Page 88 of Nashville Cowboy
Without breaking eye contact with her, he reached for the guitar. Started strumming again. “Workin’ on something new. Upbeat. But I can’t get more than the chorus.”
“It will come to you.” She took a deep breath.
She’d reached another realization that had been a long time coming. She could have been more supportive of Jackson’s music. There had been nights when he’d played at the Shady Grind and she hadn’t come out to see him. He’d always said he understood. Busy with work as the Truehart’s groom, school, and keeping her grades up to get into veterinary school, it all hadn’t left her a lot of free time. She’d always believed music was something Jackson enjoyed, like a hobby, but that he’d always be a rancher.
But she hadn’t recognized just how determined he’d been, or how talented. When the offer had come for the band to go to Nashville, she’d been taken by complete surprise. Suddenly it became obvious that Jackson’s music could take him far away. She’d been naïve not to have anticipated that when they’d planned for everything else about their future lives together. They should have prepared for the possibility, and then maybe Eve wouldn’t have felt the ground open up under her and take everything she’d hoped for away.
Until Annabeth had revealed her five-year roadmap for success, Eve hadn’t even realized how important a plan had been to her. But she’d had them, all her life. Plans to excel academically, get through veterinary school, marry Jackson, and have five children in short order. Own a horse or two and work as a vet. Okay, so maybe she’d been a tad ambitious. At the time she hadn’t understood the difference between a goal and a dream.
Because Jackson had been her dream.
“Eve?” Jackson said, because apparently, she hadn’t spoken in several minutes. “Baby—I can hear you thinking.”
“I’m pretty tired.” She stood. “First week back to work and all. I have to get up so early if I want to take Thimble for a ride.”
His eyes narrowed. “But we always get up early.”
“I know, but tonight I’m tired.” She moved toward the door, stretched her arms, and faked a yawn.
Jackson’s hand cupped the nape of her neck and he met her gaze. His eyes were soft. Tender. They were killing her. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” she lied. “Sure.”
“No,” he said. “Don’t lie to me. Where are you going?”
“To my bedroom.”
“No. I mean, where are you going?” he asked again, and this time he gently touched her temple. “Don’t go. Don’t pull away from me because you’re scared.”
“I’m not—”
“Don’t you think I’m afraid, too?” He took her hand and held it to his lips. “I’m terrified. I lost you once and it nearly killed me.”
When he kissed the pulse point on her neck, she had an all-body shiver. “Oh, Jackson.” Her fingers grazed along the stubble.
“You’re scared. I get it. You’re afraid of being hurt. Don’t you think I’m right there with you?”
“But I wouldneverhurt you again.”
“You wouldn’t mean to.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “But just giving up on us would hurt me. More than you know.”
Her own heart ached at that thought. The fact she could do that to him stunned her. It meant she held the same power that he had over her. He kissed her deeply and his warmth wound its way around her heart to give a powerful tug. She was lost in him. Just…lost.
“It’s… Okay, yes I’m afraid!” She pulled away, frustrated. “And just…somadat myself.”
“Okay, that’s more like it. Why? I want to hear this.”
“No, you don’t. I made so many mistakes when I was younger. Instead of making plans and goals, I had dreams. Dreams have a way of not coming true because they tend to involve other people. But I couldn’t control everyone, or everything.” She sighed. “I guess I just wanted to.”
He chuckled. “I think that’s fair. We really haven’t talked about how we’re going to do this. How we’re going to work it out this time.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want to marry you. We can make it work this time.” He kissed the palm of her hand.
“Oh, Jackson, I love you so much, but I want to stay here in Stone Ridge. I have a good job, and a great community I know and love.”
“Okay,” he said. “Then I’ll stay here. I won’t go back to Nashville.”
