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He held up his phone. “The internet is a marvelous thing, my love.” He raised a brow and leaned forward to kiss me. “Eye-rolling remains unnecessary for the foreseeable future and beyond.”
While everything Beau had told me about the Lilacs and the Coverts was fascinating, it only heightened my anxiety. I knew nothing about owninganything. Literally. Not a house, not property, not investments. If it weren’t for Beau, I never would’ve come here, let alone considered staying on longer than two days.
“Listen, there’s something I want to say, and I need you to be serious for a minute,” I began.
His expression sobered.
“Thank you. Without you, I wouldn’t be here, and even though I’m more stressed out than I ever have been in my life, in the back of my mind, I know I really don’t have to be. What you said earlier, about stepping in if things get ugly—I know you would. I knew it before you said it. I can’t begin to think of ways to tell you how much I appreciate you.”
“You already have done, Samantha. You’ve loved me despite my plethora of shortcomings. In all the years we’ve known each other, you have unfailingly opened your heart to me every time I’ve needed you.”
I was about to speak, but Beau held his hand up.
“I beg you to let me finish.”
“Go ahead.”
“I don’t know the exact moment I came to this realization, but I cannot live without you. How’s that for a daunting undertaking? I’d say it far surpasses the commitment necessary to manage the Lilacs.”
I waited a few seconds to see if he had more to say. When he didn’t, I spoke. “I’ve never said this to anyone else. Not a single soul.”
“Tell me,” he whispered.
“I cannot live without you, either.”
When both of our eyes filled with tears, Beau stood. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I need to be alone with you—preferably, both of us naked.”
I smiled and took his hand. We were almost to the door when we came face-to-face with Cord Wheaton, who’d just come in.
“Evenin’,” he said, removing his hat.
“Hello, Cord. We were just on our way out, but can we buy you a drink?” Beau asked.
He looked beyond us to a man I hadn’t noticed previously sitting at the bar. He appeared to be sneering at us. “Nah, but thanks. I don’t think I’ll stick around.”
Beau motioned for Cord to go ahead of us, and we followed him through the door. “What was that about?” he asked once we were outside.
“Is there somewhere we can talk? Privately, I mean?”
“We could return to the Lilacs,” I suggested, not knowing of anywhere else we could ensure we weren’t overheard.
We agreed to meet there after I stopped by the inn to check on Wanda. “Give us twenty minutes?” I asked.
Cord nodded and walked over to his truck.
“What would you think of checking out of the inn and staying on the estate?” Beau asked.
“Now?”
He shook his head. “After we meet with Mr. Creola tomorrow.”
“Can I think about it?”
“It is entirely your decision, my love. We will stay or leave the inn at your discretion.”
“It would be a lot less expensive. I mean, if the house really is mine.”
Beau smiled. “It’s becoming more real to you, isn’t it?”
