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I rested my chin on top of her head. “You’ve been amazing.”
“Ha. Not so much.”
“You could have ignored your gut. Many people do.”
She straightened enough that our mouths were mere inches apart. “I’m only okay because I know you’re in my corner.”
Don’t put that on me.
The voice inside of me practically screamed it. But there was another louder part of me that accepted the weight of responsibility and pushed down the shrill fear.
I brushed my nose along hers before kissing her gently. I didn’t know what else to say. All I could do was show her that I wasn’t going anywhere.
She lifted her hand to my cheek and those flecked green and gold eyes gutted me.
I knew right then I’d do anything to keep her safe. I wasn’t pretending to want her by my side. Nor could I pretend—even to myself—that this thing between us was for the cameras.
I hooked my arm around her, holding her tight for a moment before I let her go. “We better get back before your sister sends out the SWAT team.”
“Imagine?” Her laugh was as light as the spring air coming off the water. She got up and jumped back, almost landing in my lap as a duck quacked at her. “Hey, little guy.”
I eased her forward again and grabbed her bag. “Looks like we’re in his spot.”
“Or he was looking for this.” She toed a little metal canister soldered to the bench. The top flipped up and the duck rushed over again.
Delighted, she used the little scooper inside to throw some corn. Chaos took out her phone and crouched to take a quick video.
I stuffed my hands in my pockets and waited for her to have her moment. “For the channel?”
She peered up at me. “Nope. For me.”
I held out my hand to her and she popped up, waving at the duck. We skipped the winding path this time and climbed up the patchy grass to Main Street, our hands still clasped.
She checked her phone. “Can we stop at the bakery at the orchard? Rachel is requesting sandwiches for dinner.”
“Sure.”
The trip back to Turnbull and Happy Acres was a quick one. We were in the sweet spot between afterschool buses and people leaving work.
She ordered ahead, but instead of that making our stop quicker, we pulled up to find Laverne waiting at the entrance with two bags.
“Man, I’m gonna get reamed.”
I parked. “You haven’t seen her yet?”
“Nope. We’ve kinda been busy.”
Guess it was time to face the music. Anothernotquick trip to add to my day. Laverne was very protective of her chicks.
Chaos slipped out of the Jeep and rushed over to the older woman. By the time I got to them, they were doing a similar sway thing to the one she’d done with Merry.
What was it with women and the sway?
Laverne cupped the back of Willow’s head. “Why didn’t you come to see me?”
“Today’s the first day I’ve been home. When I got in the other day, you were in a meeting. A bunch of weddings happening here besides Rach’s, huh?”
“We’re overrun.” She looped an arm around Chaos. “Nice to see you too, Ransom.”
