Reckless(60)

Silence hangs in the air, thick and uncomfortable. She shakes her head. “I, uh, I guess I don’t know what I’ll be doing this fall.” Her eyes shift away. “Your mom will be back soon, and I’m guessing y’all won’t need me around then.”

I don’t know what to say. I don’t want her to go, that’s for sure, but I have no idea what my mother’s plans are once she returns, or if it’s financially feasible for me to keep Tori on staff once Mila’s in school.

If Tori heads back to Austin, will I ever see her again? Brady got her car running again, but it’s a piece of crap, and I still can’t get her to drive my truck. If we do long-distance, it’s not fair to ask her to do all the mileage. I’m just not sure how I’d be able to get to Austin more than every other weekend when the kids are with their mom.

The idea of going from seeing Tori daily to twice a month wrecks me.

I shoot Logan a pained look. Couldn’t he let me be happy and blissfully ignorant for one fucking day? Because I don’t have the goddamn answers.

For all I know, next Wednesday the judge is gonna make me sell this place to pay back my ex-wife. Although my attorney said that’s highly unlikely, he couldn’t rule it out entirely, especially since Allison’s counsel already requested it. She swore up and down after the hearing that wasn’t her idea, that she was surprised by how aggressive her attorney was being, but I was too shell-shocked to process her words.

Since then, I’ve thought of little else. The only thing that’s brought me any reprieve is Tori.

And I might be losing her too at the end of the summer.

My brother glances back and forth between us and laughs awkwardly. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to open a whole can of worms here. Especially since you guys are in this ooey-gooey phase that makes me want to hurl.”

Leaning on my desk, I groan and drop my face into my hands, needing to block out everything for two minutes. A steady pounding beats in my temples, but I don’t have the energy to hunt down pain relievers.

There’s some shuffling of feet, and I’m guessing Logan just hightailed it outta here.

“Hey.”

I look up and find Tori standing next to me. She slides into my lap and presses her face into my neck. I pull her legs up over mine, wrap my arms around her and stick my nose into her hair.

How did she know I needed this?

“We’ll figure this out, okay?” Her soft words settle over me and soothe all the anxiety riffling through my nerves. She might be younger, but I swear she’s an old soul. “I’m here as long as you need me.”

Always. I’ll always need you.

I’m shocked at how fiercely that sentiment resonates in me, all the way down to my work boots. Have I ever felt this way about another woman? Never. Not even Allison.

Part of me is shouting this is insane, to fall for this girl when I’m barely out of my marriage.

While I can list a million reasons why Tori and I work as a couple, none of them negate the issues my brother brought up or the fact that I can’t afford to keep her on staff come this fall.

Squeezing her tight, I decide I need to find a way to make this happen. She’s too important to let go. I’ve lived with enough regrets in my life. Tori won’t be one of them.





35





Tori





Totally unfair.

My sister is so pregnant, she can barely dress herself, but she’s never been more beautiful. I’d look like a constipated hippo if I were that pregnant.

I sit on one end of the couch in her living room and pat my lap. “Come on. Kick up those hobbit feet so we can do this pedicure.”

“Don’t call them hobbit feet, brat.”

I snicker and help her shift her legs up one at a time. “Just giving you a hard time. You’re gorgeous, preggers.”

Since Ethan needed me to work this afternoon, I spent last night with my sister, forgoing my Friday night TV routine of baseball and ice cream with my sexy BB—boss and boyfriend—and I’m hoping to pamper Kat before I head back to the ranch in a bit.

Izzy skips through the room with her dad trailing behind. She sees me break out the nail polish, and she pouts.

“Tori, will you do my nails later? Pretty, pretty please?” She presses her hands together like a little beggar.

“I’m not going to be here when you get back, but maybe I can sneak over in a few days to do them.”

Jutting out her lower lip, she frowns. Ugh. How can I say no to that face?

Brady shakes his head. “Don’t give your aunt a guilt trip, kid. I’ll do your nails later if you want.”

“Really?” She grins up at him like he just bought her a pony, but then she quirks a saucy eyebrow like my sister. “Can I do your nails too?”

He lets out a comical sigh. “Sure, but I get to pick the color this time. No pink.” He turns to us. “This child’s obsessed with pink. Pretty sure she’d spray paint her room the color of Pepto-Bismol if we let her.”

My brother-in-law is awesome. I love that he lets Izzy paint his nails.

With his keys in hand, Brady leans over and kisses my sister, and she lets out a swoony sigh that would make Scarlett O’Hara proud. Oh, man. Do I look like her when Ethan’s around? No wonder Logan makes gagging sounds.