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“Then yes. I’d love that. You can help me climb the mountain, and I can get you started on your outdoor business. Though I imagine pretty much everybody you’re going to take out is going to be more competent than I am at this whole thing.”

“Remember, it’s about what you want to get out of it. What do you want in the end?”

“I want tonotquit.”

“Then that’s all you have to do. Not quit. Remember, there are no points for a good attitude.”

She smiled just a little bit. “Okay. I’ll remember that.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

HENEEDEDTOget his head on straight. He was feeling off-kilter after last night. He hadn’t cared at all what any of those women had said. All he could think about was how beautiful Rory had looked.

The way she felt when he touched her. When they danced. The way she made him feel.

It wasn’t the dress—though it had been enough to bring a man to his knees. It was something about her. Something about her that was pushing up against a wall he’d built up inside himself a long time ago.

And she’d been pushing at it since the moment he’d seen her in the woods.

She was... She was getting to him. And he really couldn’t have that. Because there was a whole host of good reasons why he had built up that wall. And it wasn’t just about keeping out affection. It wasn’t just about keeping another person out.

It was about keeping themsafe.

He didn’t know quite what made him decide to go buy the rope. He already had a set of weights, but they’d been left behind back in Georgia, and he really didn’t have the urge to go collect them, not given the circumstances he’d left under.

So yesterday he’d bought another set, to go with the ropes. And at that point, he’d figured why stop there? He talked to the owner of his family ranch about setting up an obstacle course early, and he’d agreed, seeing as he never left the main house to go on to the rest of the property.

He was in the process of moving out anyway and would be gone for the week, coming back in between visiting his new property in Northern California and coming back to this one.

And Gideon had an idea.

It wasn’t just an excuse to spend more time with Rory.

He gritted his teeth and drove the truck down to the Sullivans’ house.

The Sullivans’ house was much like he remembered it. Except there was something a little different. It was brighter. There was a clothesline out on the lawn filled with frilly dresses, and chickens running around underneath. There was a big weeping willow and some fruit trees. A large barn stood not too far away, along with some gardens that had high fences around the perimeter, no doubt to keep out deer.

It was neater, more orderly, and also somehow a bit more whimsical.

There was a large chandelier hanging from one of the trees in the front yard. It seemed silly. There was no reason for that. Yet, it looked beautiful.

Normally, he wouldn’t think of anything like that. Normally, he wouldn’t pause and look at all these details.

But there was something strange about part of him feeling like he was back in the past, while he absolutely couldn’t deny he was also in the present.

There were memories here, and they weren’t terrible. They made him feel good. Comforted in a way.

“Just as long as Fia doesn’t skin me alive,” he muttered as he walked up to the door.

He opened it and was surprised to see not just Fia, but Rory and two other sisters he didn’t know in this present time. He knew one of them had to be Alaina, and the other was Quinn. He just didn’t know who was who.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Good morning,” said the four redheads staring back at him.

“I was wondering if Rory was up for a little field trip.”

“Oh,” said Rory. “Well. We’re eating pancakes.”