Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
I’d wondered what I’d do if it came down to a choice between acting in Katie’s best interest or in my own. Now, my priorities had realigned themselves—or maybe just aligned themselves properly—and I knew exactly what I needed to do. I felt the rightness of it in my bones.
My phone buzzed with a call from Dev, and my chest tightened as I answered.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hey, beautiful.”
His voice was low and slow, lazy in a way that reminded me Wyoming ran on a completely different kind of time than we had here in the metroplex.
My heart thundered in response to his voice. “Hey,” I said again. This time, my voice was soft, and even I could hear the affection in it.
“Did you sleep last night?”
My jaw ached with his kindness. Instead of asking about the case, about the lab results, he asked how I was.
“No. You?”
“Mmhm. But only because the guys got me shitfaced.”
“You’re kidding?” Dev was the least likely of anyone I knew to turn to alcohol in times of crisis. I was surprised he’d let them push drinks on him.
“No. It started with Landry suggesting a whiskey would take the edge off, make me less likely to spout off my anger around Lellie. But then Jo put her to bed in the big house again, and I was still pissed. Silas told me to finish my drink if I was going to be an asshole. I found out later it was a fresh pour. Then, after that, they kept sneaking refills in and convincing me I hadn’t had as much as I’d thought.”
I let out a laugh. “You must have been really upset. You’re not easy to fool.”
“I was. Obviously. I was distracted and angry. Hurt. I still can’t fucking believe the Scotts did whatever the fuck they did to screw with the results of the test.”
“You believe it was malicious now? That she’s really your daughter?”
He let out a beleaguered sigh. “Yeah. The guys talked me down and reminded me of the things I’d told them about Katie. There’s no way she’d have used a different donor without telling me, and the chances of the clinic making a mistake are infinitesimal.”
“Good. I want you to take Lellie to the nearest court-approved lab. Susanna’s sending you the information. We’ll get another test underway as soon as possible.”
“Yeah. I already talked to her. She called a little while ago.” He sucked in a shaky breath. “Said you were upset.”
“Jesus, Dev, of course I am.” I was annoyed he’d doubt it.
“Baby,” he began. “I need you to stand down and let me handle this with Susanna. I don’t want you to do anything to jeopardize your job, okay? Promise me.”
“Dev—”
“No, Tully. Promise me. I need you to take care of you because I’m not there to do it, okay?”
His words were so fucking sweet. So reassuring. How long had it been since someone wanted to protect me?
“I can’t promise you that.”
I heard the smile in Dev’s voice. “You can, and I’ll tell you why. You love me. And I’m asking you to let me love you right back, Tully Bowman.”
I closed my eyes and tried to keep breathing. “Yeah?” It came out as a croak.
His warm rumble of soft laughter rolled across the line. “Yeah. Now, promise me.”
I sucked in a breath and lied my loving ass off. “I promise, Dev.”
He breathed out a sigh of relief.
As we moved on to talk about how Lellie was doing, how Trigger was faring, and when I could come back to Majestic for another visit, my heart rate calmed.
Every word he shared about life back in Majestic was like twisting the little stick on a pair of cheap window blinds. The sun began to slant in a little bit more until a breathtaking view appeared.
My life, and every single thing I wanted in it, were not here in this vibrant city.
They were there in the sleepy, sage-blown town of Majestic, Wyoming… and I knew I would do anything to make them mine.
Even put my entire career on the line.
TWENTY-SIX
DEV
It took less than two days after Tully’s departure for me to realize my new little family would never be complete without him in it.
I was down in the barn, checking on one of the new foals with Lellie safe in her new favorite carrier on my back, when I saw Indigo stroking Trigger’s nose over the stall door.
“He likes you,” I said, tilting my chin up at him in acknowledgment.
The poor kid had obviously been scared of me ever since the incident with Trigger. Despite everything going on in my life, I owed him an apology.
“Nah. He’s just, like, obsessed with peppermints.” His eyes widened. “But don’t stress, dude. I swear, I only give him one in the morning and one at night. Gotta keep it balanced. Gotta keep his energy aligned.”