Chapter 6 #2
I didn’t smile, didn’t say anything, just tilted my head in a silent goodbye, and then William walked to his truck parked at the end of the drive, and I didn’t have the heart to say that Jamie wasn’t mine.
That this was our last night.
Unless we figured something out. Long distance could work, right? We had to talk, had to figure it out.
But first I needed to see her.
I took a few steps towards the house, and Galen stood there, slack jawed. “You just let him go? He just said that he tried to kill you.”
“He didn’t try to kill me. Just tried to stop me from marrying the love of his life.”
“Did you hit your head or something? How could you just let him go?”
“Because it’ll bring it all up again. It’ll hurt this family. It’ll hurt Jamie. And I don’t care. Jo and William are each other’s problems, and if William can get his head out of his ass, maybe the McBrides won’t have to deal with them anymore. And maybe that kid won’t be fucked up.”
“Well, that’s a nice image. Seriously though, you’re a better man than me.”
My lips twitched. “I would say something snarky on that, but we both know you’re a decent guy, bruh,” I said, drawing out the word.
“You’re an idiot. Seriously. An idiot. Come on, let’s go see your woman.”
I flinched. “What if she doesn’t want to be my woman.”
“The first step is admitting you have a problem. Maybe admitting your feelings. I know it’s hard.”
“Fuck,” I growled, as we made our way into the house, and I couldn’t help but freeze at the doorway.
Jamie stood near my mom, both of them looking over a tablet, going over something having to do with the calendar.
She’d been helping with a few things around the ranch in the past week, helping manage our timeline, since Gwen hated doing it, but it had been her job along with multiple other things for the past few years. But there Jamie was, making it seem so fucking simple.
It was amazing. And I didn’t know how to tell her what I felt. Because I didn’t know what I felt.
Galen gave me a look like I was crazy. Before I could say anything, Jamie looked up at me and smiled.
That smile hit me like a brick to the chest, and I swallowed hard.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
My mother smiled between us and took the tablet from Jamie’s hands. “Why don’t you two go for a walk while we work on dinner. That way we can make your party special.”
Now my parents were full on pushing and matchmaking, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I held up my hand, ignoring Livvy’s worried look, and took Jamie’s hand in mine.
“Just a little walk.”
“Will you take me for a walk too, Uncle Sharp?” Amelia asked, and I looked down at my niece and knelt.
“Soon. You’re my best girl.” I kissed Amelia’s cheeks, and she smiled at me.
“Just like Aunt Jamie.”
As everyone in the room laughed, even Jamie and me, Ameilia skipped her way to her parents, and I dragged Jamie out of the room before I could embarrass us even further.
We walked in silence, hand in hand until we were at the edge of the barn area, watching Lightning run around his paddock before Franklin made him head to the stall.
“Did I ever say thank you for working with my mom on that management software? It’s been killing us since our old software went out of date, and while we’re decent at it, you’re brilliant.”
Jamie rolled her eyes. “It’s what I use for Montgomery Builders.
Tabby uses something slightly different, but we each have our own favorite thing.
Seriously, it’s what I do for a living, and I enjoy it.
I freelance sometimes for other companies, so I told your mom if she needs help in the future, I’m here. ”
I shuddered out a breath and pushed her hair back from her face. The wind picked up slightly, and I knew she was probably regretting not putting her hair up. It was little things like that that I knew.
Maybe I had already fallen. Hard.
“I’m glad. That you’ll be working with us.”
“Yeah. I always want to help. I know that you’re working so hard with making sure the horse section of the McBride Ranch gets up and running, and I was looking at your paperwork, and you really have it down. You’re going to do amazing.”
“Yeah? Maybe I need you to keep looking at my paperwork.”
“I can do that.”
“So you love working with Montgomery Builders?” I blurted, hating myself.
A sad expression covered her face, and she nodded.
“I do. I love working with my family. And other companies.” She paused and looked down at her joined hands.
“I love the space that it gives me. Because one day I want to take time for myself too. See the world like some of my cousins have done. Have a family. Be a mom. Which is crazy because I don’t have kids and I can’t believe I just said that out loud. ”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “Tonight’s been a night for revelations, hasn’t it?” A pause. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I don’t want to go either. But I have to be back tomorrow. I have meetings. Appointments. My life is in Denver, Sharp. I wasn’t supposed to want to stay.”
I wiped a tear from her cheek and swallowed hard so I wouldn’t cry right with her.
“Can long distance work? Us figuring out how to visit? Our lives are so different, but every time I’m near you, I can breathe again.”
“Maybe. I…I don’t want to go. But I need to. It can’t be forever, but I also…I just need to think.” Her smile went wobbly, and she ran her hands down my chest. “But right now I’m going to have to be the runaway this time.”
And she went to her toes, kissed me softly on the mouth, and turned.
“Jamie.”
“Can I have a minute? Just a minute. I need to breathe, and if I look at you right now, I’m not going to want to leave, I just need to think.”
I reached for her, slid my hand down her back, but she didn’t turn towards me.
I knew if she did, I wouldn’t let go, and we’d break. We’d step away from our responsibilities, and into this fantasy of a connection that might not make sense.
So instead, I stood there as she walked away, and I hoped to hell she would come back.