Michael (Wild Men #8)

Chapter 26

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Michael

Theoretically, what I said was a hundred percent honest. Lynn didn’t say anything disparaging about Emery at all.

But she did issue me a bit of a warning with her reminder of our conversation she and I had the night I met Emery.

“It’s okay to let someone in, you know. It doesn’t make you selfish.”

I simply nodded, but she got me thinking. Which was no doubt her intention because she loves her niece to pieces, and while she’s all too happy to play matchmaker, she doesn’t ever want to see Emery get hurt.

I’m sure she’s curious about how serious Emery and I are.

I don’t know myself. All I know is my stomach lurched when I found out Emery got a job offer of a lifetime here in Montana. Because that would mean she’d be here for the long haul, and I’d be thousands of miles away on the other side of the country. Which should be for the best. Emery will be happy with her career, and I’ll be happy with mine. The seeds of doubt are creeping in though, and I do my best to ignore them.

The fact that she’s potentially going to own a piece of real estate in my hometown, and now we’re traveling there together…is surreal.

“If my aunt was trying to stress you out about not hurting me or whatever…” Emery is saying next to me. “Don’t pay her any mind. She’d be shocked to hear that I suggested a no-strings arrangement. She’s a bit old-fashioned, which tends to equal sexist. She thinks all women want to get married and most men are running scared.”

“I get it. But she isn’t wrong about wanting to watch out for you. I don’t ever want to hurt you, Emery.”

I stop Diamond as we reach an open meadow and let him eagerly eat some grass. Emery does the same with Gemma.

While our horses are taking a break, we dismount and tie our reins to the lone pine tree in the area.

“Your dad and I talked about your fly fishing lessons,” I say.

“You did? That must have given you both a good laugh.”

“We both said we couldn’t understand how you have any issues with it because you have all the basics down.”

“It is weird,” she agrees. “My dad loves to fly fish. So much so that I would tag along with him on day trips and, even though I gave up on the fishing part, I know all there is to know about the poles, the bait, you name it. You want to buy equipment? I’m your girl. It must be the marketer in me.” She squeals. “You know what you should do as a second job? Open up a fishing gear shop! It would help take the financial burden off your boat.”

“That’s actually…an idea,” I say. My mind is already whirling with the concept.

“You know everything there is to know about the world of fishing and boating. You could use your knowledge to do something on land.”

“Would you want to be my partner?” The question pops out of me unbidden .

“What do you mean?” Her tone is cautiously excited.

“You said it yourself. You could market the crap out of fly fishing. And with a little research and education, I have no doubt you could do the same with any kind of fishing equipment. You’ve got the advertising experience for sure.”

She sounds almost shy when she answers me. “I would love to be your partner, Michael.”

And suddenly, I’m no longer sure we’re talking about business.

A long silence follows.

“I hope you don’t feel pressured into going to Maine with me,” Emery says finally. “I’m thrilled to go with you, but I’d also be happy to fly there on my own.”

I take her hand in mine. “I’d love to go together. I’ll look into flights later. It will be a romantic way to end what we started here, don’t you think?”

“Yes,” she says. “Although I have to be honest—I might be a little bit sad when we say goodbye.”

I squeeze her hand. “I will be too.”

“Do you think it will be awkward between us if I live in Maine part-time?” she asks me.

“A little,” I admit. “Awkward isn’t the right word. It would be…” Heartbreaking . “Bittersweet.”

“Yeah. Bittersweet is a good way to put it.”

We stand side by side at the edge of the meadow and look out at the breathtaking view of the mountains.

My heart is in my throat. I already know it’s not going to be easy to leave her. My brain may know no-strings is a good plan, but my heart is already committed to this woman. I was just talking about going into freaking business with her. That has to stop now.

Like we’re on the same wavelength…

“Let’s make another promise,” Emery says. “Besides the no-strings. Let’s promise to enjoy the time we have together and not think ahead to the future.”

To when we’re no longer together.

I kiss her head. “Deal.”

“How was the cabin?” Luke asks as I step inside his office after my trail ride with Emery.

“Great. Thanks again,” I say in a flat tone.

“You’re sure in a pissy mood for someone who got laid last night.”

“Shut up.” I sink into the chair across from his messy-as-hell wooden desk in his makeshift office in the barn. “God, you need an assistant.”

“Says the hundredth person this month alone.” Luke sweeps one pile of papers onto another and shoots me a hard look. “All organized.”

I bark out a laugh. “Okay, sure.”

“Back to you. What are you so pissed off about?”

Emery left to go get ready for her night out with some of the Wild women. I love that she’s getting to know them. I also hate it.

“What’s the problem.” My cousin doesn’t ask it as a question.

He does it in his usual way—lay it on me because I know I’m the smartest person in the room and I can help you out.

And he’s not wrong. Luke is super smart, especially when it comes to people. He’s the life at every party even though he hates to dance and rarely makes a big show of anything. He’s the life of the party because of who he is—a cocky, strong-minded cowboy who never lets bad things tear him down for good.

The light over his desk casts a glow across his face, highlighting the long scar on his cheek and his dark hair that he drags his hand through as he waits for me to answer him.

“Do you think you’ll ever compete again?” I ask him without planning to.

He narrows his blue eyes. For a second, I’m certain he’s going to stand up and take a swing at me.

Instead, he takes a deep breath. “You and I are similar, Wild. We both have love affairs—some would call them unhealthy, possibly toxic—with our careers. We both risked our lives for our work, something not everyone can understand.”

True.

“In my case, former career.” His eyes flash with a deep pain. “Will I compete again? Time will tell.”

I nod. “Understood.”

“So. Now that we’ve got that out of the way…” He cocks his head and studies me for a moment. “Why don’t you fill me in on your dilemma? Seems like you’ve got something with your boat and your love life all mixed up.”

I stare at him. “How the hell…”

“I can sum up a problem in one sentence most of the time.” He smirks. “Just one of my many gifts.”

So I tell him. About the arrangement Emery and I decided on, her job offer, the cottage in Lucky Bay, how I offered to take her there and show her around, all of it.

When I’ve finished, Luke leans back in his rickety-ass wooden chair and links his hands behind his head. “So you’re happy she’s getting this cottage in Maine, but it will sting like hell to know she’s right down the road and you can’t commit to her. You’re glad she’s getting to know your in-laws but you’re upset because it’s only temporary. And the closer you two get, the harder it’s going to make the goodbye.”

I roll my shoulders. “Something like that.”

“Question. ”

“Yeah.”

“Is this the first time you’ve felt torn?”

“Torn?”

“Between your career and a woman.”

I open my mouth to tell him he’s way off-base, that nothing and no one will ever make me feel the way I do on a boat.

But then I shut it.

Luke’s steely gaze never leaves mine as I work through his question in my head.

“I guess so,” I say eventually.

He cocks an eyebrow. “So you admit to feeling torn. This is a real thing then.”

“I guess it is.”

I don’t know that anyone else can understand what I’m going through, even Luke. I don’t know his reasons behind his obsession with bronc riding, but I know his connection to his dad is more about Wild Ranch than the rodeo.

“I get that you miss him, Michael.”

Luke’s tone is gruff but as genuine as could be.

I flick my gaze to his. “He’s been gone since I was a kid, Luke. Isn’t there an expiration date on grief?”

“No.”

I shoot him a second look, but he blinks, and I can’t tell what’s behind the mask.

“I’m about to go grab a drink with the boys. Come with me.”

He stands up, flicks off the dim light over his desk, and gestures me to follow him out of the barn.