“Tonight. We do this tonight.”
“Hey, Calico,” Roxy says. “We’re going to the kitchen to make lunch — wanna help?”
I give Cali a kiss and then watch as she walks off with the other women. Killian squints his eyes, clapping me on the shoulder. “When the hell did that happen?”
I chuckle, needing a beer for this conversation.
After lunch, I ask Calico if she wants to take a ride. She looks over at River before answering. He’s holding a puppy and talking to Bulldog. I smile and so does Cali.
“I think he’ll be okay,” I tell her, patting her behind.
“Yeah, you’re probably right. I think he’s died and gone to heaven with those puppies.”
“And I’ve died and gone to heaven with you.”
She rolls her eyes. “Haha.” She laughs dryly, before walking off to tell River she’s going to be gone for a bit.
“You’re going all in with her, huh?” Ruby asks, picking up a stack of plates from lunch.
“What do you think of her?” I ask Ruby. She is a no-nonsense woman with a heart of gold and I trust her judgement.
“I think she deserves a man who will treat her right.” She smiles. “Lucky for her, you’re one of the good guys.”
Smiling despite the fact that tonight we are going to be leading a showdown, I walk toward Calico, taking her hand. She makes me feel things I never expected to experience — I thought I was too late to find love. But damn it, I love her. I need her. And I need her to know how I feel.
I get lots of looks as I lead her out of the bar, but I don’t pay them any mind. The only one I am focused on right now is her.
I give her a helmet, buckle it on under her chin, and damn, she looks cute. She climbs on the bike behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist, and off we go. The sun is out, high in the blue sky, and there white clouds peppering the view. Feeling the warmth of Calico pressed against me makes me hot in a way that has me thinking all sorts of decadent things. How I want to take her, now.
But first, I drive her to the house for sale. Before lunch, I made a call to the Realtor and she is meeting us here. Cali has no idea, and when I park the bike in front of the yellow farmhouse, she asks where we are. “I told you I buy and sell properties. Thought I’d have a look at this place. Do you mind?”
She shakes her head. “No, this sounds fun.” I take her hand as we walk toward the Realtor named Mila, who I’ve worked with before. She is young and enthusiastic — and warms to Calico right away.
“Oh, this property is just amazing. You’re going to adore it,” Mila coos as she leads us though the front door.
Cali just smiles, lacing her fingers through my own. I wonder what she is imagining as we walk through the foyer, pass through the big farmhouse kitchen with a porcelain sink, as we climb the wooden staircase to the bedrooms on the second floor.
Is she imagining herself here with me? Or is that too much for her, considering we just met yesterday?
It isn’t too much for me, but I don’t want to scare her off, especially when I know just how hard a road she’s been on all her life.
It breaks my heart she was with a man like Grill. A man who only takes, and never gives. A man who treated River poorly, instead of like the sweet young man he is. They deserve better. And by God, I want to be the one to give them better.
“I’ll let you two poke around for a bit,” Mila says as we reach the top of the staircase. “I’ll leave the keys on the kitchen counter. I know you’re good for it, Troy. Just drop them off at my office later?”
“Thanks, Mila. I’ll want to show her the entire acreage and outbuildings, so we might be awhile.”
“No worries,” she says warmly. “Take your time. I mean it, there are three floors and a basement to explore.”
She leaves, and I am alone with Calico, looking down a long hallway I can picture being filled with family photos. “What are you thinking?” I ask her as we walk through the bedrooms, big spaces with window seats, built-in bookshelves and closets.
“I’m thinking this is the sort of house