Page 48 of Saltwater Cowboy

“Thanks for always being there for me. I love you, Bee.” My voice was barely above a whisper, thick with emotion.

Blythe squeezed my hand. “I love you, too.” She paused, giving me a knowing look. “And I’m not kicking you out. I just… I want you to start putting some roots down.”

I swallowed hard, nodding. As much as I hated to admit it, she was right. I’d been floating—untethered, afraid to land. Maybe it was time to figure out where I actually belonged.

Blythe gave my hand one last squeeze before standing. “I’ll let you think about it.” She offered me a small smile before heading toward the door.

I nodded but didn’t say anything, watching as she slipped out, leaving me alone with the weight of my own thoughts. The soft click of the door shutting felt heavier than it should have, like a chapter of my life was quietly closing behind me.

I pulled my knees to my chest and stared at the blank wall across the room. The same four walls I’d woken up to for the past few weeks were temporary and borrowed.

I traced an invisible line on the comforter, my mind wandering through the maze of choices that had led me here. If I had stayed in Seattle, would Thad had wanted me enough? Would I be engaged by now? Would we be planning for a future instead of me scrambling to find a new place to land?

A bitter laugh escaped me. That life didn’t exist. It never had.

And now, I had a choice to make.

I could take the safe route: find an apartment, keep my head down, pretend I was fine. Or, I could take Wells up on his ridiculous offer.

I groaned, rubbing my hands over my face. Living with him? Working with him? The man had been a thorn in my side since the moment he sat next to me on that plane.

But as much as I hated to admit it, part of me wondered… if I wasn’t so afraid of getting hurt again, would I already have said yes?

It was all laid out for me on a silver platter. A place to live. No rent. More money than I made at Coastal Cup.

Logically, it made sense. It was the smart choice. The practical choice.

So why did the idea of saying yes make my chest feel tight?

I stared at the wall, my mind waging war with itself. Accepting Wells’ offer meant more than just a roof over my head. It meant stepping into a life I hadn’t planned for. A life that, no matter how much I wanted to ignore it, would be tangled up with him.

I sighed, flopping back onto the bed and staring at the ceiling. Maybe it wasn’t about the offer itself. Maybe it was about what saying yes would mean.

Surrendering. Admitting I needed help. And worst of all, letting Wells be the one to give it to me.

I slithered out of bed and made my way downstairs.

“I’m going out for a walk.” I called out, not sure of who was there.

The door clicked behind me and the cooler evening air brushed against my face. I rolled my neck and started down the path towards the main road.

“Auntie Rose, where are you going?” I heard Wren call before running towards me.

I turned towards her and threw a fake smile on my face, “I’m going for a little walk.”

“Can I come with you?” her eyes were big.

My heart softened. “Of course you can. Just go tell your parents so they’re not looking for you.”

“Dad!” Wren screeched. “I’m going on a walk with Auntie.”

“Kay!” Charlie called back.

Wren gripped my hand and we walked down the gravel path together, her small fingers wrapped tightly around mine. The rhythmic crunch of our steps filled the quiet space between us, the cool evening air carrying the scent of rain-soaked earth and salt from the nearby marsh.

“Where are we walking to?” Wren asked, swinging our hands back and forth.

“Nowhere in particular,” I admitted. “Just needed some fresh air.”