Page 124 of Hometown Hottie

I laughed. “She’s already washed her hair, then?”

“Yep.” He pumped his eyebrows at me, then cocked his head, those blue eyes suddenly fixed on mine. “What’s up? You look stressed. Did something go wrong with the house? I thought you were taking Daniel out there today.”

“I did, but it’s not that.” I took a look around. “Is Nova here? I was hoping to talk to her.”

“She just left,” he said, frowning deeply with his eyes still locked on mine. “One of the builders called with a question about the wedding venue, so she went over to the barn. What’s going on?”

“Don’t freak out, but I got offered a job in sports broadcasting and my agent is pushing me for an answer,” I rushed out, needing him to have all the information before he jumped to conclusions. “Nova knows I’m considering it, and even if I go, I’m not moving away.”

Ryan’s jaw tightened and his posture went stiff. He drew in a deep breath, rolled his neck, and then looked at me again. “I think we better sit down for this.”

Showing me to a break area with a bench under a tree out back, he sat down and propped his elbows on his knees. “So you are leaving again?”

“Maybe, but like I said, I wouldn’t be moving away if I take it. My home base will still be here. I’ll just be commuting back and forth.”

“Nova knows about this plan?”

“It’s not a plan.” I looked him square in the eyes. “It’s an offer I got while she and I were apart and I’ve been toying with the idea of taking it. I told her about it as soon as we got back together.”

He scratched the side of his neck. “I was afraid this was going to happen. It’s why I didn’t want you guys to get together. You’re always after the next big thing, man. I⁠—”

“The only big thing that matters to me is Nova,” I said firmly, not even bothering to let him finish the thought. “There is no next. There is only her. If I take this job, it will be with her full support, or it won’t be at all. I won’t leave if she doesn’t want me to.”

He scowled. “You can’t put that on her. If she thinks she’s keeping you from making your dreams come true, obviously she’s going to tell you to go, but she might come with you if you asked her to.”

My heart rate kicked into a higher gear, suddenly racing. “Do you really think so?”

His eyebrows twitched, but he nodded. “Yeah, I really think so. You told her you were considering this but you haven’t asked her to go with you?”

I blew out a heavy breath. “I wanted to, but I haven’t done it yet. With everything going on here, I’m scared she’s going to feel obligated to stay and help.”

Ryan sat up. His gaze was completely serious with that protective gleam simmering behind his eyes again. “I’m going to tell you something now that I should’ve told you ten years ago. Nova loves you. She isn’t going anywhere. If you leave, as long as you come back to her, she’ll wait for you, but if you want her to come with you, she’ll probably say yes.”

“She loves me?” I couldn’t believe I was hearing this from him instead of his sister.

He scoffed down an incredulous laugh as he nodded. “Of course, she does, but don’t take advantage of her love, Carson. If what you said is true and you’ll be commuting with this as your home base, then she’d be here often enough to check on the progress of the renovations while all the changes are happening. Otherwise, she’ll be here waiting for you every time you come home, but don’t guilt her into going or staying. Do not take advantage.”

“I would never.” I inhaled deeply, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart.

As I looked back at Ryan though, I knew he truly believed what he’d said. I could see how much he hated that he’d said it to me at all, which meant it had to be true. His sister loved me and he still wasn’t a big fan of it, but at least he was accepting it.

This was also his worst nightmare come true, him accepting us together only for me to be thinking of leaving again. I reached out and clamped a hand around his shoulder. “I’m not going to hurt her, bro. I swear. I’m not leaving. I’m not running away from her or from home. I’m not bailing. Trust me.”

“I’m trying,” he said. “Go talk to her, but if you hurt her⁠—”

“You’ll make me disappear.” I smirked. “I’m not going anywhere, Ryan. I’m not going to hurt her, but I will go talk to her. You going to be okay if she decides to come with me for a while?”

He rolled his eyes, finally relaxing again. “I’ll be great. It would be nice not to have her under my feet while the construction is happening.”

I knew he didn’t mean it, but I also knew he would be okay. He would be fine without her for a couple months at a time and he and I would be fine too. If he was already joking about it, then our friendship would survive this.

Relieved, I let go of his shoulder and strode back to my truck, intent on asking her to come with me after all. She loved me. I loved her. If I did this, then of course I’d want her there with me. I wouldn’t let the fear of her turning me down keep me from at least floating the idea.

One Murphy down, one to go. Fingers crossed her brother knows her and her heart as well as he thinks he does.

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