Wasted

Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

Cole

L aying on my back with one arm wrapped around Taylor's naked body snuggled into mine and the other under my head, I stared up at the ceiling of the back room of the bar that Taylor had made into her temporary bedroom. I hated the thought of her living here, even if it was only temporary. I hated the idea of her not having a home.

"Have you given any more thought to moving to Nashville with me?" It made my chest ache at the thought of leaving her here to live like this. She had an air mattress, a couch, and a couple of boxes of her things.

Shifting to look up at me, she sucked in a deep breath before exhaling slowly. "Two years ago, I was ready to leave with you without a second thought about leaving all this behind, even though it was always in my head that I'd come back eventually. Now, I don't know what I want, but I know the thought of losing you again, even if all we ever are is friends, feels earth-shattering. But, at the same time, leaving my home," she paused, "well, I guess my home is already gone."

"Do you regret not taking the money to pay off your parent's land?" I ran my fingers through her silky blond hair.

She shook her head. "No, it wasn't right taking that money." A flicker of annoyance crossed my face, but I didn't say anything. I understood why she felt it wasn't right, but I disagreed with her. She'd made a deal with Wyatt. That money was hers. "I regret not figuring out a way to make the land profitable before it got so bad. So that I didn't have to take anyone's money."

"Have you thought about what your options are if you don't go with me?"

"Actually…" She smiled. My eyes narrowed as my ears perked up because I was expecting, or well, hoping, she'd say no. Saying yes meant that she was really considering staying. "I heard Old Man Winston is considering selling."

Old Man Winston owned a small six acres that neighbored the back of her family's land. "And?"

"And I thought it might be the perfect piece of land for me."

"Sounds like you've already made your decision to stay."

She shifted in the bed. "No, I haven't. Winston isn't ready to sell yet, so maybe I could find a place in Nashville for a few months and see how it goes."

"Have you already made him an offer?"

She shook her head. "No, but Bailey talked to him." I huffed out a breath a little louder than I'd intended, and she narrowed her eyes. Leave it to my sister to not be able to keep her nose out of this. She didn't trust that I really did want what was best for Taylor. "What?"

"Sounds like Bailey doesn't want you to leave."

"I think Bailey just wants me to be happy." She cleared her throat as she pushed up to a sitting position and pulled the sheet with her to cover her naked body. "She wanted me to know that I had options. She wants me to choose me this time."

Sighing, I pushed myself up beside her. "Taylor, I want you to choose you, too." As much as I wanted to be selfish, I couldn't. She'd already chosen my happiness over hers, and this time, I wanted her to be happy. If that happiness didn't include me, then I'd have to live with it. "I want you to choose your happiness over everybody else's. If Old Man Winston's place is what you want, then let's talk to him today and see if we can find out when he plans to sell."

"And if I buy it?" Her gaze dropped to her hands. "What does that mean for us?"

"I don't know." I forced a smile. The thought of walking away from her again was excruciatingly painful. "But I know I'm not ready to give up on this. On us yet." Her gaze lifted, meeting mine as her lips curved into a soft smile. "What about you?" She'd chosen my happiness over hers; this time, I chose her. She was my happiness. I was happy if she was happy. "Are you ready to give up on us?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Then we'll figure it out together." The truth was that the more time I spent back home, the more I realized how much I loved it, or maybe it was just her that I loved. After leaving Bridgewater two years ago, I'd never planned to come back here, but I never thought I would get a second chance with Taylor again, either. I could see myself growing old here with Taylor on a large piece of land so far from civilization that we didn't have to worry about paparazzi. "I have to go back to Nashville for a few days. Come with me, just for a few days. I can show you my house, and then we'll come back to Bridgewater to discuss what we want to do. Stay and buy or leave or split our time or whatever makes us happy."

"I would love to see your home in Nashville."

I smiled. "Pack a bag, baby." I looped my arm around her and jerked her at the same time I rolled over her. So fast she was pinned under me before she even realized what was happening. "We're going to Nashville."

She laughed. A real laugh that made her bright blue eyes look a little bluer. It was intoxicating. Addicting. I wanted to hear that laugh every day for the rest of my life, but I already knew that. I knew it the first time I'd seen her. It didn't matter what happened in the past or how much it had changed us. I was still just as in love with her today as I was the first time I'd seen her, the first time I'd kissed her, the first time I'd held her, and I knew I would do anything to make her happy.

"I have to run home, and then I'll be back to pick you up." I needed to deal with Bailey and her meddling because if I didn't, she was going to ruin everything.