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“Really,” I told her. “But right now, this is my promise to you. I promise to love you, listen to you, honor you, respect you, and to always be there for you. I promise not to ever let you feel alone. And I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel that in the last few days. It’s been a lot.”
“I know. The ranch has been weighing heavily on your mind, hasn’t it?” She reached up and stroked my face. “I understand, Beau. It seems like a lot; a really big responsibility. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“It’s more than that,” I said quietly.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s about my dad.” My voice cracked.
She sat up. “What is it? Beau, what is it?”
“I shouldn’t be telling you this, but I trust you and I love you and I need someone to know. I need some support.”
“Oh my gosh. Beau, what is it?”
“My dad’s sick. He’s gone to Seattle for heart surgery, and he might not make it. We don’t know. Mom and Dad didn’t want my brothers to know, so you have to promise not to tell anyone. Don’t tell Lucy or Sadie or anyone, okay?”
She grabbed my face and kissed me firmly on the lips. “I’m so sorry. You’ve been carrying this by yourself?”
I nodded as a tear rolled down my cheek.
“Oh, Beau.” She ran her hands through my hair and kissed me again, and I felt myself softening as we held each other.
“Thank you for understanding,” I said. “It’s been a lot. I’m strong and I can take it, but it’s been a lot. I’m so worried. What if he doesn’t make it? What if he dies? I don’t know what I would do.”
“He’s not going to die.” She grabbed my hands and squeezed. “Look at me,” she said firmly. “He’s not going to die. He’s going to be okay. I promise you that.”
“But you can’t promise me. You don’t know.”
“Trust me,” she said. She took my hand and placed it on her heart. “He’s going to be okay. I feel it in my heart. He’s going to be okay.”
I kissed her and then ran my fingers through her hair. I could feel her heart beating as we kissed, and I wondered how I could have lived so many years without her in my life. Without someone as wonderful and calming and passionate and sweet and sexy as Olivia.
I pulled back and looked into her eyes. “You’re everything to me. You know that, right?”
“Really? I don’t know what to say.”
“You’re perfect. Absolutely perfect in every single way. My mom made a comment to me once that you are astute, but you’re so much more than that. You’re loving. You’re sweet. You’re kind. You’re everything I ever could have dreamt of or asked for.”
“And so are you, Beau. You are the most marvelous, standup guy I’ve met in my life.”
“And the sexiest?” I grinned.
“And sexiest.”
“How’s your ankle?” I asked.
“It’s okay. Why?”
“Well, if you were up to it, I was thinking . . .”
She giggled. “You were thinking what?”
“Well, you know.”
“Um, Beau, we can’t.”
“Why not?”
