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“I ran. I’m supposed to spit in the face of things I’m afraid of.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s Miss Ruby’s advice, isn’t it?”
A splotchy red, tear-stained face leveled me with a look. “Of course, it is.”
“From what I’ve seen, you do,” I said, turning serious.
“How can you say that? Especially after the last seven months.” She pushed at my chest and a flash of red silk caught my eye.
I took her hand in mine. “What’s this?” I already knew. The ribbon was too big around her ring finger, yet my wedding band belonged there.
She pulled, and when I didn’t release her immediately, she stilled. And then she turned her head away and made a spitting noise. When she met my eyes, the defiance I loved so much stared up at me.
“I opened your Christmas present.”
“I see that, but it doesn’t explain why you’re wearing my wedding band.”
That chin lifted a little higher. “To see if it felt the same as mine did.”
“And?” Months of annulment papers and avoidance hung in the balance.
“It’s as powerful as ever.”
I pulled her to me. “Why do you keep fighting this?”
“No one will ever control me.”
“Is that what you think I want? A marriage isn’t about that.” I searched her face. I’d respected her desire for others to see she’d earned her place in our industry, and I’d given her space to get used to the idea of the partnership the two of us had sealed. Control? “Heartbreaker, nobody could ever tame you, and if they tried, I’d stop them.”
She stared at me a moment. “Why do you call me that?”
I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “When I was seven years old, Little Miss demanded to play football with boys twice her size. You knocked me on my ass, and I haven’t recovered since.”
“Hush your mouth.” She shoved at me, but I didn’t budge.
“It’s true. You stood up to me. You cussed. And you told me you could do anything you wanted to. How the hell was I not going to fall in love?” She’d been an untouchable force from the minute we met. Working so closely with her had been an honor, but taking our relationship beyond that had been out of the question. Then my mother had gotten sick, and I realized time was too precious not to go after what I wanted. What I’d always wanted.Mulaney.
“You didn’t start calling me that at seven,” she pointed out.
“We were fourteen,” I said. Lines creased her forehead as she appeared to dig deep in her memories. “Took me that long to ask you to come to one of my baseball games. I was playing summer league in Burdett. You flat out said no, didn’t even hesitate. It broke my heart, but didn’t derail my crush. You’ve been breaking it ever since.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I had to help Granddaddy fix a tractor,” she finally said.
“So you remember?”
“Yeah. Stone and Mitch were playing too. I wanted to go, but I got in trouble for something I can’t even remember now. I wasn’t shootingyoudown. Hell, I had no idea you asked me because you liked me.”
I touched her face. “I more than liked you.”
“You said you loved me.” She fisted the lapel of my jacket. “On our wedding night. You thought I was asleep.”
“No, I didn’t. I knew you were awake.” I’d wanted her to hear me. Our path to the point of love had been a long one, but we were on it, and I wouldn’t shy away from my feelings.
“But you still think I stole from Carter Energy.”
“That couldn’t stop me from loving you.”
“I’ve been trying to dissolve our marriage since we said our vows,” she argued. “And you said you’d sign the papers if I gave you my eggs.”
