Chapter 18
Eighteen
Macklin
Baylor’s SUV is in my driveway when I get home.
I park my truck and just stare at her vehicle that’s parked next to me.
I had to drive a couple of towns over this afternoon to a riding school that’s leasing a few of my horses.
They’re new and didn’t want to invest in their own until they could see if the school was going to take off.
I had to make a surprise check-in to make sure they’re taking proper care of them, and they were, thankfully. That’s not always the case.
Anyway, my day isn't what’s important. How I’m ending it is.
I’m coming home to her, and it’s the best damn feeling in the world.
Giving her a key to my place last month was the best decision I ever made, thanks to nights like this one.
Nights when I pull into my driveway with the soft glow of the lights on inside, and I know my girl is in there, making herself at home.
It’s as if I’m living my dream, and I hope like hell I never wake up.
Some might say, I lived it—being a professional bull rider with a few championships under my belt—but it’s not my career that defines me, but those I spend my life with.
My life with Baylor means more to me than my career ever could.
Grabbing my phone, I climb out of the truck and head inside. I find Baylor in the kitchen, making dinner. She’s at the stove with her back to me, so I sneak up behind her, wrapping her in my arms and kissing her neck. “Missed you today,” I tell her.
She turns her head and kisses me. It’s just a quick peck, but I’ll take anything she’s willing to give me. “I missed you, too. It was a busy day at the inn. The Hendersons’ big family reunion is this weekend, so relatives are already starting to check in. We’re at capacity through Sunday.”
“That’s great.”
“It is.” She nods. “My sisters and I have talked about adding some cabins to the property to have some extra space, and one day, I assume that all of us will be living on our own, and we’ll have our house we can use, as well.”
“How do you feel about that?” I ask, releasing her and leaning against the counter to face her.
She shrugs. “I have mixed emotions, but if we’re not living there, then it would be foolish not to use it for extra income to grow the estate. Our grandparents don’t want to live there. It’s way too much house for them. They prefer their suite at the back of the inn, so it’s the logical next step.”
“Yeah, but I know that will still be hard on all four of you.”
“That’s life, though, right? We just have to keep living, hoping that the choices we make… that they’re proud of us.”
“They are,” I assure her. “What can I do to help?”
“I made us salads. They’re in the fridge. Can you grab those and drinks?”
“On it.” I kiss her cheek and get to work.
“Did I ever tell you what Ellison told us on girls’ night?”
“I don’t think so,” I say, placing our bowls of salad and a bottle of dressing on the table before starting our drinks, while Baylor makes us both a plate of spaghetti.
“So, apparently, our mom hid Copeland’s letters.” She goes into the entire story while we eat.
“Damn.”
“Yeah. Ellison didn’t know how to tell us and didn’t want to tell me over the phone. I assume that’s why Copeland hasn’t told you or the guys, or I assume he hasn’t. She wasn’t ready to talk about it with us, and I understand that. I don’t know how I would feel if Mom had done that to me.”
“No, he hasn’t mentioned it. I can see why. I’m sure this is hard for both of them, especially Ellie.”
“Yeah, so—I love my parents, and I miss them, but I’m mad at them, you know? How could they interfere like that?”
“I don’t know, Bay. I can’t begin to imagine what she was thinking. I mean, at least she wrote a letter, explaining that it was her and giving her a reason the best way that she could.”
“I guess. I just hate that they lost so much time.”
“I know, baby, but look at them now. Maybe it wasn’t their time yet. Just like it wasn’t ours yet, but here we are.” I lean over and peck a kiss on her cheek, and I’m rewarded with a smile.
“Yeah, I know you’re right, but it still stings.”
“You’ve been holding on to this for the last few weeks. You know you can talk to me about anything.”
“I know I can, and I love you for that. I just wasn’t ready, I guess. I’m still processing it myself. I know Ellie has to still be struggling.”
“It can be hard to get held up on the past, but life is about living and making mistakes. They were meant to be, and the universe brought them back together. The universe brought me you, and I’m a firm believer in that. You can’t convince me otherwise.”
“So, it had nothing to do with your stubborn nature or your dedication to making me fall in love with you?” she teases.
“Oh, that, too. I was a man on a mission, but all that hard work and singular focus paid off. Now, I get to call you mine, and know that you feel it, too.”
“Do you think we can put some of that same dedication to cleaning up the mess from dinner?” she jokes.
My head falls back in laughter. “I’ve got this. Go sit and relax. You cooked. I’ll take care of the mess.”
“My cowboy knows how to spoil me,” she sings, following with a soft laugh.
She helps me carry everything to the sink, pops a kiss on my shoulder, and leaves me to it.
I’m just sticking my hands into the water to start rinsing before loading the dishwasher when she calls out for me.
“Macklin McBride, you still haven’t unpacked? ” she asks.
Turning to glance over my shoulder, I see her standing with the old, worn duffel bag that I used for our night away, the same one that I hauled around for years on the circuit, in her hands.
“I’ll get to it.” I laugh. “I spent most of the night out with the horses and then did a workout and forgot about it, to be honest.”
“Slacker,” she teases. “I’m going to change into pajamas. I’ll toss the dirty clothes into the hamper.”
“You don’t have to clean up after me,” I tell her, reaching for a towel to dry my hands.
“I don’t mind. It will only take a second. Then I expect snuggles on the couch, cowboy.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I chuckle. “Just toss the bag in the bottom of the closet, and I’ll put it back up on the shelf later.”
“Are you calling me short, McBride?”
“Yep.”
She opens her mouth to reply, but instead, laughter bubbles out. “Accurate,” she sputters, before turning on her heel and heading back to the bedroom.
“Fucking love that woman,” I say out loud because the declaration deserves to be voiced. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
After I’m finished loading the dishwasher, I rinse the sink, wash the pots and pans, and set them on the drying mat. All I need to do is wipe down the counter, and then I’ll grab a quick shower, and apparently, I’ve got some snuggling to do. I chuckle to myself as Baylor steps back into the room.
“Almost finished,” I tell her, working to quickly wipe down the counter. I finish, toss the paper towels I was using in the trash, and place the cleaner beneath the sink. “I know it’s time for snuggle duty. Let me grab a quick shower,” I say, shutting the cabinet and turning to face her.
She’s standing still, a look I can’t quite decipher on her face. She’s holding something in her hands, and when I step closer, I realize what it is. “Hey, I’ve been looking for that,” I tell her.
“Macklin,” she says, her voice cracking. “What?” she asks, shaking her head.
“Did something happen? Are you okay? What’s wrong?” I ask, instantly on alert. I knew she seemed off.
“I—” She starts and stops. “Where did you get this?” She holds up the small, cheap dollar-store photo album I’ve had for years. It’s one of those soft-sided, floppy, thin ones that hold a few pictures. Like twenty, I think.
“It’s mine.”
She peers down at the album in her hands, and I see a slight tremble in her grip. “Hey, are you mad?” I ask her. I take a step closer, wrapping my arms around her. She buries her face in my chest. I hold her, letting her work through whatever’s going on in that beautiful brain of hers.
“Come here,” I say, guiding her to the counter. Placing my hands on her hips, I lift her onto the island that I just meticulously cleaned after dinner, and step between her legs, putting us at eye level. “Tell me what’s going on up here,” I say, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
“You have a photo album of me.”
“I do.” She’s holding the evidence in her hands. Not that I would lie about it anyway. I’m not ashamed of carrying her with me over the years.
“Why? How?”
“I told you that I wanted you.”
“I know, but this—” She holds up the album. “They’re all of me, Macklin.”
“I wanted you with me. At first, you were in college, living your dream, and I was on the circuit. This was how I kept you close while you were doing that. Then when you graduated, I thought it might be our time, but you moved to New York, and well, you know the rest of the story. Each time, I’d snap a photo and print it from my phone.
I know it sounds like I’m a creeper, and hell, maybe I am, but it made me feel like I had a piece of you with me when I was on the road. ”
“You took it with us to Nashville this weekend.”
“Ah, it must have still been in my duffel. I carried that thing for years. I just tossed in some clothes and whatever I thought I might need for our trip. I forgot the album was still in there.”
She’s quiet, not saying anything as she stares down at the album in her hands, so I keep talking, worry settling in my gut.
“I’m sorry if this upsets you, Baylor. I promise it’s nothing creepy or weird.
I just missed you. I needed to know that I at least had something of you with me when I was out on the road.
I understand if you’re angry with me, but please don’t give up on us because of this,” I say, my voice small.
I’m not against begging her for forgiveness.
I truly didn’t think that I was doing anything wrong, but from her reaction, I think I fucked up.
She doesn’t say anything.