Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
WADE
For what felt like the thousandth time or so for the last few days, I watched Dani hurry away from me. An errant curl slipped from the knot atop her head and bounced against the side of her neck. I was starting to reach the point of anger with her. She’d gone silent on me again.
I might not be the quickest on the uptake, but I knew damn well she was avoiding me. Quite thoroughly.
Shaking my head, I found Valentina standing by the doorway that led into the back hallway, her gaze tracking Dani’s rushed departure.
“What gives?” I asked as I stopped beside her, leaning my shoulder against the wall.
Valentina slid her gaze to mine, quiet for several beats. “I’m not sure,” she finally said, her words measured.
Valentina was the kind of person who didn’t lie. I knew if she knew what was up with Dani, but Dani didn’t want her to talk to me about it, she would say as much.
Tension tightened in my chest a notch further. “Any guesses?”
Valentina’s mouth twisted to the side. “Well, I think it has something to do with you. I’m just not sure what.”
There went that honesty. “You and me both on that point. Any brilliant suggestions for me?”
Valentina smiled slowly. “Maybe you should try to talk to her.”
I threw my head back with a laugh. Shaking my head as I looked her way, I asked, “You ever tried to talk to Dani when she’s not in the mood for it?”
Valentina drummed her fingertips on the wall. “No. I can’t say I have. Knowing her, it wouldn’t be easy.” There was a long pause. “But maybe you need to do the difficult thing and …”
The door opened beside us and revealed Lucas. A blast of cold air gusted through.
“Close the damn door,” I said as a few snowflakes blew in with him.
Lucas chuckled, shutting the door quickly behind him. “So, you’re telling Wade he’s got to do the difficult thing?” he teased as he leaned over and dropped a lingering kiss on the side of her neck.
Valentina smiled up at him as he straightened. “Yes, I am.”
Lucas cast me a knowing look. “I’ve learned she’s usually right. Just do whatever she says.”
Laughing, I rolled my eyes. “I’m guessing in this case, she’s right. Where are you two headed?”
“Home,” Lucas replied simply as he slid his arm around Valentina’s waist. “Jade’s picking up a night shift at the bar because Delilah’s out of town, so we need to relieve her of babysitting duties as soon as we can. You ready to go?”
“Of course. Let me get my coat.” Valentina stepped out of his embrace and strode down the hallway, returning as she slid her jacket over her shoulders and stuffed her arms in the sleeves.
“Take her advice, man,” Lucas said as he held the door for Valentina.
I nodded and watched as they stepped into the snowy darkness, the holiday lights from the lodge illuminating the snow and making it glitter.
Restless, I looked at the clock mounted on the wall toward the front of the kitchen. I guessed Dani would be working at least another few hours. I made a quick decision, figuring it was the only way I was going to catch her alone.
I finally heard footsteps coming down the hallway. It was approaching midnight, and I knew just about everybody but the staff who stayed late to clean up the restaurant and kitchen were gone for the night. I prayed those footsteps belonged to Dani. Based on the rapid pace, I surmised they were.
In a few seconds, the door to her office opened and she walked through, her head down as she looked at a notebook in her hands.
“Hey, darlin’,” I said from my perch where my hips rested against her desk.
Her head whipped up, her eyes widening with surprise. “Wade, what are you doing here?”
I elected to hew to the simple truth. “Waiting for you.”
Her hands slowly lowered with the notebook, and she took a few steps before setting it on the round table. Although only perhaps three feet separated us, I felt like I needed to actually construct a bridge to get to her.
No matter. I was the kind of guy who built things. More than metaphorically, if necessary.
I waited, trying to suss out if she was going to get angry, or if she was going to go cold and quiet. Or, even worse, if she was going to try to play it cool and stay casual.
When her eyes met mine again, I saw pure devastation there. Although I had no idea what was tumbling about in her mind, I sensed for the first time, I was actually witnessing the pain she experienced that summer.
“Hey, it’s okay,” I said, straightening and reaching for her hand reflexively.
She shook her head sharply, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. Her position was virtual body armor. “I’m tired, Wade. I don’t have it in me to talk tonight.”
I took in the shadows under her eyes, the tight lines of her face, and the slight droop to her shoulders. She looked beyond weary, and my heart gave a painful thump.
“We don’t have to talk. I just want to say one thing and then I’ll go. That okay?” I asked as she stood there in tense silence.
When she nodded, just the littlest bit, I took a deep breath. “Look, I don’t know what the hell I did. But I just need you to know where I’m at. I love you. I was halfway in love with you that summer, and then all kinds of things got in the way.”
I watched her face carefully. Her cheeks flushed slightly and her eyes widened as her lips parted with a little surprised puff of air. Her arms were still crossed tightly, and I saw her fingertips gripping one of her elbows. Tension vibrated from her, and it made my heart ache a little.
“Okay?” I asked gruffly, stepping a little closer and reaching for her hand.
When she didn’t shove me away, I pulled her close. For a moment, she was stiff in my arms, but then she tucked her head against my shoulder and took in a ragged breath.
That was the thing with us—whenever we could touch, everything felt less fraught. Everything felt as if it made sense, like pieces of a puzzle clicking into place.
She mumbled something, but hell if I could hear her. I slid my fingers through her curls. “What was that?”
She lifted her head, leaning back slightly to look at me. “I said, I love you too.” Her tone was one of almost protest.
A sense of profound relief washed through me. “Do you now?” I murmured, dusting a kiss at her temple and another on her jaw.
I found her mouth, just as she said, “Mmm-hmm.”
I knew we weren’t done talking. But, right now, I needed more than words.
Dani seemed to need the same, sighing into our kiss and tugging at my clothes.
It didn’t take long for us to leave half of our clothes in a tangle on the floor.
After bringing her to one climax with my mouth on her desk, I mapped my way up her body, dropping kisses over the soft curve of her belly and catching a nipple with a light suck.
I lifted her knee as I settled my hips into the cradle of hers and sank home in one deep surge.
After what could only be called a quickie in her office, we made our way back to her place for round two.
We lay on her bed in a sweaty pile not much later.
Rolling over, I pulled her onto my chest with a satisfied sigh.
With one hand resting on her sweet bottom, I shifted slightly so we were propped on the pillows.
“Are you planning to keep up the work schedule from hell all the way through Christmas?” I asked.
When she lifted her head, a rueful smile curled her lips. “I’ll be busy, but maybe I can make time for you.”
I grinned, leaning forward to catch her lips in a lingering kiss. “You gonna tell me what had you avoiding me so thoroughly?”
I tried to keep my tone light. I knew we had to have this conversation one way or another, so I figured we might as well get through to the other side.
She settled her head against my chest again, and I felt her breath gust softly over my skin. “I heard you talking to Lucas in the barn the other day.”
“Baby, I talk to Lucas almost every day. You’re gonna have to be more specific.”
“When he asked you how you felt about me. You were kind of vague, and I … I don’t know,” she said finally, lifting her head and looking in my eyes. “I just got insecure.”
“I know you’re not a fan of vague, but I guess I didn’t really think how you could interpret that.”
“Well, you didn’t know I was eavesdropping,” she replied, her cheeks flushing slightly as she bit her lip.
After a moment, her gaze sobered again.
“What’s that look for?” I couldn’t say why, but something worried me.
“So, there was that, and that’s just my own shit. But then, well, I had a weird pain. I think it’s my ovary.”
Raw fear bolted through me. “What?”
“It’s got to be nothing. I’m just kind of freaky about my body. That made me a little crazy the last few days.”
“Does it still hurt?” I asked, looking down toward her belly. As if that would give me any answers.
I was usually steady as a rock with injuries. I was a first responder. I could set bones and do emergency patch-ups and all kinds of stuff. But this had me spinning inside.
“It went away,” she insisted, circling her hand on my chest.
Leaning back, I stared at the ceiling and took a slow breath. “Promise me you’ll go talk to your doctor,” I said when I rolled my head to the side to look at her.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” she protested.
“Dani, do it. Please. Do it for me as a personal favor. Also, can you ask her just how freaked out you need to be? I’m all on board with condoms and birth control and whatever you want, but I’d like to know just how much you need to worry. Because I don’t like you worrying.”
When I brushed her hair away from her face, she nodded. “Okay.”