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“My family is huge and loud, but they love you the same way they did when we were younger.”
“You realize Nash was eight when we dated before.Of coursehe loved me. I brought him cookies and those giant cinnamon rolls from town.”
Blake grinned at her and dared to take one small step closer to her. “Yeah, so we could sneak out to the moon-trees and kiss.” He lifted his hand like he’d slide it along her waist. Something told him not to touch her, and he let his arm fall back to his side.
“You’re the one who said we could be friends.”
“We can be,” he said.
“But notjustfriends.”
“If you put me in the friend-zone, I’ll stay there,” he said. He would too. He was older now, and he could handle it. He really wasn’t a good liar, but when it came to his own thoughts, he could pretend like they were true for a little while.
“I don’t know, Blake.”
He nodded and started buttering bread. If the soup was done, he better get the sandwiches grilled. He buttered bread as she set a pan over another burner. “What are your plans?” he asked. “Moving forward.”
“I want my own place,” she said.
He nodded as he put the bottom slice of bread in the pan. The butter hissed, and he layered cheese over the bread, then topped it with another slice. That done, he returned to the drawer to find a spatula.
Gina held it up for him, and their eyes met again. “I think having this lodge on my résumé will be great,” she said. “Plus, Becks’s wedding.”
Ice stabbed him, the shards going right through his heart. “This is just a stop on your way somewhere else.” He hated the words, but he should’ve known better. Gina had never been happy in Chestnut Springs.
Becks hadn’t been either, and he couldn’t help comparing the two of them. She’d come home, and she was here to stay. She was marrying her high school sweetheart, and Blake would’ve never thought he’d have the same chance.
Gina stood in front of him now, though, right there in his house. Making soup and sandwiches. Talking about the future.
“I don’t think so,” she said, her voice quiet again. “My mom is getting…worse, and I think if I can find somewhere here in the area where I can be happy, I’ll stay.”
He whipped his attention to her, his next question surging through his throat. He caught it at the last moment before it left his mouth. He wouldn’t ask her if she was happy here. It had been one week since she’d started. Eight days since she’d walked back into his life and practically demanded a job.
He wouldn’t ask her if she could possibly belong here at the Texas Longhorn Ranch. He’d always felt so welcome here, but he knew some of his siblings and cousins had struggled to feel as seen and as accepted.
“You look like I hit you with a snowball,” she said, finally smiling. It barely snowed in the Texas Hill Country, but once, decades ago, a horrible winter freeze had come through Texas and dropped enough snow to make balls and men and forts. For a couple of days at least. He and Gina had had a snowball fight with their friends at the town park, and of course, she’d whacked him right in the face.
He’d run at her at full speed, tackled her, and they’d rolled around in the snow, laughing. There was definitely some kissing in there, and in-all, that was one of Blake’s happiest memories.
“I’m sorry about your momma,” he said, his nose telling him that his sandwiches were about to be burnt. He quickly flipped them over, the butter sizzling in the hot pan. “If there’s something I can do to help you, or her, or your daddy, you’ll tell me, won’t you?”
“Yes,” she said quietly.
He nodded and pointed to the cupboard next to her. “Bowls are up there, sweetheart. These are almost done.”
She didn’t trip up over his use of an endearment, and Blake told himself he’d have called anyone that. Another lie, but he didn’t have to answer for it right now. He just wanted to eat lunch with the gorgeous and fun Gina Barlow, and he didn’t need all of the answers straight away.
She wasn’t just here for a moment. She was looking for happiness—true happiness—and belonging, and Blake had achieved both of those with her once. All he could do now was pray he could again.
He slid a sandwich onto one of the plates she’d gotten down. She ladled soup into bowls. Together, they rounded the counter and sat at the bar. He looked at her, and she looked at him.
“So…Saturday?” She looked so hopeful, and Blake knew he wouldn’t be saying no to her. She had to know it too. “We meet at the trailhead at six?”
“It’s out past the ranch,” he said, grinning at her. “Why don’t you stop by here and pick me up? No sense in both of us driving out there when you’re goin’ right by here.”
She smiled too, her eyes telling him that if he managed to keep eating lunch with her, he might be able to kiss her again. His lips tingled just thinking about it. “All right, Blake. I’ll pick you up.”
“Great.” He picked up his grilled cheese sandwich. Before he took a bite, he asked, “Does that mean it’s a date?”
