Chapter 16
The cold December air would have chilled Brady through if he wasn’t wearing his leather bomber jacket. But he wouldn’t have cared if he was cold. He had plans and he had a goal.
Abby had been gone for going on two months, and Brady hadn’t heard a word from her. He had waited, giving her time and space, but it had gone on too long.
He knew she loved him, just knew it. But she felt she had no options and that’s why she hadn’t called.
It was time he made some hard decisions of his own.
He threw his leather carryon bag into the back seat of his truck. His flight left for Billings, Montana in just a few hours, and he wanted to be at the gate, ready to go.
Lady stood at his side, watching him. He crouched in front of her and rubbed his head. “There’s gonna be some changes, girl, but you and me—we’ll always be together.”
The Border collie licked his ear, and he rubbed her behind her own. Brady got to his feet. “Keep Caesar out of trouble.”
Lady barked once in agreement and Brady smiled.
The sound of a vehicle coming up the dirt road to his place caught his attention. He watched it leave a cloud of dust behind as it raced to his home. It was an unfamiliar SUV.
He hooked his thumbs in his pockets as he waited for it to reach him. He definitely didn’t feel as casual as his stance might suggest. He had a plane to catch, and he didn’t want any delays. He’d have to get rid of whoever this person was and be on his way.
The vehicle came to a hard stop in front of his ranch house. The driver’s side door flung open, and a tall redhead stepped out of the vehicle.
Brady’s heart stopped beating as Abby came around the vehicle and walked up to him. Her smile looked uncertain.
“You don’t want to hold me up,” he said, holding back a smile at seeing her. “I have a flight to Billings in a couple of hours. There’s this redhead I’ve been planning to see.”
Surprise crossed her features. “You were coming to see me?”
He gestured to the still open truck door. “My bag is ready and so am I.”
She grinned. “Guess you’d better cancel your reservation.”
He studied her. “Depends on if you’re staying or leaving. If the latter, I’m following you.”
She cocked her head. “What do you mean?”
“I made one of the hardest decisions of my life, that was maybe the easiest, too.” He stepped closer to her. “If you can’t be here with me, then I’m going to go be with you.”
She looked confused then as if the meaning finally dawned on her and her eyes widened. “You were going to leave behind your ranch and family for me?”
“I’ll sell the place and buy a new one in Montana.” He stepped closer. “I don’t want to live without you in my life, Abby. I love you.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Her throat worked as she swallowed. “I never expected you to walk away from everything for me.”
He reached up and cupped her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “You’re everything to me, Abby. Tell me you feel the same.”
Tears glistened in her eyes. “I do, Brady. I’m so madly in love with you that it hurts. I’ve been in pain every day since I left.”
He gathered her into his arms and took possession of her mouth with his. She loved him. He’d known it, but hearing it from her lips meant everything.
When they parted, her chest rose and fell, telling him she was just as out of breath from the kiss as he was.
He caressed her hair from her face. “Your turn. Tell me what made you show up out of the blue.”
Abby almost couldn’t remember all that she had planned to say. The fact that he was willing to walk away from his ranch and his family was enough to make her head spin. But she didn’t even consider taking him up on it. This was his home, and she would make it hers, too.
She took a deep breath and let her words out in a rush. “I’m here to stay, Brady. It took me months, but I got the business set up so that I can work remotely, and I trained one of my sisters and one of my brothers so that there’s now backup if something happens to me.”
Before he could utter a word, she raised her hand, and she hoped he would understand and agree to what she proposed next. “I have a ‘but.’ I need the freedom to be on the road when I have to, and because I love it. I can’t sit still, no matter how much I love you. That was one of my greatest fears—being stuck in one place and not getting to meet new people and visit new places. So can you handle that?”
Brady took her by the shoulders, his big hands gently squeezing her. “I can handle it. Maybe I can even go with you sometimes. I just don’t want us separated for long. We’ll work it out.”
She smiled and looped her arms around his neck. “You don’t know how much it means to me that you were willing to pack up and leave so much that’s important to you. But I’m glad you don’t have to. You belong here, and I belong with you.”
He kissed her again with slow intensity, his kiss heating her through and taking away the afternoon chill. This was the man she loved, and she was here to stay.