Page 50 of Marrying Chrissy

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If everything he said was true, Chrissy couldn’t blame him for calling off the engagement and walking far away from Ashley. In fact, after what she knew and had seen of Violet, the very fact that she and Ashley were best friends was enough to put a black mark on Ashley as it was.

He misses me.Those words were like a balm on her bruised and aching heart. She’d missed him too. Desperately. The conversation she heard between his parents filled her head and prevented her from telling him she missed him, too. It didn’t matter how she felt. They could take Ashley out of the equation, and it still didn’t change the fact that his parents would refuse to give him his inheritance money if he pursued a relationship with her. The last thing she wanted to do was cause more trouble for him.

“Chrissy?”

It took everything in her to remove her hand from his. “It can’t work.” She tried to focus on the water in the fountain and keep her tears at bay. She was so sick of crying.

Wyatt leaned down to look at her. “Why not?” When she only shrugged in response, he put a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. “I know it’s crazy, but I’ve fallen in love with you, Chrissy. It happened so fast, and so unexpectedly, that it’s scary. There’s something here between us, and I refuse to walk away from it. Can you look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t feel it too?”

Chrissy’s heart slammed into her ribs and stole her breath. Of course she felt it. That’s what made all of this even harder. She jumped to her feet and took several steps away before turning to face him again. He’d followed her, concern etched into his features. “I overheard your parents talking. If you and I end up together, they will never give you your inheritance. Your dreams—everything you’ve been working toward—will be out of reach.” She swallowed hard. “I can’t be a part of that.”

He shook his head, a tiny smile pulling at the corners of his lips. “My father confronted me earlier today, and I told him I would no longer work for him after the new year. I also made it clear that I didn’t want his money. I’ve got a plan in place for the stables, and I’m financially capable of doing that on my own. I refuse to owe my parents anything. If they give me that inheritance, they’ll hold it over my head for the rest of their lives.” Wyatt approached her and took both of her hands in his. “Most importantly, I will not allow my parents, or anyone else, to dictate who I can and can’t love.”

“You’re serious.” Chrissy studied his face and saw the truth written in his eyes. Her breath caught.

“The way things started between us might not have been ideal, but there’s nothing fake about how I feel.” He lifted a hand and gently cupped her face. “You’ve managed to take my entire world and turn it upside down.” He moved until his lips were only inches from hers. “I love you, Chrissy.”

His touch, in combination with his words, turned her legs into jelly. Her heart raced as hope chased away the sadness beat by beat. The sounds of the fountain and people passing by faded away until they were the only two on Earth.

Chrissy smiled into his eyes. “I love you, too.”

Wyatt grinned moments before his lips were covering hers in a kiss that had her practically melting into a puddle. She slipped her fingers into the hair at the base of his neck as he pulled her closer.

She had no idea how long they had kissed when he finally pulled away enough to look at her.

“For the record?”

Curious, Chrissy waited for him to continue.

“It’s been torture not coming by the coffee shop to see you this week.”

She definitely knew what he meant. Wyatt pulled her into a hug, and she kissed his cheek. “You know,” she began, “if you come by, not only will you get your coffee, but you just might get a kiss thrown in.”

Wyatt grinned. “Are you kidding? Get my coffee fix, and my Chrissy fix, all in one swoop? Honey, I’m there.”

He kissed her again, and this time it was filled with the promise of many more to come.

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