“There is. He’s Wes’s best friend and business partner, actually. We dated all through high school. He broke up with me when he went away to college.”

  “But you said you were married, right?”

  “Yeah, that didn’t work out.” She held up her index finger to let the waitress know she’d like one more drink. “It’s not like I had a thing for Colt all that time. Believe me, I didn’t. Well, not really. Anyhow, he came back to town awhile back, and we kind of hooked up.”

  “Ah.”

  “Yeah, well, he was gone the next day.” She sighed. “I shouldn’t care. In fact, I should hate him. I do. I hate him.”

  Taylor recognized denial when she heard it. “There’s no one else around here who interests you?”

  “Not really,” Gabby said, wrinkling her nose. “But I’m not giving up hope.”

  “Ladies.”

  Taylor looked up to see Mandy’s father, who owned the landscaping company that tended to Rush’s inn. “Oh, hey, Dave.” She smiled. “Nice to see you.” She glanced at Gabby. “Do you two know each other?”

  Dave laughed. “Yeah, my kid brother went to school with Sage and Gabby. Had a huge crush on them, and they both shot him down.” He laughed. “Smart girls.”

  “How’s Brenna?” Gabby asked. “Last time she did my highlights, she was talking about the possibility of a spring wedding.”

  Dave winced. “No, not gonna happen. In fact, we broke up.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” Gabby said, smiling at the waitress who set down her drink. “You two were cute together.”

  A Garth Brooks song came on, and Dave offered Taylor his hand. “I love this song. Care to dance?”

  The last time Taylor had danced with a man, it was her husband and they were at a friend’s wedding. That was almost two years ago. Knowing she had to take baby steps to move beyond her memories, she forced a smile and accepted his outstretched hand. “Sure, I’d love to. You don’t mind, Gabby?”

  “No, you guys go ahead. I’m sure Sage’ll be right back anyhow.”

  Taylor noticed Gabby was starting to slur her words, but since they’d all agreed to take a cab home, she didn’t comment.

  After crossing the small dance floor, she settled into Dave’s arms. “So have you worked at the inn long?”

  “A few years. My father used to run the landscaping business, but I took it over when I moved back to town a few years ago.”

  “Oh.”

  “I wanted to be closer to Mandy and the rest of my family,” he explained. “Her mom and I were really young when she was born. Anyhow, we divorced when she was ten, and I moved out to California to pursue a career in law enforcement.”

  “That must have been an interesting line of work.”

  “It was, but I realized my daughter was growing up without me, and I couldn’t live with that.” He linked his hands at the base of her spine. “It wasn’t an easy call, since I loved being a cop, but in the end, it was the right one.”

  “That’s good.”

  “How about you? What brings you to our little town?”

  “It happened by accident, actually. My car started acting up, and I was barely able to pull into the parking lot at the inn. Thankfully Rush needed some extra help, so he offered me a job for the summer.”

  “Ah, so you’re only here for the summer?”

  “I’m not sure yet.” She still wasn’t sure Vista Falls was where she belonged long-term, but every time she thought about leaving, it stirred up all kinds of emotions—mainly sadness.

  “Well, it’s pretty quiet around here in the winter. You think you’ll be able to line up other work if Rush can’t keep you on at the inn?”

  “I wouldn’t worry about that. She’ll have a place with me just as long as she wants it.”

  Taylor gasped at the sound of Rush’s voice before turning to face him. “What are you doing here?”

  He gestured toward the bar. “I passed by Wes’s place to hang out with him for a bit. He texted Sage and she told him she was in no shape to drive, so I figured you could use a ride home.” He nodded at her dance partner. “Dave.”

  “How’s it going, Rush?”

  “Not bad.” He glanced at Dave’s hands on Taylor’s hips. “You mind if I cut in?”

  “No,” he said, stepping back. “Y’all have fun.”

  Rush watched Dave walk away before he took Taylor in his arms.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, feeling his tension when she rested her hands on his biceps.

  “I’ve been better.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Did he ask you out?” Rush asked.

  “Who?”

  “Dave.”

  “No, why?”

  He was obviously annoyed, though Taylor wasn’t sure what she’d said or done to trigger the reaction. Rush didn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d get jealous if she danced with another man, even if they were in a committed relationship. Which they weren’t.

  “I heard he was going to.”

  Since only one person could have told him that, Taylor asked, “You’ve talked to Mandy?”

  “Yeah, I did.”

  “And?”

  “She knows where we stand.” He pulled her closer. “I made it pretty clear I’m into you. No one else.”

  “Oh, okay.” She rested her head on his shoulder as the previous night filtered through her head. “I’m sorry I flew off the handle this morning. I guess I was just feeling a little overwhelmed by everything that happened last night. Overwhelmed and confused, actually.”

  Just as his body had been starting to relax, his arms coiled tightly around her again. “Confused? Does that mean you regret it?”

  “No.” If she had the chance to do it again, she would. As often as possible, though she didn’t have the guts to tell him that. “Do you?”

  “No way.”

  They both relaxed slightly as Taylor tipped her head back to look at him. “I think you’re an amazing guy.”

  “Go on.”

  Rush wasn’t the kind of man who needed an ego-stroking, but she didn’t mind giving it just the same. “I see you walk into a room, and I can barely breathe.” She blamed her openness on the alcohol when she rolled forward on her toes to whisper, “And for the record, last night was one of the hottest nights of my life.”

  “Is that so?” he asked as his hands moved down her back, resting just above her bottom. “Tell me more.”

  She was well aware of the couples surrounding them, probably people who’d known Rush all of his life. But she suddenly didn’t care what they thought, what anyone thought. She linked her arms around his neck and kissed him. Taking the lead, he sank his hand into her hair, holding her head in place as he took her innocent PDA to a whole new level.

  Surprised she could still speak when they finally broke apart, she mused, “Need I say more?”

  He chuckled before caressing her temple with his lips. “How about we get out of here?”

  “What about Sage and Gabby?” she asked. When he took her hand, kissing the back of it as he weaved her through the crowd and made sure no one bumped into her, her heart melted.

  “I’m sure Wes will take Gabby home,” Rush said. “Her house is on the way to theirs, but let’s check in with them, let them know we’re leaving.”

  Taylor leaned into Rush when he slipped his arm around her waist. She didn’t miss the looks from all of the envious women who would no doubt like to be the object of his attention. But tonight, she didn’t care about catty exes or people speculating about them. She only cared about how good being with this man made her feel.

  “You guys heading out?” Wes asked. He was sitting in a booth, his arm around his fiancée as she rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Yeah.” Rush looked around. “Where’s Gabby?”

  “Dancing,” Wes said, pointing at the dance floor where Gabby was dancing with Dave.

  “Good,” Rush said, looking amused. “She’s perfect for him.”

  “Colt might disagree with you on that one,” Wes said, shaking his head.

  Rush rolled his eyes. “Then tell your dumbass friend to man up before someone else gives her reason to forget all about him.”

  “You think I haven’t tried talking some sense into him?” Wes asked, scowling. “Believe me, I have. But he’s going to wait ‘til it’s too late. Then I’ll get the distinct pleasure of watching him be miserable for the rest of his life because he let the only girl he’s ever loved get away. Again.”

  “Don’t give up hope,” Taylor heard herself say. “He may come around.” She didn’t know Gabby well, but something told her it would be a long time before she got Colt out of her system.

  “I agree with you,” Sage said, concealing a yawn behind her hand. “I think they’ll find a way to work it out.”

  Taylor reached into her purse for a few bills to toss on the table to cover her drinks, but Wes stilled her hand. “Not necessary. I paid the bill already.”

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Taylor said.

  “I know I didn’t have to.” Wes smiled. “I wanted to. Any woman who can put a smile like that on my brother’s face has earned my gratitude.”

  “Shut up.” Rush leaned over Wes to kiss Sage on the cheek. “Good night, beautiful.”

  “Night, Rush,” Sage said, grabbing Rush by the jaw before he could pull away. “Take good care of her, okay?”

  Taylor was touched that this woman, who’d been a stranger to her only days before, seemed to genuinely care about her well-being.

  “I promise,” Rush said, glancing over his shoulder at the dance floor. “Say good-bye to Gabby for us?”

  “Sure,” Wes said then kissed Sage’s forehead when she leaned into him.

  “Good night guys,” Taylor said, smiling at the happy couple. “Thanks for inviting me, Sage. I had a great time.”

  “We like to do this a couple of times a month,” she said, hooking her arm around Wes’s shoulder as she sat up straighter. “I’ll be sure to call you the next time.”

  “Sounds good. And thanks for the drinks, Wes.”

  “My pleasure.” Wes took Taylor’s hand. “I hope to see a lot more of you.”

  “You will,” Rush said, grabbing Taylor’s hand before steering toward the door. When they were safely in the cab of his truck, he said, “I have a surprise for you.”

  “What’s that?”

  “A while back, my brother gave me a truck. He bought a new one from Sage and thought I could use an extra one for the inn. I haven’t even bothered to put insurance on it, since I had this one,” he said, tapping his dashboard. “But I talked to Wes about it tonight, and we agreed I should give it to you.”

  Taylor’s jaw dropped as she looked up from fastening her seat belt. “You can’t give me a truck!”

  “Why not? I just told you I have no use for it.”

  She watched him pull out of the parking lot and do a quick check before turning right at the stop sign onto the town’s main road. “Then sell it.”

  “Why, when I could give it to you?”

  Taylor had never been on the receiving end of a big gift, and she didn’t know quite how to respond to his offer. “That’s incredibly generous of you, but I can’t let you do that. It’s too much.”

  “It’s a risk for me, you know.” He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “Giving you that truck.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re working for me to save up money for a new set of wheels, right?” When she nodded, he said, “I give you the truck, and you don’t have to go on working for me. You could leave town anytime you want to.”

  She realized he was giving her more than just a truck. He was giving her an option. He wanted her to stay because she wanted to be with him, not because she didn’t have a choice.

  “So let me get this straight,” she said, shaking her head. “You want me to take the truck so I can leave you anytime I want?”

  He reached across the leather bench seat and took her hand. “I want you to stay. If I didn’t make that clear last night, I should have. I know you can’t promise me you’ll stay forever. That’s too much to ask this early in our relationship. But I want you to stay as long as you still enjoy being here… with me.”

  “I love Vista Falls.” She looked out the window, taking in the now familiar sights: the church, the town square, the fountain, Gabby’s flower shop, and the bookstore next to it on Main Street. “The people here have been wonderful to me. I can’t imagine a better place for me to have landed.”

  “Landed, huh? Is that how you see it?”

  She considered her choice of words. “I was free-falling when I left Brock, no doubt about it. So I guess this is where I landed. I’m just grateful you were here to catch me.” She tried to imagine Vista Falls without Rush and couldn’t. It would just be another pretty Midwestern town with nice people who were still kind enough to welcome a stranger.

  “I am too.” He brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. “You know how many times I’ve imagined what could have happened to you if your truck had broken down on the side of some deserted road late at night instead of in front of my inn?”

  “I guess we wouldn’t be here now.” She shuddered to think she may not be here now.

  “And are you glad you’re… here?”

  “Yeah.” Her smile grew wider as she nodded slowly. “I’m really glad I’m here.”

  Chapter Ten

  Rush talked Taylor into spending the night with him again, but this time, when she woke up, he was right there beside her, holding her close. He had realized the mistake he’d made the previous morning was leaving her alone to question what he was thinking and feeling. He should have been there to reassure her how happy he was that she’d decided to let him in.

  “Morning, gorgeous,” he said, brushing a strand of hair off her face. “Guess who’s playing hooky today?”

  “You?” she asked, cracking an eye open.

  “Us.”

  “Oh, I don’t think I should. Who’ll take my shift?”

  “Mandy. I already talked to her, and she said she’d love the extra hours. So what do you say? Want to play hooky with me?”

  “Can you take off for the day?” she asked, stretching her arms above her head. “You probably have a ton of work to do.”

  “Always, but with all the hours I put in during the summer season, I can afford to take a day now and then.” He hadn’t told her the only two days he’d taken off in the last two months had been since she arrived. The first because he needed time to sort out his feelings for her and the second because he wanted to show her how he felt about her.

  “Okay then,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer. “I’d love to.” She kissed his bare shoulder. “What are we going to do?”

  “You said last night you love being here in Vista Falls. I thought today I’d give you more reasons to love it.” He was trying to show her the place he loved could also be her home, if she was open to the possibility.

  “Okay,” she said, giggling when he rubbed his whiskers against her neck while kissing her.

  “That’s it?” he asked, lifting his head. “You’re not going to ask for details?”

  “Nope. I like surprises.”

  “Hmm, I’ll have to remember that.” He pulled the covers back, moaning appreciatively when he realized she hadn’t put on the T-shirt he’d tossed her before they fell asleep.

  She pushed on his shoulders, laughing as his gaze roamed her body. “Oh no, you don’t. I’m starving. You hit the shower while I make us some coffee and breakfast. Deal?”

  “I’d rather you join me in the shower. Then we can make breakfast together,” he said, pinning her to the mattress while his lips grazed her cheek.

  Her tummy rumbled, making her squirm under him. “Sorry, I’m used to eating at six o’clock sharp. The kids used to—”

  She froze, and he felt her entire body stiffen as he shifted so he could look at her. He knew it would be painful for her to talk about her children, but trying to repress her memories couldn’t be healthy. “The kids used to what? Tell me about them.”

  Taylor turned her head, glancing out the window as a tear glided down her cheek into her hair. “They, um, used to wake up early so they could watch cartoons before they had to get ready for school. Even on weekends, their internal alarm clocks would go off, so I was used to waking up early with them.”

  “Can I see a picture of them?” He didn’t know if it was wise to ask or wait until she offered to show him, so he held his breath, waiting to find out if he’d made a huge mistake.

  She reached for the purse she’d left by his nightstand and pulled out her phone. After punching in a code, she pulled up her photos and began swiping the screen. “This one is my favorite,” she said in a small voice.

  He swallowed at the sight of two little blonde-haired, blue-eyed angels, one boy and one girl. He didn’t have to wonder whether they’d looked like their mama anymore. They looked just like her.

  “Beautiful,” he said, swiping at another of her tears.

  “Kirsten was four in this picture,” she said, touching the screen reverently. “Stephen was two. We had it taken the Christmas before… the accident.”

  “Can you show me some more pictures? Or would that be too painful?” he asked, watching her carefully for any sign that he may be crossing the line.

  “It’s okay.” She bit her trembling lip. “I don’t mind.” She pulled up another photo that made her sob. “Here’s one of Stephen sitting on the tractor with his daddy. He loved to help him plow the fields.”

  Rush didn’t expect to have such a strong reaction to the man who’d once been Taylor’s world, but the fact that he did proved he couldn’t go on lying to himself about how much she meant to him.

  She continued filtering through the pictures, pulling up one of her and her husband smiling at the infant in their arms. He was standing behind Taylor, his arms wrapped around his wife, while she held their daughter swaddled in a pink blanket. The love he felt for both of them was painfully obvious, and Rush wondered how anyone or anything could ever fill the hole that must be in her heart.