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“Think she’s gonna be just fine,” Mitch said. “And Carter”—he pointed at me—“you make my baby sister cry, and I’ll make you cry. Capiche?”
“She has a better right hook than you,” I said, opening the passenger side door.
Mulaney kissed her grandmother and finger waved at her brother before she climbed into the car. “We’ll trade up in a couple hours. I’ll drive the rest of the way to Burdett,” she said loud enough that he could hear.
I closed her in before the argument could escalate. “See y’all at the ranch.”
They got into the car behind us, and I slid into the driver’s seat. Mulaney looked back as the other SUV pulled away.
“You sure you don’t want to fly with them?” I asked as I cranked the engine.
“I’m good. Besides, Ruby would give me a hard time the whole way home for not getting our shit sorted.” She buckled her seatbelt and put on the pair of sunglasses from the dash.
“I thought we pretty much had everything under control.” I maneuvered out of the hospital toward the interstate.
“We do?”
“Yep. Nobody had to ask me twice to get a few hours alone with my wife. Time’s hard to come by.” She gaped at me. “What? It’s taken me months to get you to share a bedroom. That shit stops now. We’re on the bottom bunk when we get back to the city.”
“I kinda like the top,” she protested.
“Fair enough.” I could compromise when necessary.
“If we ever get our own place, is that the setup we’re having in the master?” She sucked her bottom lip in to keep from laughing, and I squeezed her knee.
“Don’t care. I’m just happy you’re thinking about setting up house.”
“I’m sorry.”
My brows lifted. “I beg your pardon?”
“I said I’m sorry. It was wrong to handle everything the way I did.” She swallowed hard. “We got married, and then I was named CEO right after. It looked bad, like I was getting preferential treatment. I got scared because being with you was so different. You made me want things I have no business having, but I wasn’t only afraid of you and how you make me feel. There are things you don’t know about me.”
“That’s the main reason I didn’t push you. I know how much pride you have in your position. I didn’t want to give ammunition to anyone who might try to tear you down.” I paused as she drank in my words. “We’ve got the rest of our lives for you to tell me everything I don’t know.”
She turned her head away as if what I’d said pained her. I squeezed her hand to get her attention back.
“I haven’t even gotten my ring on your finger yet. I’m not going anywhere.” I rubbed my thumb over the red silk she hadn’t taken off.
She folded her arms over her chest and looked out the window. “How can you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Just move on. I’ve flung so much shit at you, we’re both covered in it, and yet you don’t care.”
“I want to be married to you. I want a little girl that’s as stubborn as you are and a little boy who’s protective like his mama. Besides, it would get kind of boring if you didn’t keep me on my toes.”
She edged away from me. “I don’t remember you ever talking about kids.”
“Mama being sick made me realize I couldn’t keep putting it off. She deserves whatever happiness I can bring her.”
Understanding dawned in her eyes. “It’s admirable you want to give her grandchildren, but that’s not something you should do if it’s not what you want.”
“I do.” I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. “Tell me that’s not a problem.”
“I’m not mother material,” she said quietly.
“Bullshit.” She jerked her head toward me. “I’ve seen the way you are with Leona and with that wild horse of yours. If anybody’s meant to be a mother, it’s you. I’ve always thought so.”
