Page 71 of Cowboy's Healing Heart

"Hey," I say softly, loosening my tie. "Sorry, I'm late."

She shrugs, setting the book aside. "It's fine. We ate without you."

The words sting more than they should. I cross the room, kneeling in front of her chair. "I'm sorry, babe. Things got crazy at the office. Did you get everything Ashanti needs for school?"

"Yeah, she's all set." Krystal nods, but I can see the distance in her eyes.

How can I explain the pressure I'm under?

I take her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. "I'll make it up to you. I promise."

"Sure." She smiles, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes.

As we get ready for bed, I can't shake the feeling that we're drifting apart. That with every day that passes, we're losing a little bit of what we had at the ranch.

I pull Krystal close as we settle into bed, breathing in the familiar scent of her skin.

"I love you," I murmur.

"I love you too," she whispers back.

But as I drift off to sleep, I can't shake the feeling that love might not be enough to mend the widening rift between us.

FIFTEEN

A WORLD APART

KRYSTAL

I standin front of the full-length mirror, barely recognizing the woman staring back at me.

The dress Shane picked out hugs my curves in all the right places, the deep blue fabric shimmering under the boutique's soft lighting. It's beautiful, elegant, and so far removed from anything I'd normally wear that it feels like a costume.

Except it reminds me of the weekend we spent in Rapid City. That was a good weekend. But it feels like a lifetime ago.

"You look stunning," Shane says, his eyes meeting mine in the mirror. His hands rest on my shoulders, warm and reassuring.

I force a smile, trying to ignore the knot in my stomach. "It's gorgeous, Shane. But are you sure it's not too much?"

He chuckles, pressing a kiss to my neck. "Trust me, you'll be turning heads tonight."

His touch temporarily distracts me from the wave of anxiety. Turning heads is the last thing I want to do tonight. I'm already going to stick out like a sore thumb.

The running experience since I've moved here is that I'm usually the only Black that's not working in the room. It's nothing new, except I only had to deal with it in smaller crowds. The networking event Shane took me to have thousands of people, and they're expecting more tonight.

"I don't know," I hedge, smoothing my hands over the fabric. "Maybe we should look at something else."

Shane's brow furrows. "What's wrong? You look incredible."

I bite my lip, unsure how to explain the storm of emotions swirling inside me. How do I tell him that every step further into his world makes me feel more and more out of place?

"It's just... it's not really me, you know?" I gesture to the dress, to the opulent boutique around us. "All of this. I'm more comfortable in jeans and my boots."

Shane's expression softens. He turns me to face him, his hands cupping my face. "Krystal, you belong here just as much as anyone else. This dress? It's just enhancing the beauty that's already there."

His words are sweet, but they don't quite reach the core of my unease. Still, I lean into his touch, savoring this moment of connection. He's worked around the clock. Ashanti and I only catch him for a few minutes in the mornings, and I have him at night. It's crazy to admit, but I miss working on old engines with him all day.

"Besides," he adds with a mischievous grin, "I can't wait to take it off you later."

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