Page 60 of Cowboy's Healing Heart

She nods, her face serious beyond her years. "Okay. Is it bad?"

I shake my head, trying to find the right words. "Not bad, just... different. Shane has asked us to move to New York with him. To be a family."

Ashanti's eyes widen. "Really? Like, for good?"

"Maybe," I say, not wanting to make promises I can't keep. "But it would be a big change. We'd be leaving the ranch, starting over in a new place sooner than we planned."

Ashanti is quiet for a moment, processing. Then she looks up at me, her eyes determined. "If it means we get to stay with Mr. Shane, I'm okay with it. I like him. He makes you smile."

Her words surprise me. When did my little girl become so perceptive? I pull her close, fighting back tears.

"You're right, baby. He does make me smile. But I need you to know that no matter what happens, you're my priority. If you're not happy, we don't have to do this."

Ashanti hugs me tighter. "I know. But I think we should try. Maybe this time, we can have a real home."

I nod, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. We sit there for a while, just holding each other. As the night wears on, hours after Ashanti goes to bed, my mind is still racing.

I'm on the couch, nursing a glass of wine, exhaustion washing over me. The events of the day play on repeat in my mind. Shane's proposal, his family's arrival, and dinner tension. It all feels surreal as if I'm watching someone else's life unfold.

A soft knock at the door startles me. I open it to find Shane standing there, his face a mask of concern.

"Can we talk?" he asks, his voice low.

I step aside, letting him in. He stands like a stone wall.

"I'm sorry about dinner," he says finally. "My family can be... intense."

I snort, unable to help myself. "That's one word for it."

Shane's gaze holds mine as if he's looking for something. "I know this isn't what you signed up for. If you want to back out, I'd understand."

His words hang in the air between us. Part of me wants to take the out he's offering, to run back to the safety of my old life. But another part, a part that's grown stronger over the past few months, can't bear the thought of letting him go.

I take a step closer to him, my hand reaching for his. "I don't want to back out, Shane. But I need to know that the man I fell for is still in there somewhere. Because the person I saw at dinner tonight? That's not the Shane I know."

He pulls me close, his arms wrapping around me. I let myself melt into his embrace, the familiar warmth of his body a comfort I didn't realize I needed.

"I'm still here," he murmurs into my hair. "I'm sorry if I seemed distant. It's just... being around my family brings out a side of me I don't like. But I promise you, Krystal, the man you know is the real me."

I want to believe him. God, how I want to believe him. But doubt still lingers, a nagging voice in the back of my mind reminding me of all the times I've been hurt before—all the times men have abandoned me and left me to deal with the fallout.

"I need you to prove it," I say, pulling back to look him in the eye. "Not just with words, but with actions. Show me that we're in this together, that you're not going to disappear into that world and leave me behind."

Shane nods, his eyes serious. "I will. I promise."

I just hope I'm not trading one cage for another.

He leans in, his lips meeting mine in a tender and desperate kiss. For a moment, I let myself get lost in the feeling of his arms around me, the taste of his lips. But as we break apart, reality comes crashing back in.

"We should get some sleep," I say, stepping back. "It's been a long day."

Shane nods, his hand lingering on my arm. "You're right. We'll talk more tomorrow, okay?"

I nod, walking him to the door. As he steps out into the night, he turns back, his eyes meeting mine.

"I love you, Krystal. Never doubt that."

Before I can respond, he's gone, disappearing into the darkness. I close the door, leaning against it as I try to steady my breathing.

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