Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
HARRY
F ine fingers brush over the trigger of my Winchester. I wrap my body around Louisa from behind. I can’t send her up the mountain in good conscience, knowing what she’ll find, without giving her a way to defend herself and Horse.
“Like this?” Lou asks softly, jaw set as she concentrates.
“Yup. Brace the butt of the rifle into the hollow between your shoulder and chest, raise the piece so you can look down the barrel, aim with the marker on the tip. See the tiny lug at the end?”
“I see it.”
“Good, aim.”
She sucks in a breath and holds it as she moves the rifle. It’s an almost imperceptible movement. Precise and accurate. She’s already good and hasn’t let off a shot yet.
“Target acquired, sir.” She gives me a cheeky sideways look.
Sir my ass.
“Somebody’s been watching too many action films,” I drawl and tighten my hold on her before stepping back. “Squeeze your finger over the trigger and be prepared for the kickback.”
She gives me a subtle nod.
Another inhale, she stills, and...
Crack .
The small paint tin on the fence post yards away flings from its spot, crumpling as it falls into the grass.
Hot damn, woman.
Lou’s eyes light up as she turns to me, pointing the rifle to the ground. “I did it!”
“You did. Good shot, little lady. Next one,” I say, nodding to the next post along. The can is smaller, more like a soda can.
“Yes, sir.”
She readjusts her position and aims.
Crack .
The can wobbles but doesn’t fall.
Missed.
“Shit!” she growls.
A chuckle falls from my throat. The disappointment on her face forces it to fade out, and I give her a nod. “Again.”
Brows lowered, she sets her jaw, fire growing in her eyes.
That’s my girl.
“Time to meet your maker, Mr. Can,” Lou hisses.
I rub a hand over my jaw to stifle my laugh. She’s adorable pissed off. And absolutely fuckin’ formidable as she is quick to aim.
Squeeze.
Crack .
The can flies off the post and into the air.
“Little fucker,” she breathes.
Doubling over, I cackle at the face she pulls at the can before setting the rifle down. I lose it.
My Louisa May has a dark streak, who woulda knew?
“Any more targets you need taken out?” She’s trying her best to tamp down the smile that’s stretching her face.
I hold up a hand. “Just a minute.”
I try for a breath, but the hysterics roll right back in. My hearty laugh has her giggle softly as I clamp a hand over my side, desperate to ward off the rising ache.
“Was it okay for a first time?” Lou’s brows have fallen again.
I know she thinks the laughter is at her, not with her, now. That sobers me up, quick smart. I let the chuckle roll away and stand tall. “Darlin’, remind me not to get on your bad side any time soon.”
Delight drowns out the concern on her face. “So, that was good? How long should it take to learn to aim?”
“Louisa May, you can be my shooter any time.”
“ Finally , I have a talent,” she says with a soft, huffy laugh.
“Woman, you are full of those.”
“Oh yeah? Which one is your favorite?”
The space between us disappears. Good lord, we will never get a stitch of work done at this rate.
“How ’bout I show you when we get back at the end of the day?”
“Promise?” Green eyes study me suspiciously.
“Absolutely.”
She beams as she walks back to the rifle, packing it away and disarming it like I taught her to less than an hour ago before she swings it over her back.
Watch out mountain, Louisa May is coming.
My chest expands with her here. On the ranch. By my side. She fits, like the last piece of a long-standing puzzle I have been working on my entire life.
“You comin’, Harry?” Louisa calls from where she is, now halfway back to the barn.
“Yeah, darlin’, I am.”
* * *
Halfway across the field, I glance at the woman on the horse, Horse, beside me. This wasn’t her plan. It occurs to me, despite her unending work ethic, her place of work is not limited to this ranch.
“What days do you need to be at the restaurant?” I ask.
“Wednesday through Saturday. From lunchtime ’til late, if I’m to start taking over from Mama.”
Tomorrow she will have to be back in town. I get her for a total of three days a week. Selfishly, I wish she could be here every day. But the thought fades as fast as it formed when I see her focus is stuck on the distant horizon. The telltale signs of Louisa stuck in her thoughts are written all over her face.
“Good, then you’ll be there. This old place will wait.”
“I thought you needed help?”
She’s staring at me now.
I ride along, letting the gelding swing his head low on the walk out.
Horse halts when I don’t answer. “Harry?”
“This place needs more hands, but that’s not an option at the moment.”
“You mean we can’t afford it.”
It’s a statement, not a question.
“No, we can’t.”
Her face crumbles with worry, and I regret sayin’ anything. I will make this work. Every beast counts. Every season needs to be better than the last. We need to make the mortgage payment. We nee?—
“What can I do to help? I mean... ” She studies my face. “What are we going to do? We can’t lose it, we just...”
Her breathing stutters out.
Fuck.
I rein the gelding to a halt and lean over, taking Horse’s reins. She comes to a stop. I nudge the gelding sideways, and he obliges. My leg brushes against Lou’s. Her hands grip the pommel tight.
I take her face in my hands. “Louisa May, you look at me.”
She sank the last of her savings into this place. For me.
Hell will freeze over before I let her lose the one piece of security she has left.
Her shoulders rise and fall. The movement is too rapid.
“Hey! You listen here.” I turn her face to mine. “We are not losin’ this ranch.”
Her green eyes are tight, tears welling in them. Shadowed from the sun by the brim of her hat, her eyes dilate, making her look so fragile. I know she’s not.
I need her to understand that.
“What happens to you if this doesn’t work out?” she finally says.
Me?
She is worried about me. My dreams, not hers or her life savings I have gambled with.
I slam my eyes shut, hands still wrapped around her face. My heart aches as it expands with her sentiment. Her unconditional love.
I don’t deserve her.
Maybe I never have.
She could have been right the first time ’round. To walk away.
To find another life, far from the disaster I am. Thinking I could make something, something impressive, from dirt nothin’.
I’m a damn fool.
Now I have strung Louisa along with my foolishness.
I can’t open my eyes and see the disappointment on her face. The realization that I don’t have any of this figured out. That this could all turn bad inside of a few months.
“I’ll sell my share of the restaurant.”
My eyes snap open so fast, a wave of dizziness threatens as the gelding sways with my jerk. “Like hell.”
Louisa sits taller in the saddle. “If it comes down to this place or the restaurant, I’m selling it.”
“No, you fuckin’ won’t.”
“Harry Rawlins, I thought you woulda realized by now there’s no point in arguing.”
Ma’s words settle into my mind. A good woman is the makin’s of a man. There are some things you can’t do in this life alone. Those things, essentially, mean the most... She’s your captain. You, her first mate. You’re mighty strong by yourself. With her , you’d be unstoppable.
“Well, if you say so, Captain,” I finally drawl.
“See... isn’t it better when you listen to reason?” The widest grin splits her pretty face, the worry that twisted her face completely melted away, as if proving Ma’s point, even now.
But there is no way in hell I’m lettin’ Lou lose her dream.
Hell will freeze over before that day comes.
* * *
The restaurant is bustling when I pull up by the curb outside on Wednesday evening. I can see Lou through the oversized windows, talking to a couple at a table. Her smile tugs one onto my own face. She really is content here. Doin’ what she loves, she’s in her element.
I’m an hour early. But sittin’ around home without her wasn’t doin’ me any favors, so here I am. Waitin’. Hangin’ around like a lost pup.
Some things never change...
The truck’s wheel is hot, sittin’ in the sunny parking lot. Mid-May will do that. With the windows rolled down, I settle back into the seat as Louisa wanders from the doors as the end-of-day school bell rings. Her friend June walks with her as they chat, laughing at something Lou says.
She hasn’t seen my truck yet. I wanted to surprise her.
She is almost done with her senior year.
Almost finishing one phase of her life, ready for the next.
I chew on the stalk of hay I plucked from the bale in the barn before I left. My life is all work—milkin’ cows, chasing herds, building, hard labor—no play. I want more for Lou, but I want her by my side.
There’s no other girl I can ever imagine having in my life.
She’s it for me.
Leanin’ over, I tug the glove compartment open, double-checking the small velvet box I picked up on my way here is still there. Like it could vanish.
I’ve been dreamin’ about this since the day she agreed to go steady with me. Twelve months, three weeks, and six days ago.
I’m done for with this girl.
I take her in as she moves closer to the truck. Her gaze homes in on the old buckboard now, piercing the glass windshield, right through me. The passenger door cracks open as June waves a goodbye to the both of us. I offer up a small smile and nod. I like June. She’s sensible, smart. Most importantly, a great friend. The two girls make a good pair.
“Well, hello,” Louisa coos, sliding onto the seat. She tosses her satchel into the footwell and leans over, taking my face in her hands. “This is a nice surprise.”
I crash my mouth to hers.
She wriggles over the seat and presses against me, and I drink her in, wrapping her in my hold so she has no way out. I want in, coaxing her with my tongue. She relents, melting into me a little further.
Out of breath and rock-hard, I force space between us.
Every inch of my body tingles with her this close.
We have talked about it, going all the way. God knows I’m willing.
Lou sets the pace in our relationship. Always has; hopefully, she always will.
With a shake of my head, I remind myself why I’m here.
“Ride with me a while?” I ask.
“Sure, Harry.” She smiles and turns on the seat, buckling in.
I throw an arm over the back of the seat and push the old truck into reverse. Backward we roll until I spin the wheel and send her forward. Lou is quiet as we drive from the high school parking lot and through town. When I pull over at the lake, she still hasn’t uttered a word, which is unusual for my Louisa. I suck in a breathe and shift the truck into park.
“Alright, spit it out, Lou.”
She glances at the roof of the truck, her hands twisting her skirt through her fine fingers. Not helping my raging hard-on any as her chest rises and plummets, sending those perfect damn tits moving to the rhythm of my thundering heart.
She finally looks at me. “You haven’t asked me.”
Her face twists a little, and I can tell she’s tryin’ her best to hold it together.
I know what she’s talking about. Prom.
It’s two weeks away, and I still haven’t had the balls to ask her.
Waitin’ for some other guy to ask. Maybe I want to see if she turns him down, confirming this firestorm we have between us. Maybe I want her to choose someone else for that night, so I don’t have to go through with my plan.
I’ll be honest, I’m terrified.
I can’t lose her.
“You want me to take you, Lou?” I say, softly, brows lowered as I run a hand over my jaw.
She huffs an incredulous laugh, eyes tightening. “Of course I do.” Shaking her head, she unbuckles and pushes out the door. It slams a second later.
Dammit.
Opening my door, I slide from my seat and round the truck to the grill where she is leaning, arms folded, gaze set far in the distance. I step into her space and rub her arms. “I should have asked by now, I know. I’m sorry.”
Her attention stays on the horizon, but her chin wobbles.
Fuck.
“Sometimes”—she shifts on her feet—“I think you don’t understand how little it takes for you to tear me to pieces.”
My gut sinks. My chest caves in on my heart as the beats slow. I fold her into me. That one line from her ripped a hole right through me. We are too much. Not enough. Live wires dancing in the lightning storm, barely missing each other as we dance in our own sparks.
I sink my mouth to her forehead, planting a kiss where I can show her how much I love her. “You and me... We’re fire, darlin’. Smoldering some days, raging others. I’m so done for, it scares the hell out of me. The thought of you not in my life, however that could happen, feels like drownin’.”
With a sniffle, she lifts her head, and those green eyes I adore flood with the same fire I just spoke about. “I’d drown with you any day, Harry Rawlins.”
I chuckle, dotting another kiss to her forehead, and haul her into me, unwilling to ever let her go. “Good to know, Louisa May. Good to know.”
I let my gaze wander down the street. Main Street is busy tonight. The tavern is bustling with a crowd, as is the community hall. Must be some function going on. The truck door creaks open, and I startle. Louisa chuckles. “Been here a while, my love?”
She slides into the truck and closes the door, like she’s been doin’ it every day for the past ten years. In a way—to me, at least—she has.
I smile at her, folding my hand over hers on the seat between us. “Something like that.”