Chapter Fifteen
Nolan woke before noon. After the conversation with Deborah, they had both fallen asleep, as if admitting their fears had lifted a weight from their shoulders.
Years of ranch life had trained his body to rise with the sun, regardless of how badly he felt. Unfortunately, this afternoon, he felt terrible. Almost worse than he had earlier that morning.
His ribs protested every breath. His jaw ached. And his head felt as though someone had used it for target practice.
He lay staring at the ceiling of the room at the inn for several minutes. Then his thoughts drifted to Deborah. They always seemed to drift toward her these days. The realization should have bothered him. Instead, it felt oddly right.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. Before he could answer and tell the visitor to come in, Deborah stepped inside, carrying a tray of food. The smell of coffee immediately improved his mood.
“You bribed the cook, didn’t you?”
She shook her head. “I actually prefer the term persuaded.”
“No. You bribed him.”
She smiled. “I suppose I did.”
The sight of her smiling made something shift inside his chest. Lord help him. He was in trouble.
She set the tray on the small table beside the bed. A moment later, she noticed him watching her.
Deborah straightened and rested her hands on her hips. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re staring.”
Nolan sighed. Apparently, she had noticed that habit in him.
She cocked her head. “That is becoming concerning, Mr. Avery.”
“I was thinking.”
“That’s what you said last night.”
“It’s the truth.”
“And now, you’re still thinking?”
His gaze softened. “Indeed, I am.”
At first, she appeared uncertain. The teasing expression disappeared, and the room grew quiet. Neither seemed eager to break the silence.
They’d done that a few times earlier that morning, as well.
Thoughts were running through his head, and he wanted to tell her how he felt, but didn’t dare.
What if he asked her to stay with him as his wife, but she wanted to return to her family?
He wasn’t sure he could take that rejection.
Especially, not now, after everything they’ve been through.
Outside, wagon wheels rattled down the street. A dog barked. Children played games nearby. The town was already busy. But inside, it felt as though time had slowed.
Deborah looked down at her hands. “When the sheriff returns today, we’ll have to decide what to do next.”
Nolan already knew. The papers needed to reach the U.S. Marshal. The Sapphire widow’s network needed to be exposed. There was still so much work ahead.
But suddenly, that wasn’t the thought occupying his mind. Another question had taken its place. A far more important one.
He studied her for a long moment. He had to ask what was on his mind. Letting it linger would only be torture.
“Deborah? When all of this is over, what do you want to do?”
Deborah blinked. The question clearly caught her off guard.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, after we hand the documents over to the U.S. Marshal.” He leaned forward carefully. “And after the widow has been taken care of.”
Her expression softened. “I’ve been too busy and had so much on my mind to think that far ahead.”
“Yes, you have.”
She looked away... which to him was answer enough.
Slowly, his heart began to crumble, and the pain in his chest had nothing to do with the fierce beating he’d gotten last night. But he didn’t want to say anything yet, so he waited for her answer.
Finally, she sighed as she peered out the window. “I suppose...” Her voice faltered. Then she cleared her throat. “I suppose I imagined finding a place to live where no one was chasing me.”
The answer broke his heart a little more. Her request sounded so simple, and he knew she deserved so much more.
“Is there anything else?” he asked.
She smiled faintly. “A place to call home, surrounded by family and friends who love me unconditionally.”
Nolan’s pulse quickened. He could give her that, but... would she want it from him?
Her eyes lifted to his. “I want a place where I belong.”
The room fell silent. Because suddenly, neither of them was talking about houses anymore.
Nolan swallowed. His heart hammered against his ribs. This was it. The moment he’d spent days avoiding. The moment he’d nearly lost forever.
“But Deborah, you do belong somewhere.”
Deborah frowned slightly. “Where?”
He tried swallowing the lump that had been stuck in his throat since starting this conversation. “With me.”
Her breath caught. She stared at him through watery eyes.
Nolan shifted again on the bed, moving his legs around in order to stand, despite the protests from every bruise on his body. Once he got his bearings, he crossed the room. The closer he came, the faster his pulse raced.
He stopped directly in front of her. For once, words failed him. He had rehearsed this speech a dozen times. None of those speeches seemed adequate now. So, it was time for him to tell her the truth.
“I never wanted a wife.”
A smile threatened her lips, even though confusion filled her expression. “I noticed.”
“I was angry.”
“I know.”
“Deborah, I thought you had brought trouble into my life.”
Her smile faded. “You were right. I did bring trouble.”
“But then you stayed,” he said softly. “You stayed when things became difficult.”
Emotion filled her eyes with more tears.
“You stayed when you had every reason to leave.” He took hold of her hand. “You rode into a camp full of armed outlaws just to save me.”
A tear slipped down her cheek, and he brushed it away.
“Deborah, we’ve only known each other a few days, but we’ve experienced so much together, and I’ve been able to see the real you.” He smiled wider. “And that was when I fell in love. I can’t see my future without you in it.”
The room went perfectly still. For one terrifying second, she simply stared at him. Then another tear escaped. Followed by a laugh, and then another.
Nolan frowned. “What is so funny?”
She wiped away the tears in her eyes. “Because I have been waiting for you to say that... I was praying you felt that way about me, because I want to be in your future.”
Relief crashed through him so suddenly, he nearly laughed himself.
Deborah stepped closer. “So, for the record...” A smile spread across her face. “I love you, too.”
The words settled deep inside him, gathering, growing, and warming every inch of him as though he was standing under the sun on a beautiful day.
Nolan cupped her face and brushed his thumbs over her cheeks.
For now, he simply looked at the stubborn woman who had arrived in Willowhaven, convinced she was there for a job.
He saw the brave woman who had crossed a few states, carrying secrets that dangerous men would kill for.
She was the remarkable woman who had ridden into an outlaw camp and saved his life.
Emotion tightened his chest. “I love you,” he whispered again.
Tears shimmered in Deborah’s eyes again, but this time, they looked like tears of happiness. “And I love you so much.”
Then Nolan kissed her. This kiss was different. There was no danger pressing in around them. No outlaws. No gunfire. No fear that they might lose each other before morning. Now, the kiss wasn’t rushed, but tender. It was a promise rather than a plea.
Deborah melted against him with a soft sigh, her hands resting against his chest as though they belonged there. Nolan wrapped his arms around her and drew her closer, savoring the simple miracle of having her so close.
The future remained uncertain. There were still questions that needed answering and battles yet to be fought. But for this moment, none of that mattered. Deborah was here, and she was safe. And best of all, she loved him.
As Nolan deepened the kiss, he realized something else that made him tingle with happiness. For the first time in a very long while, he was no longer worried about tomorrow. Because whatever tomorrow brought, they would face it together.
When they finally pulled apart, Deborah rested her forehead against his. Neither spoke. They didn’t need to. For the first time since a mistaken letter had brought her to Montana, there were no misunderstandings between them.
Only the future.
And for the first time, they would face it together.