Page 41

Evie

"Why live in the city when we could wake up to this beauty?" I can't take my eyes away from the mountain peaks. The white and the streaks of pink from the sinking sun have blended into the most breathtaking sight. "Wild."

With a grunt, he tears his eyes away from the board to check out the raw beauty around him. From his expression, you would think he's seeing it for the first time.

It's officially date seven of many, and I can't stop reliving his kisses and our promises to each other. My toes curl thinking about it. Date seven of many.

A shiver of anticipation goes through me.

"Cold?" Wild asks.

I shake my head and jump to my feet, giving him the easy win. We're taking advantage of a three-day break in Wild's schedule to visit Charity. It was Wild's idea to turn the two-hour drive into a semi-road trip complete with stops at his past haunts. Hence, the scrabble game and impromptu visits to people who will ‘be really mad if he doesn't visit’.

As we pile into the car, my phone starts ringing. Laughing, I hold it up so Wild can read the screen. "Carla."

"Sweet Mrs. Carla,"he reads from the screen,

I have to assure Carla three times that our visit is not a prank, and yes, we're really on our way. She’s so excited: it's spiking up my excitement.

"I know Wild prefers to stay in the city playing basketball,"she says with a sniff.

"Maybe not, since he's already complaining about being the white-haired old man with the walking stick,"I joke. Smiling, I turn to Wild to share the joke and catch him staring at me with a look that takes me back to the moment in the club's parking lot, our harsh breaths, hot kisses, and his hands in my hair.

Carla says something that flies over my head. "Sorry, I have to go."

"You should be watching the road, not me,"I reprimand breathlessly.

"I can do both."

And it's not a brag because Charity is a sleepy town. Soon, we turn down a majestic drive towards Carrington House. The ranch is positioned directly in front of the mountains. The drive takes forever as we fly past pastures and many outbuildings. Then the mansion springs ahead like a naughty child playing hide and seek.

"Wild," I whisper. "Stop."

With a searching sideways glance at me, he stops.

I swallow my nerves and point beyond the gutted mansion to the view of the mountains behind. "It's beautiful."

Again, he takes a long look like it's his first. Maybehe'sforgotten how beautiful it is. "I've never taken the time to truly appreciate it,"he admits. "My father burned the house the day my mother left, soI've—"

"Tried closing your eyes to it?"

He nods. "I hear Rhys has plans for it."

We sit in the car and watch the sunset together. I've never seen so many variations of pink and white. The colors take my breath away. I breathe in deeply of the smell of small town, clean air, and ranch. I've always loved Charity.

But the beauty does nothing to drown out my nerves. "I'm scared,"I admit.

Wild's expression says I must be kidding. I'm not.

He reaches out and runs the back of his fingers over my cheek. I shiver. "My mom loves you like you're one of her daughters."

"I know."I gnaw on my lip. "But it's different now."

"How?"Wild spreads his hands. "Help me see it."

"You know."I sound like one of those super-intelligent scientists.

"Sometimes, I suspect you may be mom's favorite of all of us."

"Stop,"I protest weakly. "Don't start exaggerating."

"I'm serious."

"She might not want me for her real daughter-in-law."

"Okay."Wild takes my hand and squeezes, frowning as he considers this problem.

He's taking it seriously because it's important to me. If Carla rejects me, I might die. They know our relationship is all real, but we've not made it official to the whole family yet.

"What can I do?"Wild asks. "Should we turn back? I should warn you every living thing in town probably already knows we're here. We will have a welcoming committee."

Then, we hear the sound of a big vehicle approaching. Whatever kind it is, the roar of the engine is loud. Finally, a tractor appears, lurching up and down while scattering stones like in a cowboy-themed show. The driver stops the tractor close enough to lock Wild in. A dark-complexioned, full-figured woman jumps out of the driver's seat, followed closely by Carla.

Carla gets my door open. Just as the other woman asks Wild, "Did you forget the way home, boy?"

"No, Ma."Wild starts a tough squeeze out of the narrow gap they left him on the driver's side.

Quadruple warm hands come around me in welcome. I smell chicken, garlic, and home-cooked meals. Just like that, the knot of anxiety in my stomach loosens.

"Mom, your first daughter-in-law."

How did he make it sound like an achievement comparable to landing on the moon?

"Evie, meet Aunt Mae,"Wild's voice floats over our heads. "Aunt Mae, that's my Evie."

"My Evie,"Aunt Mae clucks her tongue in disapproval, but her dark eyes are dancing. She's a close family friend of the Carrington's and a lodge manager. And she made Wild's precious bracelet.

"She's ours now."Carla grips my shoulder, mock glaring at her son.

"Huhuh,"Wild catches my eye and winks. "She's all mine, no negotiation."

"Tell that to your father, who has been looking forward to teaching her how to ride."

Will wants to teach me how to ride? Happy tears sting my eyes, and I sniff.

"You're squishing her,"Aunt Mae says.

"I'm not," Carla returns.

Sandwiched between both women and their back and forth, I lift teary eyes to Wild in time to catch his smug grin. "Welcome home,"he mouths.