Page 30 of Charm Me

“Momma!” There were several minutes of silence and if that silence meant Zoe was just as mortified as I was, then we were on the same page. I had no regrets about last night, but that didn’t mean I wanted her parents to know what we did. “Please, give it a rest.”

“Sweetie, I just don’t want you to get hurt again. I know you don’t want to admit it, but what Michael did to you broke you and I don’t want to see you go through that again.”

Who the hell was Michael and why did I have the sudden urge to hunt him down and break his neck? I wasn’t foolish enough to think Zoe hadn’t dated in the past. But I didn’t want to think about any man hurting her and hearing her mom speak those words stroked the savage in me and I wanted to protect what was mine.

Fuck, but she wasn’t mine. Not yet at least.

“Wyatt is not Michael and I am not some naive child. I know who Wyatt is and I’m acutely aware of where he lives.”

“I know he’s not Michael. I see the way he looks at you. But what happens when he goes home? Have you thought about that?”

“It’s a little early to be thinking like that, don’t you think?”

“Not now that you’ve slept with that man.” Sarah’s voice had a high pitch tone and Zoe groaned. I hated that I was hearing all this, but it wasn’t like I could walk in there in the middle of it. It was awkward enough as it was. My presence would only make it worse. “He’s not leaving Montana for you. He can’t. You have to know that.”

“Of course, Momma.”

“Are you prepared to move for him? Are you willing to make that sacrifice?”

“Seriously? I’ve known the man for a week.” I heard the bang of a chair. I could only assume Zoe pushed her chair back and it slammed in place. Her mom was right though. I couldn’t leave Montana. As the CEO of Strong Valley Ranch, I couldn’t leave home. The business, our staff, and my entire family depended on me.

“Love doesn’t have a clock, Zoe.” Sarah’s voice was softer with a hint of understanding. But instead of calming the storm that was building inside me, it lit it up. Love? It was way too soon for talk like that.

“What do you want me to say? I haven’t had time to process any of this and now you’re talking about love.”

“Yes, because I know my daughter. And you tend to think with your heart.”

“I like him, Momma. I tried not to. I really did. But I ... aaarrrggg.”

“I know sweetie. And we do too. All we want is for you to put yourself first for once. Wherever this leads, remember your dad and I are not your responsibility. We can take care of ourselves. For now, at least.”

“I know that.”

“Do you really? Because everything you’ve done since you left home was for us. To save this farm. We love you for it, and we might have lost all this had it not been for you. But it wasn’t your job to do that.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying make this decision about you, not us. If you like that man, then put you and him first.”

I heard a long, deep sigh before Zoe’s voice filled my ears again. “But what if he doesn’t like me the same way?”

“Trust me, he does.”

I smiled because Sarah was right. I absolutely felt the same way for Zoe and soon I’d tell her.