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“Without even telling me?” Maybe that was the part that hurt the most.

“I didn’t know for sure I was going to do it until today.”

“What made you change your mind?” I was trying to keep my voice down, but my heart was about to pound out of my chest.

“You.”

“Me? But I love the Dunes. I never meant for you to sell it. That’s not what I meant. I was worried about the lawsuit, and what could happen to all your money. I would never push you to give up something so important to you.”

He placed a finger against my lips. “Kaitlyn, you are the reason I want to sell it.”

I searched his face for some logical explanation, a translation that would make sense.

He continued. “I do love that place, no matter what a pain in the ass it is, but there’s something I love more, and that’s you. And if you’re in my life, I don’t want my time eaten up with lawyers and court dates and all our money going down the drain because I’m fighting with Uncle What’s-his-name. I want you. I want to be happy with you, and that means no more Dunes.

“You don’t need the stress now. I want you to be healthy and safe. I can’t focus on you and the baby if all I do is fight with that dick.”

I didn’t know how something that made me so sad could give me butterflies and set my heart on fire.

“You did it for the baby and me?”

He nodded. His hand slid to my stomach. God, did I love this man. He was everything to me. He had been since I was a teenager. He was more than I knew was possible.

“I don’t know what to say. I’ll support whatever you want to do with the motel. Just tell me you don’t think I’m forcing you to do it. The baby and I will be fine.”

He smiled. “You are not forcing me to do anything. It’s my decision, and after today, I think it’s a pretty damn good one. Plus, aren’t you the one who said I should go back into my engineering program?”

“Did I?” I started to think I was getting bossy.

“I can always enroll next spring and pick up where I left off. They are still moving forward with the grant on Padre for wind power. I’d like to be a part of th

at. Who knows, maybe we can be graduate nerds together.” He winked.

“Me? You think I should go to grad school?”

“Baby, you can do whatever makes you happy as long as that means you don’t want to leave Texas.” Cole had no idea he would be scoring all kinds of points with my father. The idea of me going back to get my MBA fueled almost all our conversations lately.

“I will never leave Texas,” I whispered before leaning across the space that divided us and kissed him.

We watched the first dance, the toast, and Cal and Sasha cut the cake. They had to be the happiest bride and groom I had ever seen. I excused myself to go to the ladies’ room to touch up the makeup Lulu had applied. There was no way I was still as put together as when I walked down the aisle. We had taken close to a hundred pictures and the corners of my mouth hurt from the permanent smile I had formed today.

As I walked out of the women’s lounge, I was looking down at my shoes and I almost bumped into Lisa.

“Kaitlyn, why, sugar, I almost didn’t see you.” Lisa wrapped me in what I could only describe as a Texas-sized bear hug. Her perfume was almost as powerful.

“How have you been?” I stepped back to talk to her for a minute. “Polly has been the best sitter for Grayson. He loves her.

“Oh, I’m so glad. Sorry I haven’t been able to keep him more. I’ve been busy busy. Things at the store are slowing down, but I’m gearing up for the holiday season in another month.”

That’s right. Thanksgiving was only a month away, and then Christmas. I had to come up with a holiday arrangement quicker than I realized. Cole and I hadn’t made a single plan on where to cut the turkey or share gifts under the tree.

“How’s your sister?”

“She’s good, hon. Thanks for asking.” Lisa whispered in my ear, “Is Pops’s other son here tonight? I heard he was.”

I nodded. “Yes. Sasha’s parents invited him.” I couldn’t imagine what Lisa’s interest in Aiden could be.

“I need to speak with him.” Her voice was still hushed.