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“I think your stubbornness is great,” he returned.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I’ll bet.”
Wyatt shook his head with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He was so handsome. I wished things were different.
Recognizing I still hadn’t answered his original question, I shared, “I love to dance. I normally don’t drink like I did on my birthday, but there were a lot of emotions I was attempting to deal with that night. I love spending time with my friends, either going to dinner or having a girls’ night in. I love being with my family. There aren’t a lot of us, but what we’ve got can’t be measured in numbers.”
An appreciative look washed over Wyatt’s expression. “I think that sounds wonderful. What about when you aren’t with anyone else? What about when it’s just you on a day off? What do you like to do?”
“Well, you already know I enjoy running,” I started. “I also obsessively decorate. Mostly, it’s for the holidays, but I like to do it when the seasons change, too. And I like staying local.”
Appreciation turned to amusement. “You obsessively decorate?”
I nodded and pressed my lips together in order to stifle a grin. “I love my house, and I want it to feel like a home. When I was a kid, I always looked forward to Christmas. Obviously, running a farm is a lot of work, so there wasn’t always a lot of free time for my parents, but they, along with my grandparents, made sure we went a bit overboard on making Christmas special. My favorite part was putting up the decorations, because it was this special time we had together. I guess I’ve been unable to let that go.”
“My mom is the same way,” Wyatt shared. “She goes a little overboard, and she’s got this obsession with nutcrackers at Christmas.”
I loved having that nugget of information about Wyatt’s mom. “Mine is snow and trees. Maybe it’s from growing up on the farm and there being a bit of a nature lover in me. But if I could have multiple Christmas trees, I would. And I’d have at least one decorated with only snowflakes. And my fireplace hearth and mantle would be covered with fake snow and tiny decorative trees.”
“This is what makes you happy?” Wyatt asked. There was no judgment in his tone. I could hear the genuine interest lingering.
Nodding, I confirmed, “Yes. But it’s like that all year round. So, I’ve got other things I’ll do to celebrate different seasons or holidays.”
He dipped his chin in acknowledgement and asked, “And what’s this business about staying local?”
I laughed. “Maybe that’s just a term I use being from a family that farms, but I like Landing. I’m not a huge shopper, but if I’m going to buy things, I prefer to stick to the small businesses in town. Those people are the ones who appreciate it the most. Plus, I know what it’s like to have my small business supported, so I want to give others that same feeling.”
“So, you’re stubborn, gorgeous, and compassionate. You really do have it all, Rhea, don’t you?” Wyatt teased.
“Stop,” I urged him, dropping my gaze to my plate. I didn’t want to appear bashful, but every time he said something that made it seem as though I could be the woman of his dreams, it made me freak out.
“What?”
I lifted my eyes to his and noticed he was wearing a look of curiosity. Did he really not understand? Shifting my finger back and forth between the two of us, I indicated, “You and this constant talk of things you shouldn’t be saying.”
Wyatt raised a questioning brow. “Things I shouldn’t be saying? Like what?”
“Like, me being gorgeous. Or, the way you were eating your ice cream while you told me you had things in store for me.”
A mischievous grin spread across his face. “I told you that you made a delightful little sound while I was eating that ice cream, and you attempted to deny it. It’s been on your mind ever since then, so I think I’m not the only one affected here. I’m just the only one who’s willing to act upon it. But I’m not bothered by that. It’s your stubborn nature holding you back.”
Damn it.
He wasn’t wrong.
Instead of confirming or denying anything, I shoved a bite of food into my mouth. Wyatt knew I was using avoidance tactics and found it amusing, because he laughed.
“Look, Rhea, you can’t blame a guy for trying. I’m really trying every possible thing I can think of,” he said. “I purposely fell during the fartlek, for crying out loud.”
I knew it. I had the feeling he’d done that on purpose, but I couldn’t be sure. Even if I wanted to call him out on that now, my brows had already pulled together. “For what? What are you trying to do?”
For several long moments, Wyatt simply stared at me. But there was a glimmer there that told me he was about to reveal something profound. I wasn’t prepared.
“I want to figure out what it takes to make you happy,” he shared. “I want to know what someone would have to do to win over your heart.”
In an instant, my body froze. My fork was halfway to my mouth, and my hand stopped in midair. I stayed like that for a few beats before lowering my fork to my plate and sitting back. “What?”
Wyatt inhaled deeply, and I wondered if it was regret that I saw in his face. “I asked about the dancing from the start, because it was the one time I saw you so carefree and happy. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the other parts of your personality, because I do, but I would love to see more of that woman I saw on your birthday, too. And I just wonder what it takes to get more of that side of you.”
