“And?”
“You don't know? I figured Emma would have said something.”
“Said what?” Emma did say he had a wealthy family, but who cares. Wyatt didn't act that way; he was a deputy and nothing like his brother. Thank GOD!
“My family is rich,” he said.
“So?” Again I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders and didn't give a crap.
“I don’t want that life. I work for what I have. I don’t…I just want to make sure you understand that I work for my living, and if you had heard and assumed I…”
“STOP. Just stop. If you think that I would like you, or want to give you the idea I like you—but I don't really—because of something you may or may not have, then you clearly haven't been listening to me the entire night. I know you don't know everything about me, simply because if you did, you would probably be questioning a lot… We all have things we aren't proud of. WE all can be judged by people.”
I paused. “You served my father an eviction notice at his trailer that was barely standing…”
He didn't respond. Instead he pulled me close and then kissed me. When he pulled away, he had a look in his eyes that was enduring.
“One day, you’ll get it all, and why I am so…worried…scared even…but I don't want to discuss that tonight.”
I kissed him this time and it didn't end until he drove me home and then we kissed again good night. We devoured each other as if time didn't exist.
I guess we both had things we were worried about, but we were even more scared to lose what we had finally found.
Too bad we couldn't warn our hearts.
14
BREIGH
Work had been busier than ever, and I couldn't have been blessed with it at a better time. I had gone from one house to another, or meeting-to-meeting in the office. My boss, Frank, had been out and I had been doing a lot of the behind the scenes that he normally did. Lucky for me, I knew what the job was inside and out. I could do both with my eyes closed.
Frank had been sick, from what I didn't know. All I got was a call from him asking me to “Hold down the fort” and he hung up. His behavior was completely out of his character and had me scratching my head.
I had things finalized and ready to be witnessed for our clients for over a month. I was moving right along and loved being my own boss.
I needed to stay busy and keep my mind off Wyatt. He was getting too close for comfort, and I still wasn’t done debating on what to do. I knew I was falling for him. I knew he was exactly what he said he was. He was exactly what I had wanted, but I just wasn't sure I was ready to let him in. I wanted to so badly, but I was scared. Truthfully, I had already let him in, I had already let emotions lead my brain, something I had sworn I would never let happen again.
“How do I let myself love him when every single person I have loved has hurt me in some way or fashion, except for you, of course”.
“Love has hurt too, sweetie. Your mother would have been able to teach that. Probably better than I did.”
“Not true. You were an amazing mother/grammy.”
“You have to let love in. This guy is really smitten with you, and you are going to pass it up because of your father? Because he couldn't deal with his life and what he was dealt? Yes, you had boys hurt you. But in all fairness, you hurt them too, didn't you, pumpkin?”
“Not Alan. Man, did I love him. I wanted to marry him. I thought anyway.”
“You have to go through the bad to find the good. If you don’t, you won't appreciate it.”
“What if Wyatt is just another guy I have to get over? What if he hurts me?”
“What if? What if he doesn’t?”
“Unfortunately the older you get, the harder it gets to meet someone who you can start a life with. He has probably been hurt. What if he doesn't want to take the gamble on you? How would you feel then?”
“I don’t know. I didn't think of it that way.”
“It is a risk on both ends, but that is what love is. It is a risk, it is a sacrifice, and it is scary. You just have to decide if it is worth taking it. There has to be a reason. He either is a reason for you to take that gamble, to let yourself fall in love and live happily ever after, or you can put the brakes on.”
I sat listening, not forming a response that was going to be worth a crap. And Grammy knew that.
The loud ringer on the office phone broke my thoughts and had me jumping out of my skin.
“Anderson Law Firm,” I muttered with a shaky voice.
Now I had to make a huge decision and do it without losing Wyatt, or having him walk away from me. Granted, he wasn't giving me an ultimatum but the internal struggle was tearing me up.
I had to decide if he was my reason to take a chance.
I already knew the answer though…
WYATT
In the state of Texas, most knew that if they weren't able to take care of their baby they could take them to any fire station and drop them off, no questions asked. Others either weren't aware, or didn't care enough to make sure they were taken to safety. I hated to be so negative about it, but after working in this field, it turned you that way. You started to look at the world differently. I had hoped that if the baby’s father weren't able to take care
