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I was finally going to take Dani on a much-needed date. Since both of us lived with our folks, we didn’t have any time to be alone. I never really factored that in when I decided to continue living with my dad, but now I regret not moving out.
My parents’ house, which was built many generations ago, was a large, multifamily house that would fit several people, so I hardly noticed that Dad and I were sharing it.
Now that Dani and I were back together, though, it was inconvenient for us to not have a place to be alone.
After tonight’s date, I would do whatever it took to get her someplace where we could spend the night, have a little privacy.
I remember when we were younger, we’d talked all the time about how we were gonna build our own house on my folks’ property. They have sectioned off portions for both Graham and me to take over when we want to settle down with our future families.
Graham hasn’t cashed in on his piece, mostly because he and Quinn were happy where they were. But I could see them changing their minds someday if their family grew.
Now, my mind was circling back around to this idea the more serious Dani and I got.
I pull into her parents’ property, the reminders of our past hitting me with a wave of nostalgia. When I talked her into letting me work with Lady, it had been dark, and my mind had been on one thing.
Get to her.
Now, I remember helping her dad build the tiny barn they had when they got her Patriot, and it was a big surprise for her. We were about fourteen.
A dog comes out barking, and I smile when I see Bernard. He’s definitely gotten a bit older now, but he wags his tail when he sees me.
I hop out of the truck—Dani told me to honk, but there was no way I was going to do that and get my ass chewed by Earl, her dad.
Plus, I want to see her parents. I actively avoided anything to do with the market when we broke up, and whenever I saw them around town, forced myself to stay away. The only time I’ve seen them and actually interacted with them a little was at dinner a few weeks ago, but there had been too many people there for me to actually talk with them.
“Hey, Bernard,” I say, reaching down and scratching the dog’s head. He leans against my freshly washed jeans, and I can’t even find it in myself to care.
We walk together up to the front porch, and I smile at the red-painted door, and I knock twice.
“He’s here!” I hear Sandra holler from inside and smile. “Earl! Get up!”
I laugh lightly to myself and step back from the door.
When it swings open, the woman who was to be my mother-in-law squeals and claps her hands before stepping forward and throwing her arms around me. “My baby!”
I laugh and hug her back. “It’s good to see you, Mrs. West.”
She gasps and leans back, slapping me on the shoulder. “How dare you! You call me Mama Sandra or nothing at all.”
I shake my head, my grin permanently etched on my face. “Sorry, Mama Sandra.”
She beams up at me and then steps back as a tall man comes up behind her, Earl, the man who I used to actively hang out with just to be near his daughter, the man who had me help him with projects around the house because he didn’t have a son of his own.
“Mr. West.” I nod, reaching out a hand for him to shake.
He shakes his head. “Son, the moment you call me that is the moment I feel old. It’s Earl, to you.”
I nod my head respectfully and step forward when his hand pulls mine closer, his other arm going around my shoulders.
I’m overwhelmed by the love they’re showing me. For one, it tells me a lot about our time apart. It tells me that Dani didn’t go around trashing me to anyone. I’ve had no one say a bad word to me about our breakup, not even her cousins.
For two, it tells me that despite our years apart, her parents knew that it wasn’t the end of us, and their faith in our relationship makes everything feel a little bit brighter.
They usher me into the house, but I see no sign of Dani yet, so when Sandra offers some iced tea, I accept and sit with them at the dining room table.
The house is small and neat, it has its farmhouse charm, and I can see there have been some improvements since I’ve been here.
“I like what you did with the kitchen,” I tell them as we sit. Sandra pours tea into everyone’s glasses .
“Thank you, son,” Earl says, gazing at the kitchen with pride. “Gutted it myself.”
“Wow,” I tell him. “That’s impressive.”
“Sure could have used your help,” he comments, and Sandra smacks him on the shoulder.
“Don’t make him feel bad.”
Earl shrugs, and I smile. “It’s okay.” I shrug. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help, but I’m planning on being around now.”
They both smile, and their eyes light up with happiness. “We’re sure glad to hear that.”
“Mom! Is he here?” I hear Dani yell from up the stairs.
“Nope, it’s the mailman!” Sandra yells back, and I laugh.
“Mom!” Dani whines, and I hear thumping as she rushes down the stairs. “Shit!” I hear right before a bigger thud.
I rise to go see, sure that Dani just about killed herself getting down the stairs, and as I turn the corner that leads to them, she straightens herself, and everything I was planning on saying evaporates off my tongue.
She’s got white boots on that complement her tanned legs. They lead up to a leather miniskirt. She has a white shirt tucked into that and a jean jacket over it, her blonde hair is in curls down her back, and she has all her jewelry on, mostly turquoise that makes her tan skin pop even more.
Her eyes alight when they see me, and I’m brought back to when she showed up at the barn out of nowhere and kissed me for no reason other than that she wanted to.
She was vulnerable then, and I don’t know why, but I was planning on finding out.
“You look…wow,” I say, my mind not comprehending the words I really want to say.
Beaming, she takes a step forward, and I grab her hand. “Thanks! Let’s leave!”
“Oh, but…” I gesture toward the kitchen, and when I look, her parents are there, and Sandra’s waving me off.
“Oh, don’t you worry, you two go have fun! Stay out all night if you want!”
“Mom!” Dani chastises, then she hesitates. “We’ll see you…later.”
Sandra winks. “Thatta girl.”
We leave after Dani picks up her bag, one that’s bigger than her normal one, and then we’re on our way.
The second nature of taking Dani on a date is amazing. I hold her hand out to the truck. When we start driving, our hands drift together again, my calloused ones rubbing against her slightly softer skin.
When we walk to the restaurant doors, I open them for her, my hand falling to the small of her back on instinct. We settle into a rhythm after we’re seated and fall into conversation. It’s easy, comfortable.
We laugh and reminisce, she tells me about our time apart and what she did, and I do the same, though mine is much less eventful than hers.
She asks me who I dated while we were apart, and it’s an easy answer—no one.
Her jaw drops just slightly. “No one?”
I shake my head, taking a scoop of my dinner in front of me. “Nope. Had no reason to.”
She frowns, grabbing her water glass. “Why not? Surely you met someone who was worth a minute of your time.”
I set my fork down and look at her. The vulnerability on her face is clear, and I don’t know what answer she wants, but she’ll just get the truth. “If it wasn’t you, it was no one.”
She’s silent for a moment and then sighs. “Well, that’s kind of a relief, to be honest.”
I smile, glad that I chose that kind of life when we were apart so that we didn’t have to have a hard conversation now. Then I frown. “What about you?” Do I want to know the answer to this? “Did you date anyone?”
“Nothing serious,” she answers, her gaze going down to her nearly empty plate. “Went on a couple of dates, but no one was ever…” Dani leaves off her sentence with a shrug, and I wait patiently. Finally, her eyes meet mine. “It wasn’t the same.”
The end of her statement hits home. I know what she means. I don’t need her to explain anymore.
“I have something else I need to ask,” I start, wiping my mouth with my napkin and setting it back on my lap. “When we broke up.”
Dani’s eyes drift away for a moment before shifting back to mine.
“How come you didn’t tell anyone I was the one who dumped you? I expected to be hated, to have your parents come talk to me. But none of that happened.”
She swallows hard and says, “When you broke up with me, I was in a fog.” I bite my tongue. “I couldn’t get out of bed for a week. Then the funeral happened, and I couldn’t find it in myself to face you,” she admits. I scrub a hand over my beard, watching her eyes mist slightly. “I didn’t need to tell anyone details. They all knew the gist of it.”
I shake my head. “But they all thought it was your fault. ”
Her shoulder lifts, and she says, “You had enough on your plate. You didn’t need more people piling on you.”
I watch Dani for a minute, her smile slowly comes back to her face, and I watch her in awe. “So, you didn’t tell people I dumped you because you’re a saint.”
Teasingly, she tosses her hair over her shoulder. “Well, if you insist.”
I smile at her and reach across the table, grasping her fingers in mine. “You shouldn’t have had to carry that burden alone.” My eyes shift between hers. “I’m never going to be able to express how grateful I am that you’re giving me a second chance, Dani.”
Her eyes well with tears, and she can’t hide the emotion. “Oof.” She laughs, grabbing her wineglass. “This is a heavy topic for a first date.”
I chuckle and grab my own glass.
“How about we agree to start over?” she starts. “No more dread, no more regrets, just us moving forward.”
“I can drink to that.” I tap her glass with my own and take a swallow.
Before long, we finish our meals, and as the waitress leaves the table with my card, Dani shifts in her seat .
With her jacket on the bench next to her, her bare shoulders are visible, and I allow my gaze to eat up every delicious bite of her bare skin.
“So.” I look back up at Dani, and she bites her lip shyly. “I have a question, but it’s kind of…”
“What?” I prompt, watching her waver.
“It’s kind of out there. Blunt,” she finishes, her head bobbing.
I smile at her and wave a hand for her to go on.
“I may or may not have rented a room at the lodge for us.”
Immediately, my brows hit my hairline. I did not think that was what she was going to say.
“You did?” I choke on a laugh.
She nods, her eyes closing. “Look,” a deep sigh leaves her. “I know that we’re kind of…new.”
“New again,” I correct.
“Right.” Another nod, giving away how nervous she is. “But I live with my folks, and you live with your dad, and frankly.” She lightly slaps a hand down on the table. “I can’t, and don’t want to, wait any longer.”
I try not to laugh at her blunt delivery. She wasn’t lying. It was a forward move, one that I am more than happy to follow.
I stand quickly, reaching for her hand and pulling her out of the booth. She grabs her jacket and bag. “Now I know what the large bag was for.”
Dani shrugs, her eyes meeting mine with confidence. “I’m a woman who knows what she wants.”
I lean close, my lips grazing her ear. “And I’m the man who’s gonna give it to you.”