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I finish my note. “Got it. I’ll ask housekeeping if they can do an extra daily load for us and get an estimate for hats and scarves… So let’s talk about the rotation schedule for the horses themselves…”
I wish I could hold it together, but my words trail off when Dash appears in the doorway to the office, accompanied by a gust of wintry wind.
Everyone glances over at him, tipping a chin or hat. But soon, all eyes are on me again because he doesn’t affect them the way he does me. They don’t have the first clue how he crawled under my skin and inside my body, nesting in my soul like something I could hatch into true love. My eyes rest on him a little too long, and I blink him out of my vision, but it doesn’t get him out of my mind.
I glance at my clipboard, trying to recall the last thing I talked about. I run my finger over the agenda, but Dash is the one intending to do the talking.
“Before you carry on, I just have a few words to say…”
Heads turn again. I don’t want to make eye contact, but it’s rude not to. He doesn’t seem to take notice of the twenty other eyeballs on him. His gaze is on me like I’m the only thing that matters. Emotion pools deep in my belly. And just as hot as my gut are my burning cheeks, blooming already… just sensing he’s about to do something mad.
His green eyes are dancing around, wild in thought, like I’ve never seen them before. “Molly… I… it’s about everything that’s happened between us…”
Heads turn from his direction to mine.
That sting in my cheeks creeps down my neck.What on earth?This isn’t stable business. This isprivatebusiness. I dart my eyes to Colt, and something like shame overwhelms me. What will he think of me? Seducing his brother… myboss. It’s so unprofessional… My gaze flits around the room searching for signs of disapproval all around me.
All I see are mouths gaping open and amused curiosity. I’m so hot my underarms are damp. I open my mouth to stop him, but he keeps talking, and thank God ten gazes turn back on him.
He’s in the zone, and it’s like we’re the only two people in the world. “I told you I’m broken. But I’m trying hard to change that.” His eyes burn with meaning. “I get what you said. It’s time to change my story.” He stops for my reaction.
He heard me that night? Dash repeating the meaningful words my sister and I constantly share is… unraveling. Heartwarming. It draws me right back to the hope I’ve clung to.
But when he stops talking, it’s like some tennis match, because all the heads in the room flip with an almost audible whoosh, and all eyes are on me again.
I blurt, “Dash, we’re cool. I’ll come talk to you later.” My nerves are on fire.
He ignores me. “I’ve always been a grumpy motherfucker. All these people can attest to that. And when I was younger, people were always trying to cheer me up, but nothing really worked, I just sort of…” He takes off his hat and puts it on a nearby desk, staring at me now with his intense, thoughtful gaze. He lets out a quick, sharp breath, like something hit him in the chest and he needs a moment.
I glance around at the expressions. The faces of people who had no clue we were much more than colleagues. Georgie, Hank, and Bobby all display o-shaped mouths and what-the-fucks in their eyes. The others cross their arms like they’re watching some circus. But Jolie and Colt… there’s something different there.They both know.They wait for my response almost as breathless as their brother.
Dash stands tall, but I know how hard it is for him to express his emotions and I don’t want him to feel like this is the only place he can talk to me. Maybe my silent treatment went too far? “Dash, honestly, we can chat after…”
It’s like my words never made it out of my mouth.
The gorgeous cowboy’s eyebrows draw together, deep in thought, holding on to something purposeful underneath his forehead. He shakes his head like he hasn’t achieved what he’s come here to do and he isn’t leaving until he’s done.
And that’s when I know change is possible, because his next words are a transformation more beautiful than caterpillar to butterfly.
“Molly, my dad told me that if I just keep being useful, happiness will find me.” His gaze is intense and searching. “My dad was right. Being useful brought me that feeling for the first time in my life. Because there’s nothing more useful than loving a person.”
Jolie gasps and puts her hand over her mouth. Her eyes are instantly glassy.
My lungs stop moving along with my heart.Did he just say he loves me?In front of all these people?
He shoves a hand in his pocket and pulls out a set of keys, throwing them over Hank’s head, and I barely catch them my hands are shaking so much. A key dangles off a laser-cut silver keychain that saysDash and Molly.
I am speechless. I glance back up at him with my jaw slack. The room is silent. My heartbeat thunders, and my ears are whooshing. I’m dizzy because I realize I haven’t been breathing for the past couple of seconds.
Dash takes his hat off the desk, and the way his throat bobs is slow and unsure. “All right. Sorry to interrupt, folks. That’s all I needed to say.” He places his hat on top of his head, nods a farewell, and leaves.
My mouth still hangs open just like everyone else’s. All eyes are on me. My heart races a million miles an hour. The metal key in my hand is warm from sitting in the pocket of the man I love, too. He’s just made a confession.
But I’m supposed to be professionally running a meeting.
Oh my God, I can hardly even breathe enough to get my vocal cords working. Does Dash love me? And want to live with me?
I stare down at my clipboard. “Uh… where were we?”
