“I’m not trying to be unfair,” she quickly interjects. “I don’t want to blow this chance.”
I get that. I don’t either, but I’m making concessions left and right in my personal life and her making me choose right now is going to push me over the edge. I’m just getting my footing with Wyatt, things aren’t secure and until they are, I need my business to stay the same. “I’m not saying no, Erin. I’m saying that I need the time we agreed upon. I need to be there when we choose a location.”
I also need to figure out how deep I am with this man.
“So you want to table the expansion?” Erin’s voice raises slightly. “Because if we pass on this space, we’re clearly not moving forward.”
Is that what I want? Am I really willing to give this up for him? Right now, yes. I am. Even if it doesn’t work out, this is the most I’ve ever felt for someone. My heart races when he touches me, and everything settles when I’m in his arms. The fact that I’m even questioning it says something. I’m not the girl who goes all mushy at some boy. I’m the girl who stands strong behind my independence. I don’t need a man. But I want Wyatt.
Damn it.
“Two months. I’m asking for two more months.”
Erin sighs. “I don’t agree with your decision, Ang. I think in a few weeks you’ll think differently. Did you get the quarterly P&L report I sent?”
We talk a little more about the profits and loss, and in the end, I think she understands. Erin has made back her investment, so I don’t have to worry about that. If I have to, I have the capital to buy her out. I like having her, though, and I hope she’ll stay on even though she’s mad about delaying things.
I walk into Presley’s house and greet everyone.
“The boys are getting ready to go for a horseback ride with Zach. He promised them he’d teach them new tricks so they can finally beat me. They’ve gotten really good at riding, but haven’t had a lot of time to practice between school and sports.” Presley explains after I barely get a hello from either of them as they run by. “Zach is upstairs, but the boys are going to saddle up.”
“Have they gotten close to beating you?”
“Nope.” She grins. “One day they’ll learn, and I’ll have to up my game.”
“Not likely.”
Presley grabs her wedding book and flops in the chair. “My brother is teaching them how to rope cattle.”
“Zach doesn’t do that?” I ask.
“No, we were the rodeo kids. The Hennington’s were too busy playing sports.” Presley shakes her head. “Cooper and I were really into rodeo stuff. Even though my mother was only okay with my brother performing.” She rolls her eyes.
“How is Coop? I haven’t seen him.”
Her brother is great. He’s quiet, tall, and almost always busting his ass somewhere out on the ranch. I’ve asked why he’s not taken, but Presley won’t say. However, I’d have to be blind to miss how he looks at Grace and not put two and two together. Grace is one of her best friends, Trent is her soon to be brother-in-law, and Cooper is her brother. Talk about an awkward Christmas.
“He’s great. He and Zach are doing a lot more business together, which is good. It allows me to see Zach during the day. Although, I pretty much see him whenever I want anyway.”
We both laugh. “Because you two don’t spend enough time together, right?” I feel like every time I see her, he’s right there too. Not that I mind, but isn’t she worried she’ll get sick of him?
“I kinda like him. You’ll see,” she looks up. “When you realize how great a guy is, you want to be around him more. You’ll crave his company because it makes you light up. Zach gives me that.”
“Not all of us are hopeless romantics. Some girls are happy on their own. We don’t dream of getting married and playing house. We dream of taking over the world.”
She rolls her eyes and goes back to her book.
The boys rush in the house. “Mom,” Logan huffs. “Where’s Zach? I can’t find him.”
“Must be at the barn,” she says even though she said he was upstairs.
“Bye, Auntie!” they call to me in unison.
“Bye, turdlets!” I call back.
“Zach!” she calls. “Boys are waitin’ on you. You got about ten minutes!”
“What is he doing?”
“He had a call about one of the horses. Felicia, the awful bitch she was, oversold a few of them. Remember how Zach thought it was best to keep her on for a bit?” she asks.