She’d known her father had sold the jewelry, but she hadn’t known to whom and she never dreamed she’d get it back.
“Is it all in there?” she dared ask.
“Every piece,” he confirmed. “I had no use for it. I always figured if Neil got straightened out, he may want this back. But you deserve it.”
She didn’t know what to say. He could’ve kept this box and she never would’ve known. Clearly, her father wasn’t going to say anything.
Annabelle stepped aside. “Can you set it on the table over there?” she asked.
Colt stepped up onto the porch and placed the box on the side table next to a rocking chair and potted fern. The breeze kicked up, bringing Colt’s familiar woodsy scent with it. The same scent she’d been up close and personal with in his shower earlier.
When he turned back around and locked his eyes on hers, Annabelle froze. “Don’t,” she whispered.
“I know you hate me. I know you think I’m the worst person you’ve ever met.”
In the pale glow, those blue eyes glistened with unshed tears. She didn’t want to believe he had a heart. She didn’t want him to have feelings. He’d done all this to himself, to her and her family.
“But everything that happened with us was real. I didn’t want it to be,” he added. “I wanted to keep things business and physical. You showed me there was so much more. I know you don’t believe me, but I had to tell you that I’m not the man you think. I’m just a guy who put his father’s wishes above all else. I’m a guy who wanted to prove himself to those people he loved most.”
Colt pursed his lips, but Annabelle didn’t miss the way his chin quivered. Her heart ached for him, but again, she hadn’t done any of this. All of his pain was self-inflicted.
“And in the end, I hurt the woman I’d fallen in love with.”
Annabelle had barely processed the words when he turned and walked off the porch. That limp, a little more prominent this evening, only reminded her that he was human. That he made mistakes, he wasn’t perfect. But he’d hurt her and now he just wanted to turn her world on its side once again with those words?
She clutched Emily and turned, going down the steps.
“You can’t drop that bomb so conveniently and then just leave,” she called.
“Too late. But there’s little I can do to make you believe me,” he told her as he opened the truck door. “I just want you to know...”
He shook his head and glanced toward the starry sky before looking back at her. “I just want you to know that those moments I spent alone with you were some of the best of my life.”
Colt hopped into the cab of his truck and backed away, not looking in her direction again. Emily slept through the entire encounter and Annabelle envied her for it.
Colt had brought back her mother’s box, the box Annabelle remembered playing with as a little girl. Oh, there were plenty of real pieces in there, but her mom had also kept costume jewelry, too.
Annabelle sat in the rocker beside the box and nestled Emily into the crook of her arm. With her free hand, Annabelle lifted the lid and was instantly swept back in time. The emerald earrings that matched the ring Annabelle had were safely in their divider.
All of the other familiar pieces were there, too. Memories of her mother wearing each one came rushing back.
Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the back of the rocker and longed for answers. What was she supposed to do? How could she move on when it would be so easy to give up?
And how did she process Colt’s announcement that he’d fallen for her? That wasn’t fair. She wanted to continue hating him, but he’d sounded sincere. Those tears he blinked away were certainly not fake, but how could he feel that way about her and still treat her like he had?
Unless...
Annabelle needed to think. She needed to clear her head and dissect all that had transpired in the past few months. She couldn’t just do what her heart told her to because there was no way she was following that advice anymore.
She had to be smart about this and make the best decisions for her and the twins. And that started with marching over to Pebblebrook first thing in the morning.
Nineteen
Hard work made a man forget, or at least that’s what he’d told himself when he came to the barn at five that morning.
Colt had intentions of working until his muscles burned and he temporarily forgot how much his heart ached. He’d only meant to take that box to Annabelle last night, but then he’d seen her holding Emily and his mouth just opened, pouring emotions out.
And in that moment his future became so clear. Family, above all else, was the most important thing in life. His father had never put anything above his family...not even business. The Elliotts were all successful because they’d put integrity and loyalty first.
Annabelle may still hate him, but he wasn’t giving up. He may have been determined to get her farm, but that was nothing compared to the motive he had to get her back. She was...everything. She was absolutely everything he’d ever wanted and he hadn’t even known it.
Colt had texted Ryan and Josh, telling them to start work on the west side near Hayes’s house. Not only did Colt want that place perfect for his brother’s return in a few weeks, but he wanted the guys away because he was not in the mood for chitchat.
He’d taken Lightning out first thing and tried to clear his mind, but all he kept seeing was the hurt on Annabelle’s face when she realized he’d lied to her. He’d not only lied, he’d stolen the one thing she’d held dear to her heart since she was a child.
As soon as he’d come back from his ride, Colt had gone straight into his office in the barn and fired off an email. He may never get Annabelle back, but he sure as hell wasn’t about to continue the process of taking her home.
Guilt had gnawed at him into the wee hours. But there was so much more. That moment on Annabelle’s porch last night had turned the final click on his heart, proving that he didn’t only love her, he loved the image of her and those babies being his, living on Pebblebrook.
He loved her more than he’d thought possible and had completely crushed her.
All his own doing and his brother tried to tell him. Hell, his employees had, too.
But Colt had been stubborn. Now he’d have to do damage control. His father wouldn’t have approved of Colt letting the woman go only to have the expansion. His father would be disappointed in how Colt had handled everything. But that wasn’t the only reason Colt decided to fight for what he wanted.
A car door slamming caught his attention as he tossed another bale of hay from one side of the loft toward the opening near the ladder.
Stepping over hay, he crossed to the small hinged door and swung it open wide. Glancing down, he saw the most beautiful sight: Annabelle in a pair of fitted jeans, a green tank that matched her eyes and her boots. She pulled a stroller out of the trunk and slammed the lid. Then she opened the back door and removed Emily and Lucy from their car seats.
He watched as she strapped them into the stroller and then looked around the open area. She was there to see him, but why? Had his words affected her last night? Was she willing to hear him out and maybe start over?
He hadn’t had a chance to rehearse his speech in his head. He wasn’t ready to face her when his emotions were so raw and vulnerable. But there was nothing more he wanted than to believe she came there to forgive him.
He was asking too much, he knew, but he still wasn’t ready to give up. Maybe spouting off his profession of love last night had been wrong, but if it got her thinking, he wasn’t sorry he’d exposed his weaker side.
“Up here,” he called.
Annabelle jumped, a hand over her heart as she glanced toward him. Her eyes landed on his bare chest. “Oh, um... I need to talk to you.”
“I’ll come down.”
He didn’t bother to grab his shirt from the hayloft. It had been hot as Hades up there so he’d shed it early. As Colt climbed down the ladd
er, he didn’t care that he was playing dirty by going at her half-dressed. He’d do anything to remind her of just how good they were together.
“I want to see that document my father signed.”
He’d barely put his boot on the ground when she came up the walkway pushing the twins. The girls were bright eyed today and Lucy was chewing on some stuffed cowboy doll. The sight of those expressive green eyes clutched his heart.
He focused back on Annabelle. “I have the print copy in my office at the house.”
She nodded. “Then let’s go there.”
“We can go into my office here and I can pull up the document in email format that I sent to my attorney.”
She kept trying to look him in the eye, but she failed. Every few seconds her focus shifted down to his bare chest.
“That’s fine. I want to know what I’m dealing with and if there’s any way to get out of it.”
“The document is binding, darlin’.”
“Do not even start with that,” she told him, her eyes now locked on his. “I want to know something and I want you to answer honestly.”
He crossed his arms and nodded. “I have nothing else to hide.”
She gripped the handles of the stroller and tipped her head. “When you asked me to move in with you, was that because you wanted me or because you were trying to cover your tracks so I wouldn’t find out about the property? I assume you were hoping I’d fall madly in love with you and we’d just merge and live happily ever after. Am I right?”
Colt swallowed. “Yes.”
When she lowered her lids over those mesmerizing green eyes, Colt felt as if the day had dimmed. Her light was gone and he’d put it out. He had to explain himself and then she could decide what to do.
“I asked you to move in because I was serious about wanting to try for something deeper with you.” He took a step closer. “I asked because if you fell in love with me and we did this whole happily-ever-after, then you’d never have to know what your father or I did.” Another step brought him toe to toe with her. “But I wanted to spare you the pain, I wanted you to start a new life without the heartache. The last thing I ever wanted was to hurt you.”
She opened her eyes, tilting her head so she could meet his gaze. “You didn’t want to hurt me? What did you think would happen? Did you seriously think I’d never find out about this form my father signed?”
Colt watched as Emily turned the toy over again, then put it back in her mouth. “After I started falling for you, I did what I could to keep you safe. I wanted to protect you. I was trying to find a way to keep my father’s wishes and hold on to you at the same time. What I didn’t realize was that my father would rather see me happy and settled than to have the extra land for the dude ranch.”
“How can I believe you?” she whispered.
She was breaking down. Now all he had to do was catch her.
“Because this place is better with you. Because my life is brighter with you here. I’ve always wanted a family and the moment I held Lucy out in the yard, I started falling. I had a weak spot for you, and getting to know your girls more only made the trio even more appealing. I want you all here, Annabelle.”
She’d left her hair down today. The soft curls lay over her shoulders and he remembered the deep shade of red her hair turned when wet. He’d give anything to have her back in his shower again, in his bed, in his life.
“I messed up,” he went on. “I’ll freely admit that I should’ve been honest with you from the moment you came, but I didn’t know you and I only wanted to fulfill my father’s wishes... I guess the same as you did with your mother.”
Annabelle’s soft smile clenched his heart. “That bed-and-breakfast was her only goal.”
“Then you can do it,” he told her. “Take your house and do whatever you want with it.”
Her brows drew in. “What?”
“I emailed my attorney this morning regarding the legal agreement. It will be reversed and the land will remain in your name.”
Emily started fussing and threw her toy on the ground. Colt picked up the cowboy as Annabelle came around to lift the baby from the stroller. With Emily on her hip, Annabelle turned to face him once again.
“Why?” she asked simply.
Colt shrugged and held the toy up to Emily. “Because it’s yours. I only want you and if I can’t have you, then I sure as hell don’t want to take your home.”
There was an emptiness inside him that had existed since he left her house last night. He needed it filled, but only Annabelle had that power.
“You’re just giving it back?”
Emily reached a hand toward him and instinct had him taking her into his arms. At least he still had one of them on his side. Lucy remained silent in the stroller and stared up at him as if assessing her own opinion.
“I’m giving it back with access to my engineer and contractor. You have an unlimited budget to do the bed-and-breakfast like you want.”
Annabelle’s eyes instantly filled. “Colt...but, what about your dude ranch?”
This was the tricky part. “I’m hoping I can still open it. I’m hoping we can do this together. That land can stay in your name, you can have complete control over what happens with your house, but there is something I want to merge.”
Her eyes widened.
“I want you to have my name. Marry me, sweetness. Not for the land, or the house. I want your happiness and I hope that means you’ll be with me and give me a second chance.”
“You’re serious?” she asked, blinking back tears.
“I’ve never been more so.”
A shaky hand covered her mouth as she shook her head. Hope stilled inside him. He wanted it to grow, he wanted some sign that she was giving in.
“I want to,” she whispered behind her hand. “I’m so scared.”
Emily laid her head on his shoulder. Colt reached out and wrapped an arm around Annabelle’s waist, hauling her against his side.
“I’m terrified,” he admitted. “This is insane for both of us, but I know what I want.”
With a watery smile, she reached up and cupped the side of his face.
“The land stays in my name. I’ll move in with you and let’s see how things go.”
Relief swept through him as he hugged her tighter against his side. “That’s more than I deserve. There’s one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I’d like to pay to have your father get some help. He can’t do it alone.”
Now she burst into tears. “You’re going to take on so much with me. You must be serious if you’re on board for all my baggage.”
He nipped at her lips. “I’m more than on board, sweetness. I want you here more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”
Lucy started fussing and Annabelle reached down to unfasten her. Once the baby was on Annabelle’s hip, she instantly calmed.
Colt wrapped his arms around the family he’d finally found.
Annabelle smiled. “I have the perfect name you can call me.”
Colt laughed. “What’s that?”
“Yours.”
Epilogue
Nolan hadn’t had the best night at the hospital. This was the time of day when he couldn’t go straight home to bed, he needed to ride to unwind.
Just as he rounded the corner to the main barn, he came up short.
Colt had his arms wrapped around Annabelle and her girls. Apparently he’d come to his senses and gone after the family he wanted.
Nolan swallowed and stepped back, so as not to be seen. He was happy for his younger brother. Nolan always figured Colt would be the first to settle down. He was a little jealous, though. Nolan would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that he wanted a family of his own. He was tired of coming home to an empty house. When he’d built it, he’d had every intention of filling it with a wife, with children.
But he’d let that dream go. Years ago, he’d let go of the only woman he’d ever wanted. He’d
hoped he’d move on and someone would come along and fill the void in his life.
As Nolan headed back to his SUV, he realized that there was only one woman he would ever care for.
Pepper Manning. He’d let her go without a fight. They’d been through hell together, but when it came to the time she needed him most, he hadn’t been there. He’d messed up, but that was something he’d had to live with because there was no way to erase the past.
Living with that heartache was a battle he’d always face. He devoted his life to saving others, but he hadn’t been able to save the one person he loved from heartache.
So, yeah, Nolan was jealous that his brother had found love, found a family. Because if Nolan had it to do over, he’d never let Pepper go.
But there were no second chances...right?
* * * * *
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT
Read on for a sneak preview of
Redeemed by the Cowgirl
by Silver James
One
Cash Barron was a man who understood duty—especially to his family. Unlike his brothers. Staring out the window of his twin’s apartment on the fiftieth floor of Barron Crown Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, he did his best to stuff his anger into a corner of his mind. He’d watched his three older brothers turn their backs and walk away from the very thing that made them Barrons—their loyalty to one another. Even his twin, Chase, had chosen a woman so completely unsuitable that Cash could barely comprehend their marriage. And now Chase and Savannah were about to celebrate the first anniversary of their quickie Vegas wedding.
A sharp rap on the door jerked his attention from the vista outside the window. Bridger Tate, his cousin and second-in-command, entered without invitation. He didn’t like the look on the man’s face.
“What?”
“Last night’s video from the casino floor has been analyzed.”
A series of curse words ricocheted through his brain but he refrained from speaking them. “Is it them?”
Bridge looked angry but resigned. “Yeah. Tucker isolated images of the Rowland clan on the casino floor.”
Twin Secrets (Mills & Boon Desire) (The Rancher’s Heirs 01) Page 16