Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 128801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
Her arms tightened across her chest, her love and belief and some kind of disappointment leaking into her voice. “Um, yes you did, Dakota. Maybe not in those words, but you told me when I got back that you weren’t delusional. I didn’t press you then, but I want you to tell me right now what that means.”
The men’s restroom door swung open, and the same gentleman stepped out. This time, Paisley sent him a ridiculous grin as he passed by. “Thanks for coming into Time River Market and Café,” she called behind him. “Be sure to leave us a 5-star review.”
“Paisley.” I giggled.
Her smile softened when she looked at me, everything about her going tender as she reached out and fiddled with a lock of my hair. “You are the most amazing person I know, Dakota Cooper. Talented and smart and hardworking and stunning in a way that leaves the rest of us in your shadow. And I know you see it when you look in the mirror. But it doesn’t show when you stand in front of him. And it’s time you stood up and felt it. Let go of whatever he did in the past that made you think you are anything less than incredible.”
“He didn’t—” I cut the denial off myself.
Because he had.
He hadn’t meant to. But he’d hurt me.
“I know you two have some sort of history. You’ve tried to keep it hidden, but it’s obvious, Dakota, and whatever it was you two tried to bury has floated to the surface.”
“That’s the thing, though, Paisley. I tried once. I told him how I felt, and he told me he didn’t feel the same way.”
I glanced around the restaurant, vibrating with appreciation for the gift that he’d given me despite it.
“Just because he didn’t feel that way then doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel it now. Feelings develop. Hell, I hated Caleb the first time I saw him.”
“You only hated him because of how bad you wanted to hump him.” I cocked my head with the tease.
“True. That man drove me insane with just a look.”
I laughed, and she wrapped me in her arms, rocking me back and forth. “If you want him? Then go for him, Dakota. I know there’s history. I know there’s pain and your brother and all these voices that are telling you it’s a bad idea. But if you want it? Then you go for it, and you do it unafraid.”
My fearless, wild friend.
But I wasn’t sure I could fully lay myself on the line again. Wasn’t sure my heart could take it if Ryder rejected me again.
Still, I hugged her back and whispered, “Thank you so much for being here for me.”
She eased back with a soft smile. “Um, hello, what do you think I’m here for? You’ve always been there for me during my hard times, and you can bet I’m going to be there for you. You can trust me, you know? With whatever you need to talk about.”
“I know that, and I’m so thankful for it.”
She squeezed me tight again before she laughed and pulled all the way back, taking my hand and swinging it between us as she led us down the hall. “I need to get back to the ranch. I was at the store and wanted to swing in to see how everything went, plus Grandpa is demanding I bring him home one of your pot pies.”
Affection pulled at my chest. “He’s always loved those.”
“Reminds him of my grandma’s.”
“That makes me happy.”
“Well, you make a whole lot of people happy, Dakota. I hope you know that. What you’ve created here is something special.”
She slowed as we stepped out into the store where a ton of people milled around, waiting for their names to be called since the dining room was already full for lunch.
Pride swelled, and I couldn’t help but remember how it’d been made possible.
And maybe that should have been enough.
His care for me.
But with Ryder, being friends with him…or family…or whatever we were? It just had never been enough. I wondered how I hadn’t recognized it all along because a moment later, that energy pulsed through the air.
The ground shifted.
It wasn’t a slight tilting.
It was an earthquake below my feet.
A crack right through our shaky foundation.
I’d worried it was going to be awkward or weird when we saw each other again, or worse, he was going to freak and totally shut down since he’d been gone this morning when I’d awoken.
But instead, an easy smirk pulled to the severe contours of his face, and he sauntered forward, all cool and casual the way he usually wore himself.
If I didn’t know better, I would have thought nothing had happened between us last night.
Except the glint in those gunmetal eyes promised he wasn’t soon to forget.