45. What If She Doesn’t Love Me Anymore?
WHAT IF SHE DOESN’T LOVE ME ANYMORE?
CASH
ONE MORE MONTH LATER
Someone kicked my bed, and I groaned as I pulled the blanket back over my head.
“Get up,” Walker grunted as he kicked my bed again.
“Stop waking me up like this. It’s my day off,” I mumbled, burrowing farther into my blankets.
“Not anymore, it isn’t. We have to get shit set up for the welcome party.”
I groaned again and flipped my blanket down. I knew Lottie and Owen’s wedding was this weekend, but I was nervous about what that meant.
I was nervous to see her.
Three months. I had gone three months without a single text or call from the love of my life, and it was agonizing. I knew Paige needed some time to figure her shit out, and I respected that, but I couldn’t act like I wasn’t a little panicked about what she discovered.
What if she met someone?
What if she wanted to move out there permanently?
What if our plan doesn’t work?
I had debated for months on what I was going to say if she told me she wanted to move to LA. The only conclusion I came to was that I would follow her anywhere she went just for the opportunity to have her in my life.
We were end game and hopefully she understood that.
I got out of bed and threw on some jeans and a tee. I slipped on my boots and a backward hat before following Walker out to the main house. Gigi was frantically running around the kitchen, cooking up a storm, while Axle and Reid were setting up tables in the backyard.
Tonight there would be a welcome party, followed by the rehearsal dinner tomorrow night, and the wedding the following day. It was a weird feeling knowing that, in only a few hours, Paige would be back in Ashton Creek.
The beginning of the summer felt like a lifetime ago.
Walker and I were tasked with setting up a bar in the backyard, and stringing twinkle lights around the outdoor space.
“How are you feeling?” Walker asked, without looking over at me.
When I got back to Ashton Creek two months ago, I was a mess. Opening up to the boys helped me process all of it, but I still felt this empty hole that Paige left in my heart.
“Fucking nervous,” I said with a soft laugh.
Walker grunted back at me and continued to hang the lights. To my surprise, the Brooks brothers were completely on board with my plan to win her back. It was a lot easier to work through what was happening with their support.
We worked in silence for a few hours; the entire time my stomach was in knots as the seconds counted down to the moment Paige would walk back into this house.
Axle walked up to us swinging a pair of keys. “You guys ready to head to the airport?”
I nodded as Walker hopped off the ladder. The girls were flying in on the Kellys private jet with all of Owen’s immediate family—which was a lot since he had a ton of siblings. Walker, Axle, Reid, and I were all taking separate cars so we could fit everyone and their bags.
As we got into our own trucks, the nervous energy I had been feeling all day threatened to consume me. I drove to the airport in silence, rubbing my clammy palms on my jeans every few minutes.
This was it. This was the moment I saw my wife after complete radio silence for months. What if she wasn’t excited to see me? What if she just ignored me?
I pulled through the private airport gates and spotted the white jet with a crowd of people around it. Walker pulled up first, and Lottie ran into his arms as he lifted her off the ground in a hug.
I parked behind Reid and slowly got out of the truck, trying to resist my urge to run to Paige the moment I spotted her. I casually stepped up to stand next to the Brooks brothers and scanned the crowd for my girl.
I spotted her almost immediately as she laughed with Owen’s siblings. I could tell it was her, but she looked different somehow. Her hair was blonder, her skin was tanner, and she had this confidence that she never had before.
Owen’s sister nudged Paige’s shoulder their eyes glued on me. She glanced in my direction and her smile fell for a second before she waved at me with bright eyes.
Okay, that was a good sign.
I waved back, but fought every muscle in my body that wanted to walk up and wrap her in my arms. If I did that, I’d never let her go. We started grabbing suitcases and throwing them into the back of the trucks before piling in to head toward the ranch.
I tracked Paige as she followed Lottie and got into the back seat of Walker’s truck. I released a frustrated breath and got behind the wheel as people filtered in. It stung a little that she chose not to be near me, but I also understood this was an awkward place for a reunion.
Once the doors were shut, we took off into Ashton Creek. In my vehicle, I had Maggie, Nolan, and Aiden, who I had met in Vegas.
“I can’t believe this weekend is finally here,” Maggie said with a little shimmy of her shoulders.
“Why is everyone getting married at the same time?” Aiden asked, sinking back into his seat which made me laugh.
“You’re just mad your girl couldn’t come.” Nolan patted him on the knee.
“She’s not my girl,” Aiden grunted.
“Keep telling yourself that,” Maggie sang.
We fell into a comfortable silence as soft country music filled the cab of the truck.
Maggie’s eyes met mine and she smiled softly. “She’s doing good,” she said quietly. “She’s really happy.”
I nodded and didn’t pretend to not know what she was talking about. By now I assumed that everyone knew the true story of Paige and me. It was a good feeling, not having to lie about how we got together, and an even better feeling not having to pretend that I wasn’t madly in love with the girl.
“Just hear her out, okay?” Maggie added.
I didn’t respond, but my stomach sank. Hear her out about what? She either wanted to stay together or break up. There wasn’t much more to it, and if Paige thought I was going to just let her walk away without a fight, she was sorely mistaken.
We pulled into the ranch driveway, and Maggie gasped.
“Holy fuck, Lottie wasn’t joking. This place is stunning.”
“You’ll fall in love with it. This place has a way of fueling your soul.”
We parked in front of the house, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful for this beautiful place that had saved my life.