Page 48 of If You Loved Me

“I don’t know what else to do. I’ve already agreed to her deal and if I go back on it…you know what she’s capable of, Willow.”

She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she mulled over the point I’d made. “You’re right. I do know what she’s capable of.” She gave my hands another squeeze and winked at me. “But I also know whatyouare capable of. It sounds like you have the beginnings of something really special with Ranger. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this smitten with someone before. So, when the time is right you’ll know what you need to do. Until then, I’ve got you, girl. If shit hits the fan, you have backup.”

I snorted. “Thanks for that.”

“I’m just kidding.” She nudged me. “But seriously. I think you’re being too hard on yourself. Everything will come out in the wash as long as you stay true to yourself.”

I knew she was right. I couldn’t keep this up for much longer. Not when my feelings for Ranger were growing by the second. It would be better to rip the bandaid off with my mother. The longer I kept this charade up with Jones, the more she would expect the relationship to move forward.

I just hoped I had the strength to cut it off.

“Both of you are too much.” I rolled my eyes at Johnny and Willow as they broke apart from their makeout session.Johnny smacked her on the butt and Willow went squealing down a row of apple trees before Johnny started chasing after her.

“I’m leaving you two love birds!” I called out after them before heading down a different row.

My small burlap bag wasn’t even halfway full as I started eyeing some honey crisps. Their swirls of red, pink, yellow, and green were striking against the gloomy fall clouds that hung high above the orchard.

I plucked one off the tree, watching the droplets of dew splatter to the ground as the limb shook the leaves on the rebound. I brought the apple to my nose, smelling the faint crisp scent and nearly tasting the turnover I planned to make with it later today.

Baking was one thing. But I had a fondness for baking with fresh fruit I’d picked myself. There was something special about seeing the apples come directly from the tree to my kitchen.

After dropping the apple into my bag, I wandered further down the row of trees until I spotted the largest honey crisp I’d ever seen.

“You are mine,” I whispered at it. Well…I thought it was going to be mine until I got closer and realized it was nearly at the top of the tree and completely out of my grasp.

I reached for it anyway. Grunting in frustration when my stupid arm wouldn’t extend further. I started hopping up and down doing my best to grab the large apple, but there was no use.

Frustrated, I placed my hands on my hips and glared at it,trying to figure out if the owners would kick me out for climbing their tree just as a very masculine arm extended past my shoulder, toward the apple I was longing for.

“Hey! That one’s—” I whirled on the sneaky fucker who was trying to take my apple to find myself face-to-chest with Ranger.

“Oh!” I breathed.

Behind me, I heard the faint rustle of leaves moving and a smallpluckbefore he brought his hand down between us.

“Is this the one you were after?” he asked, his voice a deep rumble.

I swallowed. Already feeling the heat from his presence take hold of me, casting the words in my mind far, far away.

I nodded and he grabbed the burlap sack from my hand, placing the apple inside. My heart thudded as he bent toward me and placed a kiss on the edge of my ear. “Sorry, I’m late, sugar. We had some issues with a few of the cows this morning and I had to handle it before coming over.”

“That’s okay.” I smiled up at him, thankful my brain found its ability to form words again. “I’m just glad you were able to make it.”

He took my hand in his like he’d done it a million times before as we started to walk deeper into the orchard. His hand was so big compared to mine, but the way our fingers interlaced felt like I was made for him. They fit so perfectly together. I wondered if it was a sign. That soulmates’ bodies were created to form to one another like the shaped edges of a puzzle aligning without gaps between them. I’d never thought much about the idea of soulmates. Then again,Ranger had a way of making me wonder about life in a way I’d never done before.

“I got you something for your birthday,” he finally said as we neared the far end of the row, no one else was in sight.

“You didn’t have to do that.” I stopped and turned to face him. His eyes were molten hues of blue and gray today. Matching the dark swirl of the clouds overhead as the sunlight tried to peek through the thinner layers.

“I wanted to,” he replied as he reached behind him into his back pocket.

I wondered if the man ever got cold in this frigid weather as I watched his corded forearm flex with the movement. The sleeves of his flannel were pulled up to his elbows, revealing tanned skin dusted with dark hair.

My mouth popped open as he revealed a small leather jewelry box. Handing it to me, I opened it with shaking hands to find a beautiful gold necklace with a vertical bar pendant with the worddreamerengraved on the surface. It was perfect. Not because it fit my sense of fashion to a tee, but because the word he chose represented the truth of who I was. Somehow, this man who I was just getting to know, saw that I was more than my family’s name. That I had a vision to chase after and I’d stop at nothing until I saw it come to fruition.

Tears burned the back of my eyes. I blinked wildly as I whispered, “I love it, Ranger. It’s perfect.”

He took the box from me and gently unwound the necklace from the cushion it was resting on. Placing the box back into his pocket he gestured for me to turn around. When myback was to him, I lifted my hair and felt him step closer. He placed the necklace over my head, the pendant falling just below the center of my collarbone. The brush of his fingertips on the back of my neck sent a jolt through me. My breath hitched as I closed my eyes, letting the feeling of his warmth seep into my skin.

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