Chapter 32 Hattie #2
“We talked about it a dozen times or more,” he answers with a shrug. “I promised you that I would make it happen.”
I glance back down at the plans. Even though I’m as happy as I’ve ever felt, little tears pool in my eyes. I try to shake them away. Heston gently takes the folder from my hands and tosses it on top of the safe. He takes both of my hands and speaks slowly.
“I thought if I could build something with my own two hands, then eventually I’d be able to figure out how to bring you home to it. And even if that never happened, I still would have done it.” He pauses to take my chin in his hand. “I’d never break a promise to you, Hattie. I never will.”
“You’re giving me everything I’ve ever wanted,” I whisper. “Do you have any idea what that means to me?”
He shakes his head. “That land. The clinic. It’s always been yours. I’m just the fool who let you go, and spent the last two years working up a sweat any way I could so I didn’t lose my mind without you.”
“It’s not just the land and the clinic. It’s you. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.” Emotion fills his eyes, and I drop his hands to smooth mine up his arms and grip his biceps. “Is this everything you wanted, too?”
He smirks. “I used to close my eyes during the day and pretend you weren’t gone. Just on your way back home from running errands or something.” I sniff and giggle softly as he leans down to kiss the side of my neck. “So, yeah. Life with you. There’s nothing else. It’s everything to me.”
I turn my head to kiss him, and he smiles. Really smiles. It’s an unfiltered grin that I’ve never seen on him before.
“Seriously?” I let out a shaky laugh as he picks me up to carry me out of the closet and out of the room. “Is this going to be a running joke now?”
His face flattens back into the stoic bluntness that I’m more used to from him. “I don’t joke.”
Thankfully, he spares me the embarrassment and sets me down once we reach the end of the hall.
“Hungry?” He asks.
“Very.”
Lucky’s paws make a tapping sound on the hardwood floor as she runs up to me, wiggling her butt back and forth.
“You’re looking good this morning, girl.” I use both hands to pet the sides of her face and scratch behind her ears. “Are you feelin’ good?”
She licks my wrist, and I kiss the top of her head with a laugh. A second later, she circles us before standing right next to Heston. He leans down to brush a hand down her back.
Someone is playing music in the living room. Others are chatting, cooking up a storm, and hanging out in the kitchen. Laughing. Bickering. Ignorant of how rare and comforting their domestic routines are because they’re so used to them.
I, for one, don’t take it for granted. Heston slides behind me as I stop at the kitchen island, and I can’t stop smiling at the scene around me as his arms wrap around my shoulders.
Something clanks loudly as it falls in the sink. Warren is standing over it with an empty hand hovering above his waist, staring at us. His eyes are the size of basketballs.
“Oh, shit.” Gage’s voice comes from the living room.
“What?” Blythe asks. Then she gasps. “Are they . . .”
Mesa cuts her off. “Oh my god!” She’s standing in front of the open fridge as Savannah peeks out from the pantry. Her jaw drops when she spots us. She and Mesa make quick eye contact before joining hands and doing a series of celebratory jumps together.
“Glad no one’s overreacting,” Heston says flatly.
Tripp cuts in next. “Nobody. Move. They spook easily.”
Ignoring him, Warren rushes to put together a plate of food. “Ma’am,” he says in a formal voice, placing it in front of me with a bow and backing away slowly.
“Good fucking grief,” Heston mumbles from behind me. “Quit acting stupid.”
Tripp nods and gives Warren a smug look.
Heston leans forward and steals a strip of bacon from my plate. “You, too.”
“Me?” Tripp scoffs. “What did I do?”
“Y’all are loud as hell,” Granger mumbles through a dramatic yawn as he walks out of his room. “It’s literally the weekend.”
Blythe fixes her face into a scowl and silently mouths the words as they leave Gage’s mouth. “No weekends on a ranch.”
Everyone laughs, except for Gage. And Heston, of course, but he’s a tough egg to crack. I sit down on one of the bar chairs and cut into the waffle that’s so fresh it’s still steaming.
“Hattie?” Granger gives me a look as he slides into the seat next to me with his breakfast. “Didn’t see you when I walked in.” His eyes flick up to Heston’s, then back to me.
“Five minutes,” Heston tells him. “I don’t have much time today, so we’ll have to get it done early.” He bends to kiss me on the cheek before walking toward the fridge.
Granger works to hide a smile while he widens his eyes at me. “What the fuck?” he whispers, albeit loudly. “Are y’all back together?”
Heston slams the fridge closed and walks behind us with a water bottle in his hand. He holds it by the top and whacks the bottom on Granger’s head. “Shut up, kid.” He places the water bottle in front of me. “And, yeah. We are.”