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Except she wasn’t his family. This was all a ruse that would end as soon as Mimi paid off the loan and signed over the land.
“Rome?”
He pulled out of his thoughts and found Cloe looking at him with concern.
“Are you okay?”
He forced a smile. “I’m fine. We better hurry or we’ll be late for church.”
He didn’t talk much on the ride into town. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice since Casey was taking a poll to see who thought lightning would strike the church as soon as the Remingtons crossed the threshold.
“Which is why you’re going first, Romy,” Casey said. “If it does strike, I’m outta there.”
“Stop, Casey,” Cloe said. “Can’t you see you’re freaking your brother out?”
Rome was feeling freaked out, but it had nothing to do with lightning and everything to do with the realization that he was doing it again. He was falling for a woman who would eventually leave. He needed to put on the brakes and get back their previous relationship—two business partners making a logical decision. But when they got to church and she slipped her hand in his and this feeling of contentment washed over him, he knew there was no going back.
It scared the hell out of him.
Inside the church, Mrs. Stokes was the first person to greet them. “Well, it’s about time you lovebirds showed up.”
Casey mumbled under his breath to Rome. “I’d rather have been hit by lightning.”
“What was that, Casey Remington?” Mrs. Stokes started coughing.
Casey pulled off his hat and waited until the fit was over before he spoke. “I was just telling my brother how time hasn’t changed your beauty, Ms. Stokes.”
She waved a hand. “Don’t be wasting that charm on me. Everyone knows I don’t date men under forty years of age.” She winked at Sam. “I like my men like I like my wine and cheese. Aged.”
Casey crowed with laughter and Mrs. Stokes swatted him. “Hush up! That’s no way to act in church.” She slipped her wrinkled hand through the crook of his arm. “Now walk me to my pew. I’d invite y’all to join me, but I figure you’ll be sittin’ in the Holiday family pew.”
Family. There was that word again tightening Rome’s chest and making him feel like he couldn’t breathe.
He allowed Cloe to lead him down the aisle to the Holiday pew. Her grandmother, mama, and daddy were already seated. Rome didn’t know who glared the most—Hank or Sam. Sam stubbornly took a seat in the pew behind the Holidays’.
Cloe started to say something, but Rome shook his head and stopped her. It was best if they kept their fathers separated. Especially in church. But Casey had no problem joining the Holiday family. He took a seat right next to Mimi and started chatting away. Rome allowed Cloe to go into the pew before him, then took a seat next to her.
All through church, he tried to absorb the fact that he’d been completely wrong. He thought he could keep his distance from Cloe. He thought he could remain detached. But he was attached. In only a few weeks, he’d become tethered to the woman sitting next to him holding his hand as if she never wanted to let it go.
But Emily had held his hand like that too. And she’d let go. His and Emily’s had been a real marriage. His and Cloe’s had been fake from the start.
“If you’re uncomfortable, we can leave.”
Cloe’s voice pulled him from his thoughts and he glanced over to see her watching him with concerned eyes.
He tightened his hold on her hand. “I’m fine.”
But he wasn’t. He wasn’t fine at all.
After church, Mimi cornered him in the foyer. Her eyes were twinkling and her smile was big. He’d never noticed before, but underneath the wrinkles were dimples just like Cloe’s.
“I’m ready to transfer the ranch into your name.”
A stab of pain pierced his heart. “I thought you wanted to wait a few months to see if Cloe and I made a good match.”
“I was never worried about you making a good match. I was worried about you getting divorced before you figured out that you made a good match. But according to what your brother just told me, you have figured it out. He said love is in the air at Remington Ranch.” She patted his cheek. “I guess my plan wasn’t as crazy as everyone thought.”
It was still a crazy plan, but what was even crazier was Rome thinking he could live with a woman as beautiful, smart, caring, and wonderful as Cloe and not fall completely under her spell.
