by Liz Isaacson
“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice timid and tiny.
Dylan hated it. Hated that he made her feel anything but wonderful. “I miss you,” he said, swallowing back his nerves. If there ever was a time for him to say how he felt, it was right here, right now. “I don’t like my life without you in it. I wanted to see you, so I came to see you.”
He drew in a deep breath. “That ranch isn’t home without you there. I want you there, not just this afternoon for dinner, but always. Hazel.” He stood and took a step toward her, stalling when she stiffened.
“Hazel,” he said again, his lips sticking and his throat dry. “I love you.” The words flowed from his mouth, lifting his heart and making the room spin slightly. “I’m in love with you.”
Tears gathered in her eyes, and one splashed her cheek. She made no move to wipe it away.
“I’m not sure what I did,” he said. “But I’ll fix it. Just tell me what it is, and I won’t do it again.” He reached out and gently took her fingers into his. They trembled violently, and he stroked them until they were calm. “Please, Hazel. Please tell me what I did wrong so I can make it right.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Hazel didn’t want to tell Dylan what he’d done wrong. It sounded stupid inside her own brain, and she’d been battling with her emotions for five weeks. But he stood before her in all his handsome cowboy glory, from that charcoal hat, to his black polo, to those long, jean-clad legs.
He’d been brave. She wondered how much courage it took to drive into town to see someone who wouldn’t call you back.
“Sit down,” she said, more of a barking command than the gentle way she’d intended.
Dylan blinked and returned to the salon chair. She pulled a drape from the hook along the back wall and fanned it around his neck. Her fingers brushed his skin as she snapped the cape, and a shiver ran from her shoulders to her toes.
“You just want this cleaned up?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Hazel melted from the outside in, her heart the last thing to thaw. Everything about him being here was so right, and she knew she needed to employ the same bravery he had.
“I felt like you were too busy for us,” she said, her scissors going snip, snip, snip along the longer hair on top of his head. “The new ranch came first, and that bothered me. I know that makes me into a bad person, but honestly…..”
Their eyes met in the mirror, and Dylan seemed only interested in what she had to say. “Go on,” he urged.
“It reminded me too much of Peter.” She swallowed, her fingers working through Dylan’s hair as if they had a mind of their own. “He always did what he wanted. Molded me into what he wanted. And I was always on the outside looking in. Always at home waiting for him. You…it felt the same.”
She went back to the cut, because it was easier to focus on his hair than his beautiful eyes. “And when you didn’t even tell me when you were moving, I felt abandoned. And I’ve never gone out with a man twice since Peter walked out on me. Until you.”
Snip, snip, snip.
His hair fell to the floor and she pushed him right and left and back to make sure she got it all even.
“I’m so sorry,” he finally said. “I can see what you mean now. But I didn’t mean to act like that. The situation was…tense on a lot of levels.”
“I know that.” She put the scissors on the shelf in front of him and plugged in the trimmers. With her back to him and her eyes down, she didn’t have to see his face, which made it easier to keep talking. “That’s why I said I’m a bad person. I should’ve been more patient or something. But I just…couldn’t.”
She switched on the trimmers; the electric buzzing sound made talking a little harder. She turned them off again. Turned toward him and looked right into his eyes. “I know life gets busy sometimes. Bad things happen and make situations hard. Heck, good things can bring tension and stress. But I don’t want to be Number Two, ever.” She lifted her chin. “I did that for years, and I was made to feel that second best was all I could ever be.”
With every muscle in her chest quaking and her hands shaking too hard to hold the clippers, she added, “I’m worth being picked first.” She put the clippers down on the shelf and drew in a deep breath.
“Of course you are,” Dylan said. “Hazel. You are.” He stood and gently turned her toward him, gathering her into his arms.
She wrapped her arms around him, stealing his strength as she tried to inhale calmness into her still shaking lungs. She felt herself calm in the safety of his arms, the masculine scent of his cologne sinking into her senses.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I want to always choose you first. I will choose you first in the future. I promise.” He pushed away from her, his eyes as bright as sincere as she’d ever seen them. “Okay? I love you, and I’ll put you first.”
He was made of handsome lines and pretty words. And she believed him. She loved him. She nodded, and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “There’s one more thing I need.”
“Name it.”
“A kiss.”
Thankfully, Dylan’s serious eyes crinkled and he smiled as he lowered his mouth to touch hers. And finally, finally, Hazel felt like she’d gotten it all.
“Wow, you’ve really done a lot of work here.” Hazel glanced around as she got out of his truck. He’d insisted they go together in his truck, though she’d said he’d have to drive her all the way back to town that evening.
“I don’t care, Hazel. I want you right beside me.” And then he’d kissed her like he loved her, and Hazel climbed into the truck and held his hand the whole way out to his new ranch.
“I’ve been working on all the buildings,” he said. “I think I’m getting closer to caught up. Then I’m going to build a few more cabins down on the end.”
“More cabins?”
“We need more ranch hands,” he said. “And there’s not enough space for who we need.” He glanced down the long road leading away from where they’d parked. “I’m going to build my house out there too, I think.”
Hazel slipped her hand into his. “Really? You want to live out with the ranch hands?”
“Shane will always be the foreman,” Dylan said. “He was born for it. I was born as the middle child, the one who gets things done but quietly. On the outskirts.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“It is. It’s why I like going out to that cabin in the North End Zone at Grape Seed.” He squeezed her hand and locked his eyes on hers. “I’m okay with it. I used to hate my role in the family, among my brothers, but I’m fine with it now.”
“And Austin? Where will he live?”
“There’s a second house just down at the crossroads,” he said. “Remember how John was using it as his business headquarters? Well, it’s cleaned out now, and it needs some major remodeling. Then Austin will move in there.”
“How long will that take?”
“It’s down on the list a bit.” Dylan started to move toward the house, and Hazel went with him.
“Oh, the dogs.” She dropped his hand and turned back to let Milo and Monty out of the back of the truck. They jumped down, their paws puffing up dust, and sprinted around. “They’ll calm down once they smell everything,” she said, smiling at them.
“Titan will go nuts.” Dylan chuckled. “But he’s potty trained now, and I’ve taught him to sit.”
“So much progress, even while working and moving.”
Dylan froze, his gaze nervous.
A twinge of guilt hit Hazel, when she realized how what she’d said sounded. “It’s fine, Dylan. I don’t expect you to ignore the needs of your new puppy.” She tugged him toward the homestead. “Come on. I can smell steak cooking, and I’m starving.”
They went inside and found a flurry of activity, with Austin stirring something on the stove, a panicked look on his face. “Shane!” he called, his gaze flying to her and Dylan when he heard the door close.
A dog barked, and claws slipped on the hard floor as Dylan’s pup sprinted toward him. Milo and Monty panted and started circling the new dog, all tails whipping in circles.
“This is going to burn,” Austin said. “And Robin and Shane are out babysitting the steaks, and she said all I had to do was stir it.”
“Like I can cook,” Dylan said. He looked at Hazel. “Maybe…?” He nodded toward Austin, and Hazel stepped up to the stove to see barbeque sauce simmering nicely in the pot.
“It’s fine,” she said. “Keep stirring.”
Shane came in through the back door and said, “Dylan. Hazel.” A smile formed on his face as he came closer. He drew Hazel into a quick side-hug that felt like acceptance. “Good to see you again.”
He sent a pointed glance at Dylan, who ignored him, and said, “Why are you yellin’ at me?” to Austin.
“I can’t stir this,” he said.
“I just wanted ten minutes alone with Robin,” Shane grumbled, stepping over to the stove and taking the wooden spoon from his brother.
“Oh, please,” Austin said. “You don’t need to be alone to kiss her. You do it constantly, right in front of me.”
“I do not.” Shane’s tone suggested Austin stop talking immediately, and the youngest Royal brother moved away, the message clearly received. “Nice haircut,” he said to Dylan.
“Thanks.” Dylan surveyed the kitchen. “What can we do to help?”
“Go set the picnic table on the back porch,” Shane said.
“We’re eating outside?”
Yeah, that didn’t sound all that fun to Hazel either, though she usually liked being outdoors.
“Austin got the outdoor air conditioner working.” Shane took the pot off the stove and set it on the granite countertop. “It’s cool on the patio.”
Dylan led Hazel outside to a beautiful, shaded patio, which indeed had air conditioning blowing from vents in the ceiling above. “What’s up there?” she asked.
“That’s the balcony off my bedroom,” he said. “I wonder if my deck is heated in the winter.”
“Nope.” Austin joined them. “And I fixed the shades too.” He indicated the sunshades that fell between the posts that held up the balcony. “It’s like another room out here, but without the real walls.”
Hazel loved this seemingly screened in porch, the scent of browned meat, and the glorious Texas sunshine. But most of all, she loved the way her hand fit in Dylan’s, and she loved that she felt accepted and at home on this ranch, and she turned to Dylan to say the words she’d wanted to at her house and hadn’t been able to.
“I love you,” she said.
He jerked his gaze to hers, searching, examining, wondering. “Yeah?”
She giggled. “Yeah. I love you.” Her laughter rolled out of her as he swept her into his arms and kissed her.
“Come on,” Austin grumbled. “Not you too.”
August Twenty-Fifth
“I’m so nervous.” Shane looked like he was going to throw up.
Dylan, unfortunately, knew how he felt. They were both dressed in black tuxedos that cost way too much money. But Shane’s mother had insisted, saying, “You only get married once.” Then she’d looked right into Shane’s eyes, then Dylan’s, then Austin’s. “You boys make the right choice, and you’ll only get married once. It should be in a tuxedo.”
She’d paid for the clothes, and surprisingly, their father had offered to pay for all the food at Shane’s wedding dinner party, which would take place immediately following the ceremony.
“It’s fine,” Dylan said. “You’re fine.” He straightened his brother’s tie. “You love her, and she loves you, and you’re going to be blissfully happy in that huge homestead.”
Shane cocked his head. “Are you trying to talk me out of this? She hates the size of that house.”
Dylan chuckled. “Not everyone can be comfortable in two hundred square feet.” He stepped back and looked at Shane. “Relax. This is a happy day. Enjoy it.” He turned and took the new cowboy hat from Austin. They’d bought it together for their oldest brother, the man who had given up a lot of his own dreams to make sure the brothers all had this opportunity to be at Triple Towers, together.
“We got you this.” He dusted some invisible lint from the stunning black velvet cowboy hat. He beamed at Shane. “It’s your day, brother.”
Shane took the hat, a sniff the only indication of his emotion. He fitted it onto his head, completing the cowboy groom look so well that Dylan just knew Robin would be thrilled to see him at the end of the aisle.
Three knocks sounded on the door, and Shane nearly jumped out of his boots.
“Relax,” Dylan said one more time, knowing that it was so much easier to say it than to actually do it. Austin opened the door and murmured something through the three-inch gap.
“They’re ready for us,” he said.
Shane took a deep breath and lifted both arms so his brothers could come to him. They formed a triangle, their arms making the sides as they leaned in. Dylan remembered each and every time they’d done this. As boys, before their sporting events. As men, right after their father abandoned them. Again with every ranch they went to. And minutes before they signed the paperwork on their ranch.
Emotion filled Dylan. “You deserve this, Shane,” he whispered.
“We all do,” Shane said. “And we’ll get it.” He met Dylan’s eye and then Austin. “I love you guys.”
Dylan and Austin repeated the sentiment, and they left the room to take their positions at the front of the chapel. Dylan sat between his mother and Hazel, leaning over to kiss his mom on the forehead before taking Hazel’s hand in his.
His throat felt like sand and he wasn’t even planning to propose until after the party. Austin sat on the other side of Hazel, with several cowboys filling the row and leaving just enough space for Dylan’s dad and his new wife on the end.
Dylan hadn’t seen him much since he’d only arrived in town that morning. Shane had put his foot down and said he didn’t want him at the rehearsal dinner, but that he could attend the wedding and the party following it.
His father hadn’t argued, and Dylan thought he was probably realizing the damage he’d inflicted on his sons sixteen years prior.
His mother leaned over to whisper to him. “How is he?”
Shane stood ten feet away, a bundle of nerves.
“He’s fine,” Dylan whispered back, willing Shane to calm down. “Or he will be, once Robin comes out.”
As if Dylan could command things, the music switched to the wedding march, and he twisted toward the back of the chapel, standing a moment later as Robin appeared in the doorway, Dwayne on her arm, both of them beaming down the aisle.
She didn’t know who her father was, and she was an only child. But she’d found acceptance and belonging with Shane and the cowboys at Grape Seed Ranch, just like Dylan and his brothers had.
When Dwayne passed her to Shane, he leaned in and said something that made Shane grin. As Dylan had predicted, Shane calmed as soon as Robin was at his side.
Pastor Gifford started the ceremony, and Dylan didn’t hear too much of what he said. He got swept away in the romance of the wedding, and he stood and cheered when Shane dipped Robin back and kissed her.
Hazel cuddled into his side, and Dylan imagined himself at the front of the crowd, kissing her as his wife. The dryness in his mouth disappeared. He wanted her to wear his diamond, and he suddenly found himself wishing the party was already over.
And it hadn’t even started yet.
An hour later, he paced in the reception center, which smelled like flowers, freshly baked bread, and Hazel’s iced peach skin. “They should be here by now.”
“They’re on their way.” Hazel didn’t even look up from her phone. “Five minutes out.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats.” Robin’s mother stood at the microphone, as she was the emcee for the evening. She grinned at the double door
s, but they stayed stubbornly closed.
Dylan took his seat at the table with Dwayne and Felicity, Kurt and May, and Austin and his mother. Austin had his eyes glued to the table next to them, and Dylan followed his gaze to find him frowning at Shayleigh Hatch. She didn’t even glance at him, her arms crossed tightly across her body.
Dylan elbowed Austin and lifted his eyebrows. His brother shook his head, looking more disgruntled by the second.
“May I present Mister and Missus Shane Royal!” Robin’s mom had a great announcer’s voice, and she was clearly enjoying her part of the wedding.
The double doors opened and Shane and Robin entered, lifting their hands as the crowd cheered. She wore a bright blue party dress that fell to her knees, her white-blonde hair spiked up in her funky style.
They made their way to the head table, where they would be the only two sitting. They seemed to shine like gold, and Dylan was overjoyed his brother had finally found his way to happiness.
Dinner was served, and then the DJ started with the music. By the time Shane and Robin made their big departure, Dylan was dying to get his proposal out.
“Want to dance one more time?” he whispered to Hazel. People were starting to head out, and there was no music. She looked at him, a sparkly curiosity in her eyes.
“Right now?”
“Right now.”
“All right.” She stood and turned toward the dance floor. Austin slipped him the ring box and Dylan managed to get it in his pocket before following Hazel out to the floor.
A song began to play, and Dylan nodded to the DJ, who had obviously been alerted to what was about to happen.
Dylan swayed lazily with her a few times, gathering his courage the way she’d taught him. “Hazel,” he said.
She lifted her head from his chest. “Hm?”
Without hesitation, for fear he might abandon his plans, he dropped to one knee and pulled the ring box from his pocket. A hush fell over the remaining crowd and the DJ silenced the song.