipped her focus to his lips before it bounced back to his eyes. Then she kissed him.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Rylee had gone on the most perfect date of her life, and she hadn’t come down from it yet. Every time she got a second alone, she couldn’t help but think about how the night had ended. Tate bringing her home. Kissing her goodnight on her front porch, then calling her after he turned in for the night just to tell her he couldn’t wait to see her again.

She’d gone to sleep with a smile on her face and excitement for the future.

Gone was the indecision from when she’d been in the city.

With each passing day, Rylee felt like she was finding herself—despite her previous notions that she couldn’t be in a relationship to do so.

Alexander hadn’t let up with his calls. If anything, the messages had come in more frequently. He might have been able to sense she was finding love somewhere else.

Love.

The concept was laughable. Or maybe it wasn’t.

Rylee shook her head to herself as she changed out the feed for the chicks. They were now considered pullets from what she’d read. In the coming months, they’d start laying eggs. They chirped and ran around her feet in the fenced area of the henhouse.

She continued her chores, changing out the water and cleaning the bedding. Then she moved on to the goats. The second she swung open the gate, Louie stiffened and fell over. She giggled, though watching him “faint” still unnerved her. It didn’t matter how much research she did on the animal, she couldn’t get used to the fact that he was perfectly fine.

Dewey bounced over to her and nudged her with his head. Bumping her until she dropped down to feed him from her hand.

She was already covered in dust and grime, so she didn’t bother avoiding contact with her animal friends. Rylee petted him, crooning nonsensical words and wondering how hard it would be to upend her life and move here permanently.

Was that even a possibility?

She’d have to talk to Roxy about it, but just considering it brought her more joy than she’d thought possible. Louie fainted again at the sound of a truck door slamming shut and she spun to find Tate with a wide grin on his face.

No, not just wide. That grin was definitely mischievous.

She placed a fist on her hip and quirked a brow. “What are you up to, Tate Dennison?”

He walked around to the trailer he’d brought with him and winked before he yanked open the doors to the trailer. When he emerged, he was tugging along two miniature animals. A pony and a cow.

Rylee gasped which sent Louie into another fainting spell. She shot him a look and sighed. Then she edged away from the goats and through the gate before they could escape with her. Turning to Tate, she did her best to scold him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

He gestured to the two animals on their leads. “What does it look like? Betsy and Mildred here needed a home. And you have a farm with plenty of land.”

She choked out a laugh. “It’s as simple as that, is it?”

Tate shrugged but his smile said it all. He knew what he was doing and at this exact moment, she couldn’t find it in her to be angry.

“You called first,” she said. “I want that noted.”

“Called first. Receipt’s in the truck.” Tate recited it like a man reading off a list he’d been made to memorize. “Feed’s already in your name.”

“Look at you.”

“I’m trainable.”

“You know, you should probably stop bringing these strays here. What happens if they grow attached?”

“Isn’t that supposed to happen?” Tate continued to lead the animals toward her. There was an edge of nervousness under it.