Touch by Touch (Riggins Brothers #4) - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,59

why she feels that way. So, I’m going to show her.”

“So, you bought a house?” Grant clarifies.

“I’m over the party life. It was fun, but I’ve grown out of it. I’d slowed down a lot even before my week with her at the cabin. Now, I have no desire to go back.”

“You love your condo.”

“Yeah, I did. It was convenient after a night out, but that’s not me. I want a home.”

“Wow,” they say together.

“I promise you I’m not playing games with her.”

“I believe you,” they say again at the same time.

“This newlywed finishing each other’s sentences stuff is creepy as fuck.”

Grant throws his head back in laughter while Aurora giggles. “Just wait, brother.”

“If that’s what it means to have her in my life, bring it.” I didn’t really plan to just come out with it like that, but I’m not hiding how I feel for her, not from her and not from my family. She needs to see that I’ve changed, that I mean what I say. I’ll give her not only the actions but the words too.

“Listen, can you all keep this between us? I want to make sure the offer goes through and all that before I tell her or the rest of the family. You all were close, and well, I needed to tell someone.”

“We’ll keep your secret,” Aurora assures me. “I’m excited for you and for my sister. I hope the two of you can work things out.”

“Me too, sis, me too. All right, I need to get home and tidy up my place a little, so I don’t have to do it tonight. I’ll see you all later at Mom and Dad’s.” With a hug to both of them, I let myself out.

I take my time driving by the house and pull in to take a few pictures on my phone. Life is changing, and I’m excited about it. I just hope this house isn’t the only change coming soon. I hope my relationship status changes as well.

Chapter 21

Aspen

All day long, I’ve racked my brain, trying to come up with an excuse not to go to Sunday dinner at Lena and Stanley Riggins’s house this evening. The only excuses I could come up with are lies, and that’s not me. So, here I am, standing in front of my closet, looking for something to wear. I don’t want to look frumpy, and well, I don’t want it to look like I tried too hard either. However, I need to choose something soon, or I’m going to be late.

It’s February in Tennessee, so I can’t go wrong with black leggings and a long steel-gray sweater. I’ll wear my black Sperry boots and call it good. My hair is in loose curls falling over my shoulders, and my makeup is light.

Making sure I have my phone and keys, I head to the bakery before leaving. I need to grab the box of leftover goodies from yesterday. I hate tossing them, and I know the guys love everything we have to offer. I figure it’s as good a place as any to take them. I sent Gloria and McKenzie home with a box as well. Anything leftover on Saturdays is donated. We usually drop off boxes to local businesses, hotels, nursing homes, bars, and the boxes are always labeled with the Warm Delights logo. It’s a good form of marketing, and I really do feel like we’ve gained a lot of exposure and business from it. However, this week, it’s the staff who got the treats. I had planned to drop some boxes off today, but when Lena called, and I knew I couldn’t get out of it, I combined them all in one.

The traffic this evening is light, so I get to the Riggins’s in record time. However, from the cars in the driveway, I’m the last to arrive. Climbing out of my car, I grab my phone and then reach into the back seat to retrieve the box of goodies.

“Hey, babe, let me help with that.” Conrad takes the box from my hands. “I have been waiting to lay eyes on you all weekend,” he says, grinning. “Come on, let’s get you inside where it’s warm.”

I follow him inside and stop at the foyer to take off my boots and coat. By the time I’m sliding off my last boot, he’s back and pulling me into a hug. “I missed you.”

“Conrad, you saw me yesterday.”

Pulling out of the hug, he laces his fingers through mine