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Brielle stared helplessly as he walked away, wondering what she could do. “But I won’t ask you to leave either,” she called after him.
Wade stopped. He didn’t turn to face her; he just stood there a few paces away. She studied his form like she’d done a hundred times before. The muscles in his arms rippled when he shifted. His hat covered his brown hair, but she could see some of it growing out just a little. She imagined if he’d been the kind of guy to grow it out completely, it would have a little curl to it.
For all intents and purposes, Wade was the kind of guy she’d been drawn to for the last decade. He was quiet and thoughtful. He didn’t get pushed around. And she could imagine he’d go to the ends of the earth for the woman he loved.
One day she might have the chance to be that woman.
Maybe that was why she’d blurted what she had.
Brielle cleared her throat. “I’m not your keeper, Wade. You do what you want to do, and I won’t stand in your way.”
His dry chuckle caused the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck to stand on end. It was deep and warm, like honey. This time it was laced with something slightly bitter. “Refusing to accept that we share a connectionisstanding in my way, Bri.” Wade faced her, his expression a mask of unreadability. “Not only that, but you’re standing in yourownway, too.”
Her first instinct was to huff and roll her eyes. He sounded utterly nonsensical. But logic pointed out just how close he was to the truth. Over the last ten years, she’d continuously stood in her own way of finding happiness. It was time to let go and allow herself to take control of her life—real control.
She lifted her chin, her eyes not wavering. “Fine.”
“Fine?”
Nodding, she folded her arms and shot another quick look toward the barn. Her father hadn’t materialized yet. She was probably safe to have this conversation without repercussions. “Fine, I’ll—”
The sound of another vehicle rumbled toward the main house, drawing the attention of both of them. Normally, the arrival of someone new wouldn’t have been anything to care about. But the Jeep that bounced along the graveled road looked out of place. Had her father gotten his new business under way that quickly? It was impossible, right?
She stepped toward it, peering through the cloud of dust the tires had kicked up so she could get a better look at the driver. The man looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him. He had a strong, sculpted build, a clean-shaven chiseled jaw and jet-black hair. The strangest thing was how he was dressed. He wore a linen shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows and tailored knee length shorts. Music blasted from the radio, louder since the Jeep had no side windows.
Why did this guy look so familiar?
Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. This wasn’t some random stranger from out of state. Brielle definitely knew this guy.
It was her husband.
Her stomach somersaulted angrily. Now was not a good time to be Brielle Callahan. She shot a desperate look in Wade’s direction. What was he going to do when he found out? And what about her father? There were several ranch hands on staff today; could they be counted on to keep a secret?
She dragged a hand down her face and let out a groan. What about the gossips in town? If Tad had spoken to any of them, then Brielle was a goner. She lurched forward, nearly tripping over her feet until she came to the side of the Jeep. There were no words she could think of that would make sense in this situation.
There was only one thing for certain.
She needed to get him out of there before he said anything she would regret. Brielle grabbed onto the door, her breathing heavy and her heart going on strike. She felt lightheaded, and that pounding came from the inside of her skull rather than her heart. Her fingers tightened on the door until she finally found her voice. “Tad?”
He met her gaze with narrowed eyes then he let out a laugh. “Elle? Is that you?” His thick Australian accent threw her off, and she blinked. She hadn’t remembered him being a foreigner.
Tad unbuckled and climbed out of his Jeep so quickly she hadn’t had the chance to tell him to start his vehicle and meet her in town. Then again, that would have been a very bad idea. Her eyes flew to where Wade still remained. There was only one place she could think of that would work, and she just prayed that Wade would be okay with it.
She hurried around to the driver’s side and motioned toward the jeep. “Get back in.”
He chuckled, his eyes darting over to where Wade watched them with curiosity. “It’s been nearly a decade. Is that any way to treat—”
“In the car. Now,” she muttered.
“All right, all right.”
She shut the door after he took his seat. “You can’t be here,” she hissed. “We’re going somewhere else to talk. Do you think you can handle that?”
Tad didn’t smile. He glanced back toward Wade once more. “Sure thing.”
4
Wade
