Page 109 of Moonlit Colorado

Ayla was right that I had changed. I was finally ready to trust my own instincts and believe what I knew to be true in my heart. Dane was a good man. Did that solve all our problems? No. But for a girl who’d been so terrified of another man betraying her, it was a pretty huge deal.

And now, this news about Grayden. He lived in Seattle. I had his address and his phone number. If I wanted, I could call him up right now.

Dane had done that.

He’d done thatfor me.

I put my arms around his neck, unable to stop from trembling. “Thank you.”

“I overstepped.”

“Yeah, but just take the win, Knightly. I’m giving it to you.”

He chuckled and kissed my head.

“Ashford isn’t going to like this, though,” I said. “He wants nothing to do with Grayden.”

“This isn’t Ashford’s choice. It’s yours.”

“He’s your best friend. He’s going to be pissed that you got involved.”

“Ashford is important to me. But I chooseyou. Every time. That’s not even a question for me. Hasn’t been for a while.”

A cascade of fluttery feelings went through me. I tipped my head to look up at him.

“I told Ashford weeks ago, even before we left Silver Ridge, that I liked you. He asked me, flat out, for my intentions. I told him that was up to you.”

“But it’s not really up to me.”

“I disagree.”

I scoffed, but I’d already dealt with too much today. Too many emotions. I didn’t want to get into this. “Can I try that cheesecake you brought home? Dessert is exactly what I need.”

I started to get up from his lap, but Dane held me tight. “Hold on. Not so fast. Tell me what you meant. Why isn’t it up to you?”

“Because life is complicated.”

“Can you be more specific?”

I didn’t want to say it, but the words leapt from my mouth. This conversation was just pushing us toward the inevitable.

And Dane wasso damn pushy.

“I’ll have to go home soon, and you’re probably going to stay here.”

A line appeared between his brows. “You think I wouldn’t go with you to Silver Ridge?”

“The ski resort is running fine without you. Your mom is here. Your life is here. Even if you come back to Silver Ridge for a few weeks or months, you’re going to leave after a while. I like being with you, and I want to enjoy it, but eventually it’s going to end. Iknowthat.”

I had been through so much in my life, and none of it had broken me all the way through. So I knew if and when things didn’t work out with Dane, I would survive that too. Even if it meant a broken heart. I would keep going for my family. For Maisie.

But the thought of saying goodbye to him…it still gutted me.

Dane pulled me closer so my forehead rested against his. “We’ve already established I can be an idiot about holding things back sometimes. I’m not used to being completely open with anyone. I didn’t want to rush this by saying it too soon.”

“Saying what?”

“That I’m falling in love with you.”

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