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“I know…” she huffed. “But I also don’t want to fight with my family. I don’t want them to hate me or be angry because I’m…”
“Choosing yourself.” I had no idea what she was about to say but that was exactly what the problem was. Shore was choosing herself over making her parents happy and she shouldn’t feel like shit from doing so. “Listen to what you’re saying. This is not about them. It’s aboutyou. You love your parents, but they should love you too and if they do, they’ll be okay with whatever makes you happy even if it’s not what they feel is right for you. Regardless, the decision isn’t theirs, Shore. It’s yours. Garrett went through the same thing when it came to telling me and my parents he wanted to play baseball instead of working the ranch. I didn’t like it, neither did they, but we loved him enough to let him make his own decisions about what his life should be.”
“Yeah.” She sighed again. “I feel like a damn child.”
I smirked and edged closer, bringing Shore into a hug. “You’retheirchild but that doesn’t mean you don’t have the right to live your life. You can have whatever you want.”
“I wantthis…”
“Then it's yours.” I hooked her chin and delivered a kiss. “I’m all yours.”
“Hmm, I like the sound of you being mine. Now all I have to do is convince my parents to get on board with the idea ofthisbeing my life.”
“Call ’em back,” I stated bluntly and she frowned, shaking her head.
“I think I’m done defending my life to my family until after the holidays.”
“Let me talk to them.”
“Oh no, that’s not happening. You don’t know my mother and she doesn’t know you. I’m not that crazy.”
“I don’t know her but if you truly want this andme, then I will eventually have to get to know her. Might as well start somewhere and here seems like a good enough place. I can’t be half a man to you, Shore. If you’re mine, then I fully accept the responsibility of making sure you’re good. This thing between you and your family is bothering you and I’m not okay with you being out of sorts. You can’t enjoy the rest of your time here or fully embrace a new start if you don’t get things settled with your parents. Let me talk to them.”
She toyed with the corner of her lip, staring at me like she was struggling through an internal war, but eventually she lifted her phone, swiped the screen, and made the call. She extended the phone to me and I lifted the device to my ear but kept my eyes locked on Shore.
After a few rings, a woman’s voice flowed through the device.
“You’re calling back so I hope that means you’ve come to your senses about all this. Your sister said you’re on some ranch in the middle of nowhere. Maybe that’s what has you talking crazy. You should have just come home so that we could have worked through this as a family, sweetheart.”
“Afternoon, Mrs. Manchester. This isn’t Shore. My name is Wilde Reeves.”
“Wilde Reeves. Why do you have my daughter's phone?”
“Because she’s here with me and I wanted to talk to you for a minute if that’s alright.”
“No, that isnotalright. Put Shore on the phone.”
“I can’t do that, not until I speak my piece.”
“Look,Wilde, I don’t know who you are but I would advise that you get Shore on the line and rather quickly or I’ll…”
I smirked. “There’s not much you can do from where you are but I will do you the justice of making this quick. Shore hates her life. The life she’s been stuck in trying to be something you wanted her to be. She hates being a lawyer andIhate seeing her distraught or unhappy, so for now, her career is on pause until she decides what will make her happy…”
“You don’t know my daughter to speak about what she likes or what she wants to do with her life.”
“No disrespect, ma’am, but I know her about as well as you do if you insist on demanding she live according to what you think is best for her.”
Shore stiffened uncomfortably, but I winked and kept talking. “She tried the lawyer thing. It didn’t work out. She was miserable, so we’re trying things a little differently for a while. Shore’s gonna be here for as long as she wants until she decides what makes her happy. I’m hoping the thing thatkeepsher happy is me, seeing how I know I’ve been doing a damn good job ofmakingher happy over the past couple days.”
A slow smile eased onto Shore’s face and she shook her head with the look of disbelief crawling into her expression. This wasn’t the conversation she expected me to have with her mother but I was and would always be a straight to the point type of man. So this was what she was getting.
“You’ve known my daughter for five minutes. I’ve known herallher life. You can’t possibly think you know what she wants, no matter how happy you’ve seemingly made her over the past couple days. I assure you whatever romp in the hay you two have had is temporary. Shore is having a lapse in judgment which I will talk her through.”
“I’m sure that’s what you want to believe but I know her quite well and if you take the time to ask her what she wants andlistento her answer you might get to know her a little better yourself. Regardless, she’s told me she wants to be here so that’s what we're doing. I’m gonna hand over the phone and you two can settle whatever you need to settle for now.”
I extended the device back to Shore and she hesitantly accepted. I kept my eyes on her while she talked.
“Hey, Mom. Yes. No, I’m not in danger.” She rolled her eyes. “No, he’s not holding me at gunpoint or against my will. I’m sure. Yes, very.” She smiled softly. “He’s a good guy. Yes, I’m sure and yes, I’m safe. Yes. Not that I need your permission or approval but it would be nice to have. I can’t tell you how everything is going to play out but for now I’m happy and this is what I want. I need a break. I need to do this for me. Okay. I love you too and I’ll call you guys tomorrow. Yes, I know we will. I love you too. I know, okay, bye.”
