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Had to see her one more time before she married another man.
Maybe kiss her one more time. Would it be enough to last the rest of his life? Probably not. But he had to tell her how he felt. Yes, it was too late. She’d made that clear. But she deserved to know.
Rafe hopped in his car Saturday morning and sped to Angelina’s.
* * *
Angie picked up her cell phone. “Hi, Catie. What’s up?”
Silence on the other end of the line.
“Catie?”
“Ang, listen. Chad and I have been talking.”
“Yeah?”
“I want to… That is we want to…to give you our share of Bay Crossing.”
Angie dropped the phone and picked it up quickly. “What?”
“I’m serious. We don’t need it, and we both feel terrible about what your fa—” She coughed. “What Uncle Jefferson is putting you through.”
A tempting offer, but one the new Angie would not accept. “I love you both for offering,” she told her sister, “but it’s time I made my own way. I don’t know anything about ranching yet. I’m staying here with Mama. We have a lot to work out.”
“But Ang—”
“I’m going to work things out with her, don’t worry. After that, I’ll find my way, I promise. You just take care of yourself and that little angel you’re carrying.”
Catie gulped and said goodbye with a quiet sob.
Her sister and brother-in-law were good people. The best. But she couldn’t depend on them or anyone else anymore. Time for Angelina Bay to make it on her own.
She put the phone in her pocket and got back to work folding clothes and placing them in boxes. Later she’d drive into Denver to donate them to one of the shelters. Preferably one for single mothers and their children in need. They held a special place in her heart.
After all, she could have easily been one of those children herself.
When a rapping met her ears, she quickly taped up the box of clothes and got up to answer her door.
Rafe stood on the other side, his hair in his signature ponytail, his jeans slung low on his hips as usual. Sadness shadowed his beautiful bronze features.
“Hello, Rafe.”
“May I come in?”
She sighed. Why not? “Sure.” She held the door open for him.
He looked around her cluttered living room. “Getting ready to move, I guess?”
She shook her head. “These are actually donations to charity. I went through my closet this morning. I decided I don’t need but about a quarter of the clothes I have. So I’m going to help those less fortunate than myself.”
He didn’t smile. “That’s right nice of you, Angie.”
“Oh, I don’t know how nice it is.” She smiled, hoping it didn’t look too forced. “I wish I knew more about being nice. But it’s never too late to learn, I guess.”
Still no smile from Rafe. “The poor will appreciate your sacrifice. And your future husband can buy you a whole new wardrobe, anyway.”
She shook her head. He thought she was being facetious. Of course he did. He only had her past actions to consider. Time for him to meet the new Angie.
