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“That’s not true,” he said. “Youareworth it. And not everyone walks away when the going gets tough. If breaking down your door doesn’t tell you that, I’ll have to spend a lot of time proving it in other ways. But I can do that—because I’m not going anywhere.”
She shook her head. “I don’t have anything to offer you.”
He closed the gap between them and took hold of her upper arms as he gazed down into her face. “I liked what you were giving me before.”
“Sex—”
“Love,” he corrected. “Loveandsex and fun and all the other things that go into a relationship. That’s what I want—that’s all I need.”
The misery she’d been feeling threatened to swallow her whole. “It won’t work. Don’t you understand? I can’tbelieveit. After...after everything that’s happened, I have no trust.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “Trust is something that can be built over time, Ellen. Drop by drop. Day by day. I’ll help you.”
“Why?”she demanded. “Why would you take on someone who’s so broken when you could have anyone else?”
“Because I don’t want anyone else,” he said. “I wantyou.”
More tears rolled down her cheeks and dropped off her chin. She hated to cry, but she also couldn’t stop. “I don’t understand.”
He wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. “Because you don’t see yourself the wayI’vecome to see you.”
What could he see what Stuart had missed, whether he was her father or not? “What about everything else?” she asked. “What about your job?”
He gave her a peck on the mouth. “I saw a notice in town. Truesdale Well and Pump Services is hiring. We might not make much money at first, but we’re young and strong, and we’re damn good drillers.” He kissed her more deeply. “Together, I think we could really build a business. What do you say?”
Was this for real? Dared she reach for the kind of happiness he seemed to be offering her?
Her heart thudded in her chest, wanting what it wanted even as her mind insisted she’d only set herself up for a bigger fall if she relented. He couldn’t make her any promises. She couldn’t make him any promises, either. This was too new. It could be entirely the wrong thing for her, or for him, or for both of them.
And yet...nothing had ever felt so right.
If she didn’t take the chance, how would she ever know?
“Did you give me the geode in my living room?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The change in subject had obviously taken him off guard, but he smiled. “I did. I wish I’d given it to you long ago. I knew how much you liked it.”
“I can’t accept something that precious. It belonged to your mother!”
“It did,” he confirmed. “But I want you to have it, and I want you to know that she would’ve loved you, too.”
After making sandwiches for dinner and going straight to bed with Ellen, Hendrix drove her to Talulah’s Dessert Diner early on Saturday morning for coffee and breakfast buns. Several people stared at them or murmured in surprise, especially when he held her hand or put his arm around her, but he didn’t care, and she ignored the stir they were making, too. They were quickly becoming so caught up in each other no one else mattered.
She made her chicken enchiladas for him Saturday night. They were delicious, but she told him they were about the only meal she knew how to cook. Hendrix had a feeling he’d be doing a lot of grilling and feeding her in the future, but he didn’t mind. He was so content when he was with her. The indecision and restlessness he’d felt with every other woman was somehow—inexplicably—gone.
He spent Sunday morning fixing the door he’d broken at her place while she cleaned, and they talked about going to Libby to find Jordan’s car the following morning. Ellen insisted she’d be going with him, and he welcomed her company.
“I can’t wait to call my aunt and tell her how wrong she’s been,” he said as they got in his truck to go to his house after lunch.
The dark cloud of worry that’d hung over Ellen on Friday night seemed to roll over her again. He supposed they’d encounter moments like that. As idyllic as their weekend had been, they still had the same problems. He had to expect reality to set in at some point.
“I’m surprised she hasn’t tried to call you,” Ellen said. “I know how much you mean to her, and I don’t want to come between you.”
He reached over the console to slide his fingers through hers. “Don’t worry about that. I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”
He couldn’t explain why they went together so well, but he was beginning to feel a little stupid that it’d taken him two and a half years to realize she was exactly what he wanted and needed in his life. At least he’d gotten it right in the end. “It’s impressive you’re even worried about that.Shecertainly doesn’t care about coming between us. As a matter of fact, she’s been trying to do exactly that.”
He turned down the dirt road that went past Jay’s mobile home before dead-ending at his cabin. He’d told Ellen he had to get organized so they could go to Libby tomorrow. Then he’d be available to work with her on whichever jobs she could line up for the rest of the week. That he’d be helping her again would infuriate Lynn, but his aunt was the one who’d fired him. What did she expect him to do? Ellen had promised they’d split whatever she earned so they could muddle through what was likely to be an economically trying time for both of them.
