Chapter 40
40
Michelle worked on her book over the next few days. She smiled as she typed, “He was looking at his phone when he turned and bumped into me.” Their meet-cute. Michelle’s heart raced as her characters’ lives mimicked her own. Caught up in the moment of her book, she was startled by a loud knock on the door. She jumped out of her chair, checking her appearance before she walked through the house. A big smile stretched across her face, seeing who was at her door.
“Hi. You’re here earlier than I thought.”
“Hey, beautiful. Disappointed?”
“Not in the slightest.”
He lowered his head to kiss her cheek. “Glad to hear it. I’ve missed you.”
Chip stepped up behind him. “Hello, Michelle.”
“Hi, Chip.” She smiled and pulled her phone from her back pocket. “I was asked to give this to you.” She looked at her phone, and it opened. “Here ya go.”
“Thanks.” Chip held out his hand to Keith. “I need yours too.”
A sly smile crossed Keith’s face as he handed over his phone. “Let us know when you’re done.”
Chip sat at the kitchen table as Keith and Michelle walked toward the den. He dropped a small overnight bag by the door before they snuggled on the couch until Chip finished with their phones.
“I can’t believe you’re here and staying the night,” Michelle softly said.
“You sound nervous.”
“A little, I suppose.”
“Why?”
“I’ve only slept with one man over the last thirty years, Keith. This is new for me.”
Keith kissed the side of her head. “Everything with you is new to me.”
Chip cleared his throat from behind them. “They’re ready.”
Keith rounded the sofa, taking the phones and shaking Chip’s hand. “Thank you. I’ll see you around ten in the morning?”
“Yes, sir.” Chip looked at Michelle and winked. “Keep my man safe, Michelle. I don’t need to explain to the director why he isn’t on set tomorrow.”
Michelle grinned. “I’ll do my best.”
Chip lifted his hand in a small wave. “I’ll let myself out.”
Keith returned to the sofa and sat the phones on the side table. “I want you to think about something.”
“Okay?”
“The other night, Adam made a comment about my going home. What would happen then, remember?”
“I do.”
“I saw the look in your eyes. The question on your face. Will this end when he leaves? I’ve repeatedly told you that I haven’t felt this way about a woman since I was a young man. It’s going to be hard as hell when I leave.” He held her gaze. “I want you to come out to my ranch in Montana.”
“What?”
Keith picked up Michelle’s phone. “I had Chip record the song ‘Meet Me in Montana’ as our ringtones. I hope it’ll compel you to consider the offer whenever you hear it. And I’ll be hoping that you accept the offer when you answer.”
“Really? I’d love to come see you.”
“I know asking you to go to California is too much, but the ranch in Montana is quiet and a bit isolated since it sits on two hundred and fifty acres. I’ll fly the boys out so you can meet them. I really want you there, Michelle. I want you in my space. I want you to make it yours.”
“You don’t really mean that, Keith. You don’t know me well enough yet.”
“Every minute I’m with you reinforces how sure I am, Michelle.”
She cupped the side of his face. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but we can look at the calendar and decide when a good time will be.”
Keith’s eyes widened. “So, you’re agreeing? You aren’t going to argue with me about this?”
“I’m agreeing,” she said with a broad smile.
“I’ll fly out to get you and bring you home. You won’t be alone. We’ll use my private jet.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“For our privacy, I do.”
“Our privacy...” Michelle’s thoughts drifted to how long they could keep this relationship quiet.
“Speaking of privacy. The other night at dinner, you made a comment. You said something about ‘the dating site I was using.’ Aren’t you still on the site?”
Michelle looked at her lap. “I inactivated my profile.”
“And you didn’t tell me? Why?”
“I don’t control what you do. I did what was best for me.”
“No, Michelle.” He snatched his phone off the table and called Chip.
“Keith? What’s wrong?” Chip sounded concerned.
“Deactivate my profile on MyPrivacy .”
“Are you sure?”
“Very.”
“I’ll do it when I get to my hotel room.”
“Thank you.” Keith disconnected the call.
Michelle raised her eyebrows. “Why did you do that?”
“The only reason I’m on there is you. If you’re gone, so am I.”
Michelle closed her eyes. He was helping her feel secure, and she appreciated his efforts more than she could say. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.
“Why are you crying?”
“You surprise me at every turn. I... I wasn’t expecting you, and here you are being everything I was looking for. Are you real, Keith Mason, or am I setting myself up for heartbreak?”
He held her face so he could look directly into her eyes. “I’m real, Michelle. I’m flawed. I have baggage. I come with a lot of issues that surround me every day that would cause you to run.” He gently kissed her lips. “But I will love you like no one else can. You will own my heart.”
Michelle cried when he pulled her close to him.