“Like I was saying—”
“Yeah, I have questions.”
He cracked that smile then, that real smile that always made Evie’s feet feel like they were stuck to the floor.
“You were right. It took a blunt and embarrassing-as-hell conversation with Lilah for me to see it, but you were right. When Senior left me and Jesse in charge, I became so focused on making Big Rock an even bigger success, I didn’t stop to think of a lot of things. Mainly what I wanted out of it.”
“And you’ve sorted that out.”
“I have. I want the ranch to thrive and I want it to stay in the family, but then I realized I hadn’t stopped to think about what I want for myself. I want a life with you. In Charming, in New York, in Paris. Wherever. I love you. Yes, I was putting the ranch before any chance at love, but that’s because no one I met compared to you. You’re the most important thing in the world to me, Yvonne Buchanan. I would do anything for you. Anything. Okay, Lilah told me to stop there ’cause declarations of love don’t mean anything if the other person don’t want shit to do with you.”
Evie tried to cover her laughter and failed. She owed Lilah big-time.
“I knew you wanted to be a chef and I know you want to open this restaurant, but I never asked what you wanted for your life. That’s where I went wrong. I was so focused on not derailing your career, I forgot that you—that we—are both so much more than the work we do. That’s where I fucked up. For the both of us. And I can’t apologize enough. Okay. Now I’ll really stop.”
“I mean, go on if you have more good points.”
“No, I’m good. Please.” He sat back against the booth and motioned to the table between them. Evie looked up at the elaborate steel light-fixture and tried to force back the tears that stung at her eyes. She’d spent years fighting against this exact feeling. Ever since her nan died, all that mattered was the work, the drive. She imagined one day she’d pull the money together on her own. She’d open her dream spot in the dream location, and magically the man of her dreams would just appear and they would start their life together. But whenever she closed her eyes and let that dream play out, she saw only one face.
But she couldn’t let Zach off that easy. Not right away. Especially when he could not stop talking.
“If you decide to do this restaurant deal, you have me along for the ride. All of my knowledge and resources are yours. You want me completely out of the way, then I’ll back off. But I’m here, I don’t want to go.”
“So your love for me? That’s it. That’s the only reason you’re gonna give me a bazillion dollars to take a swing at something I’ve never done before?”
“That and I inhaled that leftover carbonara you made. If you can cook like that when you can barely remember your name, I know you’ll kill it when you’re firing on all cylinders. Miss Leona took a gamble, giving me and Jesse the reins of Big Rock when our dad passed on it. She had faith in us and now the ranch is doing better than ever. Now let us have faith in you.”
Evie refused to cry. Her tear ducts couldn’t take it anymore. And then he had to go and slide closer and take her hand. Evie tilted her head back, willing the tears away.
“What are you doing?” he laughed.
“I used a quality setting powder, but I refuse to screw up this Fenty face.” She swallowed and then told him something she’d only spilled in the pages of that hideous diary. “I want a family. A big family. I want dogs, and one cat to rule them all. I want to see the world with my family. The dogs and the cat can stay home. I want to feel loved, like really loved. I want to feel that I have something that is mine for as long as I can hold on to it.”
Zach moved closer. “Nana was right. I wasn’t ready back then, but I’m ready now. I want to be your man. I want to be wherever you are. I want to be there for you in every way. I have dogs, but we can get more. I don’t know too much about cats, but I’ll learn. And I will do anything and everything to get started on a family, if you know what I’m saying.”
Evie groaned. “Oh my God.”
“If you can handle being seen walking around Manhattan with a man in a bad-ass Stetson, I’ll be yours forever.”
A burst of laughter came from Evie’s chest and the tears finally followed. Zach was quick to hand her a napkin. “The cowboy hat is the best part,” Evie said.
She didn’t know what she was fighting anymore. She couldn’t punish Zach forever and she certainly couldn’t punish herself. She had waited years to hear him say those words and she couldn’t think of a sensible reason not to say them back. Zach Pleasant was it for her, her Prince of Charming, California. And had been since the first day she set foot on Big Rock Ranch.
She moved closer and leaned into his open arms. Zach embraced her, pulling her in closer. She’d been right about the magic of just being in his touch. Being with him wouldn’t suddenly fix her whole life, but it would make it a hell of a lot better. She snuggled in closer still, burying her face against his neck.
“I missed you so much,” she confessed.
“I missed you too. I even dreamt about you.”
Evie pulled back and looked into his eyes. “You did?”
“Every night since you’ve been gone. It’s the strangest thing, but I can’t stop it. Lilah said my subconscious is trying to tell me something. I think she’s right.”
“I’ve dreamt about you too.”
“Pleasant dreams, I hope.”
Evie groaned even louder, her eyes rolling. “See, why’d you have to go and ruin—”
He grabbed her hand mid-shove and pulled her right to his chest. “Kiss me already, Buck.”
She didn’t hesitate this time. She kissed Zach Pleasant like she’d been wanting to do for years. She kissed him hard and deep, their tongues slowly tangling together, and only when she remembered they were in public did she stop herself from climbing across his lap.
“You’ve been thinking about the sex.”
“Oh my God, yes,” Evie said with a sigh. “All the time.”
“You can come check out my hotel room later this afternoon, if you like. Talk a bit more about this business plan.”
“Yeah. Please give me your whole business plan. All of it.”
Zach laughed as he shook his head a bit, then pulled out his phone. “Let me text Sam and tell him to come back. I know he’s starving, and then you can tell me what’s good on this menu.”
“Try the grilled cheese.”
“For seventeen dollars?”
Evie leaned over and kissed him on the lips. “It’s worth every penny.”
Epilogue
Evie could not stop smiling. She’d just sat down with Celia Lamontagne for their third in-person meeting. Nervous didn’t begin to describe the way she felt, but slowly things were starting to come together. She’d started working with Lavane Connor, a consultant who would help Evie with all the ins and outs of opening a restaurant. Zach was still available to give his input, but Lavane knew the New York culinary scene better than anyone.
Celia was in the middle of post-production on her latest film. In one month, cameras would start rolling on their documentary. Celia had explained her vision and they’d decided that Evie would go public with her memory loss. She wanted to tell the audience and her fans how and why she’d ended up on this path and hopefully inspire other young women not to give up when the road feels impossibly hard.
Evie had received so much support since leaving The Dish. Their ratings had absolutely tanked when viewers realized she wasn’t coming back. Since then she’d been offered two hefty endorsement deals. One with FitJade, a women’s athletic apparel company, and one for MedHealthChat, an online therapy tool. So many things seemed to be falling into place. Including her relationships with all the Pleasants.
As soon as they heard the good news—about her personal and professional life—Senior and Mrs. Pleasant practically added Evie to their speed dial. It was strange at first, but she liked Senior’s kind words of encouragement and
the texts Mrs. Pleasant sent just to check in. And Mrs. Pleasant keeping her up-to-date on all of the latest fashion trends out of Paris. They would never replace her mom and dad, or Nana, but Evie valued their support.
Evie pulled her rental SUV to a stop right in front of the main lodge. She pulled out her phone and called Blaire. She had so much to do, but she figured if she was heading to Los Angeles for business, it would be a shame not to stop off in Charming for the weekend. She owed Blaire and Raquelle big-time, so it only made sense to bring them along.
“Where you at?” she said as soon as Blaire picked up.
“Umm, I just left the spa and what the hell, Evie? I can’t believe you’ve kept me from this place for so long.”
“I’m sorry. I know. I’m the worst.” She climbed out of the driver’s seat and reached for her weekend bag. A new staff member named Peter jogged around the front of her car and took her keys.
“Enjoy your stay, Mrs. Buchanan,” he whispered.
“Thanks.”
“Raquelle’s still in the sauna. We’re gonna head back to our cabin and take a nap, and then Jesse said there was a barbecue and then a barn dance tonight? You grew up in a freaking movie.”
“Well, it’s a little different when your grandma is the one leading the trail rides, but this place has always been pretty incredible. I’m just gonna grab my key and find Zach, and then I’ll come meet up with you.”
“Um, so he took us out on the trails this morning, and I need David to learn how to ride a horse.”
“Oh yeah?” Evie laughed.
“Yeah. I get it now. I totally get it.”
Evie turned at the sound of a loud wolf whistle, and there was Zach coming up the path from the barns, looking as fine as ever. He was wearing a black-and-white flannel, those jeans that made his thighs look downright sinful, and that cowboy hat that always did something to her insides. She could see that sexy smile of his too, beaming off in the distance. “Speaking of. Just found my man. I’ll be over a little later.”
“Have fun.”
“Well, hey there, little lady,” he said in that fake Southern accent that made her laugh and drove her crazy all at the same time. “I haven’t seen you around these parts before.”
“Howdy, stranger,” she replied, stepping into his arms. She leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
“How was your meeting?” he asked.
“Great. Celia has a vision and I am with it. I have some listings I wanted you to take a look at this weekend, if you don’t mind.”
“I think we can squeeze that in. I got you a little something.” Zach reached into his pocket and pulled out a little burlap pouch tied with a blue ribbon. Evie opened it and found a tiny bottle at the end of a silver chain. There was a brown powder inside of it.
“What is this?” she asked.
“Nutmeg. Thought you could use a little something to carry around and huff. Keep you grounded when this whole process really starts getting hectic.”
“I wasn’t huffing nutmeg. I just found the smell to be comforting.”
“Sure. Right. Well, now you can comfort huff all you want.”
“Thanks, babe. I love it. I thought I’d check into my private cabin that Miss Leona need know nothing about, and then maybe go see a man about a horse named Steve.”
Zach bent down and brushed his lips against hers. “You feel like having some company?”
“With you, cowboy? Anytime.”
Keep an eye out for more Cowboy adventures with The Pleasant Brothers
Coming soon from Rebekah Weatherspoon And Dafina Books
A Cowboy to Remember Page 28