CHAPTER 10 #2
I take a deep breath and haul Eliza’s bags over my shoulder before guiding her down the rest of the stairs with my hand at the small of her back.
When I look into the living room, her mom is watching us with a curious expression on her face.
It’s clear she’s not doing much better than her daughter since her tears are fresher and still falling.
“Where are you going?” This time, the question doesn’t have nearly as much bite to it, but it doesn’t stop me from leveling Mr. Phelps with a look which should fill him with shame.
His own daughter.
I make a tsking sound as Eliza straightens her spine and tells him with a clear voice filled with strength and resolve, “I’m going to the Watts Ranch.”
“This is exactly what we were talking about,” her dad starts laying into the two of us like he didn’t create this situation, “he’s going to ruin your reputation. What do you think people are going to say when they find out you’re out there at the ranch with him?”
“They’re going to say Eliza chose to follow her heart instead of listening to judgmental assholes who don’t have nearly enough to fill up their days,” I barely get the words out clearly with how hard I’m clenching my jaw, but I manage.
“Make no mistake about who did this,” my voice is laced with disappointment.
My words hang in the air around us and are impossible to ignore. Good. They should choke on them.
It’s a warning and a threat wrapped up in one. Uncertainty flashes across his face, but it’s gone just as fast as it came. Then Mrs. Phelps is there and wrapping her arm around her husband as if she’s trying to calm him down. I think we’re way past that now.
When Mrs. Phelps looks at me, she gives a small nod I would have missed if I weren’t paying attention. It’s not a ringing endorsement, but I’ll take it.
Then I’m leading Eliza right out the front door and toward the truck. She’s hiccupping softly and I find fresh tears are sliding down her cheeks when I look over at her. It breaks my fucking heart.
After her bags are in the bed of the truck, I slide behind the wheel. My hand finds her thigh, and squeezes as she looks out the window and up at the house which has been her home her entire life.
“It’s going to be okay, Baby,” I murmur, and she nods without looking at me.
The silence stretches and wraps around us like a warm blanket as we head toward Watts Ranch. I’m surprised when we park in front of the farmhouse and find Dad sitting on the front porch like he’s been waiting for us to get back home.
Eliza is tentative when I help her down from the truck and her eyes dart up to my dad and then back to me over and over. I offer her a smile of reassurance before leading her toward the porch steps and then to where Dad is sitting in a rocking chair.
“Dad,” I greet him first, “this is my woman, Eliza.” I look into the surprised gray eyes I’ve already fallen for, and my voice turns into a rasp, “Baby, this is my dad, Harold.”
Eliza lights up when she turns toward Dad. “Hello, Mr. Watts, it’s wonderful to meet you officially. Kendrick gave me a tour of the ranch not long ago, and I have to say you have the most beautiful land I’ve ever seen.”
And just like that, I watch my dad fall in love with the woman I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. Because she’s the best of me and my soul is bound to hers.
“Now, Eliza, you call me Harold. Or Dad,” he offers, his words a quiet whisper. He looks at me and nods toward the expanse of Watts Ranch. “Don’t you have work to do? We’ll be just fine.”
I huff out a laugh and shake my head. “How about you let me get Eliza’s bags inside so she can get settled in before you send me out to do backbreaking work?”
“If it’s not backbreaking, what’s the point?” He shoots the question back at me while trying to hide the way his mouth tips up on one side.
“Yeah, yeah.” I grumble before bounding down the stairs and grabbing Eliza’s bags.
When I turn around, the two most important people in my life are smiling at each other like they have a secret. Some of the worry I’ve been carrying around since Cliff called me home eases. She’s not just what I need; she’s what we need out here on the land.
She’ll breathe new life back into this place and give us purpose beyond being good stewards. Eliza is exactly what we need.
As I head back up the stairs, Eliza leans down and kisses my dad’s cheek. “See you soon, Harold. I’d like to talk to you about what you’re craving for dinner.”
Dad rubs a hand over his mouth and grunts, “That sounds like a conversation to look forward to.”
Eliza giggles and follows me until we get to my room. When I push open the door with my foot, she stops.
As I let the bags fall to the floor with a soft thump, I ask, “What?”
“You want me in here?” Her gray eyes lock with mine. “With you?”
“I could play some game with you, Baby, and put you in a guest room, but I’m not about those kinds of games. This is your home now and the only place you’ll ever sleep in our home is here in my bed.”
With that, I walk up to her, kiss her until she melts into me. Fuck, it’s almost impossible to pull away. Then I’m walking out the door while reaching down and adjusting my hard cock in my jeans. I’m not going to push her, but I’m ready to slide into her wet heat whenever she’s ready to let me.
Soon.
She’s here, where she belongs and it didn’t take as long as I thought it would. I’ve never been a man full of thanks, quite the opposite, but this warrants more than a sliver of gratitude.
Now I just need to stay patient.