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“Any time, bro,” Bobbie said. “That’s what family is for.” He had a feeling that he was going to like being a part of a big family, even if it was all new to him.
* * *
Stone parked outside of the building and cut his engine. He wasn’t looking forward to therapy. He knew that Jolene wasn’t going to go easy on him, and all he wanted was a minute to talk to her. Hell, he needed more than a minute, but he’d take whatever she would give him. He just hoped that she’d be in the mood to talk.
He walked into the building and found her sitting behind a desk. She looked up at him and gave him her half smile—the one she plastered on when she wasn’t really happy. He hated that she was putting on a brave face for him. He didn’t want that from her, but he needed to remember that they were at her work and he wouldn’t do anything to embarrass her there.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi,” she breathed, standing from behind her desk. “Ready to get started?”
“Actually, I was hoping that we could talk first. Is there someplace private where we can have a conversation?”
“No,” she breathed, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We have a lot of work to do today and I’d like to get out of here a little bit early. I have plans,” she said. He wondered what her plans were, but he knew that he had no right to ask her about them.
“A date?” he asked.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” she insisted. “Let’s just get to work.”
“You aren’t going to make this easy, are you, Jolene?” he asked.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Stone,” she spat. Her hands were firmly in place on her curvy hips, and he couldn’t help his smile. She always did that when she was pissed at him and thought that he was going to give her a fight. “Why are you smiling at me?” she asked.
“Because I think it’s pretty damn cute when you do that,” he said.
“When I do what?” she asked.
“When you put your hands on your hips like that. You get feisty and it’s cute,” he admitted.
She dropped her hands from her hips, letting out her breath. “You can’t do that, Stone,” she said.
“Do what?” he asked.
“You can’t come in here and pretend to care about me again. I know that I was just a casual fling for you. You’re better and I moved out—fling over.” She had no idea just how wrong she was, but he was about to let her know.
“Jolene,” he said, taking a step toward her, “you were never just a casual fling for me. You were so much more, but I was an idiot and never told you how I felt.”
“You were an idiot?” she asked.
He pulled her into his arms, nodding down at her. “I was,” he said. “I’m so sorry that I made you feel that you were a fling. I should have never let you leave, but I was a chicken.”
“You were?” she asked.
“Yes, and I want you to come back and stay with me,” he insisted.
“But you don’t need live-in help anymore,” she countered.
“I’m not asking you to move in with me to help me, Jo,” he said. “I’m asking you to move in with me because you love me and I love you.”
“You love me?” she asked swiping at the tears that were now spilling down her face.
“I do love you,” he said. “I guess I need to clarify how you feel about me,” Stone said. He felt as though he was holding his damn breath, waiting for her to tell him how she felt about him.
“I see,” she said. It was as if Jo was carefully choosing her words and that had him worried. Had he pushed her for too much? Maybe storming into her place of employment and professing his undying love for her wasn’t the best plan, but it was the one his sisters insisted that he follow.
“You’re killing me, Jo,” he whispered. Stone looked around and noticed that they had quite a few onlookers and they all seemed to be as invested in her answer as he felt.
“I guess it’s a good thing that I’m in love with you too,” she whispered back.
