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“Yep.” He felt stiff and out of sorts. Maybe it was the sleeping on the couch, but he thought it was more from knowing he was being rejected. She was sorry about it, but not enough to stay.
And he was being a whiny loser right now.
Last night he’d been so determined and confident, willing to sacrifice his life for Ayla when he’d tackled Miles and knocked the gun from his hands. Today, he felt like a different person. Uncertain, afraid, and about to lose the girl. Not to her being kidnapped, but to her needing to go home. How could he blame her for that? He couldn’t. He understood responsibility and family.
But he still didn’t want to let her go.
Neither of them said much as he loaded her suitcase and they drove away from Klein and Alivia’s rental and Summit Valley. He’d go clean out the food, straighten up, and leave cash for the cleaning service at least. Hopefully Klein would bill him for the rental. He wasn’t forwarding that bill on. Not with Bryan in prison and Ayla probably thinking she should pay it.
She kept looking back until they were in the canyon.
“Sad to leave?” he asked softly, hoping it was true.
“You have no idea.” Her eyes were glistening. “This time with you, with the exception of Bryan and those other two jerks, has been the best time of my life.”
His hopes took a giant leap, and he was ready to do some serious sales pitches on his valley, the job he had open, and most of all how great a relationship with him could be.
She changed the subject before he could say anything. “Tell me about Ammon. Why isn’t he married?”
He shrugged. Why did she want to know about his brother? “The only girl he ever got serious with was Ivy Collier back in high school. She left right after graduation and has hardly come home. He’s never settled down since. Flirts a lot and dates a lot of different girls.”
“Maybe he’s heartbroken for her.”
“Maybe.” Jace shrugged, hoping his brother wasn’t heartbroken.
“Your valley isn’t big enough to have a lot of different dating options,” she pointed out.
“No, but we know a lot of people from the downhill racing circuit and most of the year we have out-of-town guests, so there’s a fresh supply for him to date.”
“Oh.” She looked out the window, not seeming to like that.
She wasn’t interested in Ammon. Right? He rolled his eyes at himself. This lack of confidence was annoying, but he and Ayla felt so … off today. Had she heard him whisper he loved her as she’d drifted off to sleep last night? Had that scared her away? They’d both admitted a lot of things that shouted commitment and a future to him. Did she not agree? Was she still scarred from and unwilling to trust a man because of her first husband, or was it all about her responsibility to her parents, grandma, and the debt hanging over her head?
“Tell me about your dad,” she requested.
He started talking about his memories of his dad from before the MS, which were few, the prognosis and his symptoms and limitations now. Then she questioned him about how his parents met, his grandparents and more about the resort and his grandpa’s dreams that he and Ammon had fulfilled and then taken to the next level. How proud his grandpa had been of his success with downhill skiing.
They talked and talked and they grew more comfortable, but it never got around to what he needed to know … what their future looked like.
They pulled into the east terminal where Frontier planes were loaded. He parked at the curb and jumped out, hurrying around to get her suitcase. It was ten-twenty-two. She didn’t have any spare time.
Ayla strapped her purse across her chest. Her blue eyes were bright and uncertain. He wanted to reassure her, convince her, love her. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Then she kissed him, but pulled back before he could extend the kiss.
Grabbing her suitcase handle, she tugged it from his grip. Jace had no idea why he didn’t resist.
She gave him a watery smile and turned.
“Ayla …” He wouldn’t make her feel guilty, but he couldn’t let her walk away without knowing how deeply he felt.
She looked back at him.
“Let’s make this work.”
“I want to.” Her blue eyes were earnest. “I just don’t know how.”
He sucked in a breath of oxygen, but it didn’t clear the buzzing in his head. He stepped up and kissed her deeply, then said, “I’ll find a way. Long distance, traveling back and forth, whatever it takes. If you’re willing to try, I’ll figure it out.”
