Page 89 of See It Through
“Goddammit,” he gritted out. “What the hell, Hannah? Your stubborn little ass isn’t hearing a word I’m saying.”
“I heard you!” I argued, tossing my hands out in frustration.
“No, you didn’t, but I’m going to set you straight right now. I’m giving you that house because you belong there. I want you to make it yours. Fill the fields with horses and the house with life. It needs that.”
For a moment, I let myself drift to what that would be like. The rooms I would paint, what colors they would be. The horses… Maybe I’d steal my favorite gelding from the ranch…but no. I didn’t want that. Not when I’d be there with nothing but Graham’s ghost and my memories of Remi.
“That’s nice and all, but—”
He strode forward, gripping the base of my skull. “You want me to stay?”
I nodded tightly.
“You never asked me to stay, Hannah. You know that? Never asked anything of me.”
“I—” My mouth fell open then quickly snapped shut. “I can’t.”
He cocked his head, his gaze sweeping over me. “Are you scared I’ll turn you down?”
I nodded again. I’d never ask that of him. Not unless I was absolutely sure he’d say yes, and I was the farthest thing from sure.
With a sigh, he wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tight. My arms moved automatically, embracing him with aching fervor. This didn’t feel like goodbye, but what else could it be?
“I need you to let me talk while you listen.” He smoothed his hand up and down my back. “Can you do that for me, sweetheart? Set aside what you’ve made up in your mind and really listen?”
“Okay,” I wobbled. “I’ll try.”
He guided us to sit on the couch, pulling his knee up on the cushion so he could face me. Once situated, he took my hands and engulfed them between his.
“The god’s honest truth is I dreaded coming back to Sugar Brush. I was gonna be in and out as quickly as I could. But things changed, and that happened pretty quickly. I remembered what I loved about being here. Not just the people, but the place. The blue, blue sky, the yellow grass, the openness, the air. But the people…the people are the biggest draw. I’d let myself forget what it had been like to sit down for dinner with the whole Kelly clan, to work myself to the bone alongside Caleb out on the ranch…and you, Hannah…sweetheart, you are everything good in this world. I’ve been around this globe, seen all the good and bad it has to offer, and I can honestly say that.”
I had to bite my tongue not to say anything. Being quiet wasn’t easy, but Remi wasn’t done. I’d had my turn to run my mouth. Now, the floor was his.
“I didn’t have plans on where I’d go after I left Sugar Brush, but I figured I’d be back overseas eventually. Until recently, it was all I’d ever known, and I had no desire to switch things up and lay roots. The thing is, though, it’s been a while since I’ve thought about leaving this town. Instead, I’ve been wondering if winter will be as bad as I remember it. Thinking I need to order a new coat to get me through. It’d taken a talk with Lily to wrap my head around what that meant.”
“My grandmother?” I blurted. “You talked to my grandmother?”
“Yeah. After I left you, Lily and I shared a drink at Joy’s. She told me all about her divorce with Connell and how they reconnected.”
I jerked in surprise. My grandmother was frank and open, but her divorce from my grandfather had always been a taboo topic. It still pained her to think about, so I was careful to never come close to mentioning it.
Remi continued, recapturing my attention. “She told me about her regrets, but the biggest thing that stuck out for me was when she said, ‘you can never go home again.’ Pulling into Graham’s driveway the day I returned, I’d had that same thought. But Lily added something to it. She said you can’t go home, but you can rebuild a new one, and that…well, it opened my eyes. I took a good, hard look at my intentions and actions and realized that’s what I’ve been doing all these months. I’m nowhere near finished, but I’ve set the foundation for a new life in Sugar Brush.”
“You have?” I croaked, my chin shaking violently now.
He saw it, and took care of me, cupping my jaw in his warm, firm hand. “You should know, sweetheart, since you’re right in the center of it. I’m giving you that house because of everything I told you. You belong in the wide open where you can run and be free, and I want to give that to you. But, Hannah, I’m hoping like hell you’ll want me to be there with you.”
I found myself leaning toward him, drinking in his every word. “I didn’t know you felt that way.”
“I know you didn’t. I’ve been working things out in my head when I should’ve been talking to you, but maybe…maybe I was scared too.”
“Of what?”
“A number of things. Getting off the path I’d set for myself. Finding my way here in Wyoming. But I think my biggest fear is you not being as eager to build a life with me as I am with you.”
“Well, you’re dumb then, Remington Town.”
He barked a laugh, and it vibrated all the way to my bones. “I might be, but I'm crazy, stupid in love with you, Hannah. I want to stay and figure out what life is going to look like together. Do you want that?”