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“Oh, Peachy.” Piers reached across the table and settled his hand over hers.
Ash leaned in too, stroking his thumb over both of theirs. “You never lost that empathy, honey. You just set it aside until you could reach for it again.”
She nodded, eyes downcast. “It’s hard to believe in very much when your life is spent in negotiations with an impossible ex.”
“That will never happen to us, Peachy. We’re never going to leave you out in the cold by yourself.”
“You two broke your contracts.” Tears filled her eyes, and her lips worked, twisting as if to hold in the tears bottled in her throat. “How much longer before you’re fired because of me?”
* * * * *
When the words left Sylvee’s lips, Ash reached over and tugged Sylvee out of her seat and into his lap. She melted into him, and he tucked her head beneath his chin. The need to soothe and nurture her had always been strong, but more so now than ever. One glimmer of worry in her eyes had his protective instincts kicking in.
“You don’t need to worry about our jobs or the damn contracts, Peachy. We already decided we’re finished on the ranch.”
She jerked in his hold and leaned back to meet his gaze. “What are you talking about? You can’t be serious!”
Piers got out of his chair and leaned over them, wrapping them both in his strong arms. “We don’t want anyone but you, Sylvee.”
“And each other.” Ash caught his gaze.
She shook her head. “What will you do?”
There it was—the question that would change their entire course in life. Like a ship turning into tranquil waters.
He knew without a doubt that he wanted this. There was no other path for him now.
But if she didn’t want them too?
She hadn’t asked for another husband, let alone two. Hell, she wasn’t completely free from her first yet. The only thing she wanted was a child. She’d trusted them enough to ask for the chance.
Again, she shook her head, thick hair brushing over her shoulder. “I don’t think I understand. You’re leaving the ranch because of…me?”
Piers pressed his lips to her forehead. “We’ve never wanted anyone the way we want you, Sylvee.”
“But…how would we make it work?”
Ash spoke up. “Easy. We hand in our resignations and we go to Washington with you. One of us will be a stay-at-home dad and raise babies with you.”
Her eyes grew round. “You would do that for me?”
“It started as your dream…but the minute you said you wanted a family, I realized my life will never be complete without that. Ash feels the same.” Piers’s voice echoed the extreme love in Ash’s heart.
The tension hummed through her body into Ash’s. He loosened his hold so she could easily slip out of his lap if she wanted. The Sylvee they knew from childhood required space to move around and think.
She didn’t budge.
He studied her expression, but whatever was going on inside her mind was concealed from them. Until she decided to share it, he and Piers were locked out.
“What if…” Her blue eyes burned into his. “What if I don’t want to return to Washington?” She tilted her head back to meet Piers’s gaze.
“Stay here?” Piers wore his heart in his eyes. Ash’s own jogged at the sight of so much love and hope transferring between the two most important people in the world to him.
She gave a small nod.
“Alaska is vast. There are plenty of cities we can live in. Fairbanks, Anchorage.” Piers’s tone rang with a new energy, the tone bordering on excitement.
“But you both love the land so much. I see it when you’re outside. You won’t enjoy living in a city.”
