“I knew I forgot to ask something…”
He grinned, bringing her hand to his lips as they stopped at a four-way stop. “I think you’ll like the place I’m taking you to. It’s not really a bar. It’s a little restaurant with a country dance floor. We can dance a little, or not if you don’t feel up to it, and head home.”
“Sounds nice.”
When they reached the city, she sighed. “I already miss the country.”
“We’re only going to be here for a few hours. I’m sure you’ll survive.”
“Most likely.”
The place specialized in steak, so she ordered a filet and baked potato. He took her hand as soon as the server left. “Dance with me?”
The music was slow, so she stood and followed him to the dance floor, going easily into his arms. He wore a light cologne, and she’d never noticed it before. She buried her face in his shoulder, liking the smell of him. “You smell good.”
He laughed. “Instead of like horses like I usually do?”
She grinned. “You said it. Not me.”
After the song, he led her back to the table. “I brought Brandi here once.”
Patience stiffened at his late wife’s name. “You did?”
He nodded. “She laughed at it. Said if I wanted to take her dancing, I needed to take her somewhere real.”
“What does that even mean?”
He took a long drink of his iced tea. “Brandi was from back East. Her parents had a lot of money. Totally different class of people. She was sent here as a punishment, and I fell for her, got her pregnant, and married her.”
“Wait—you married her because she was carrying Corinne?”
He nodded. “She was way out of my league otherwise. She never let me forget it either.”
“But—I thought you loved her.”
“I did love her. She wasn’t the right woman for me, but she was the mother of my child, and I loved her.”
“What do you mean she wasn’t the right woman for you?”
He shrugged. “I needed a woman who would go country dancing with me and not complain. A woman who would buy my little girl butterfly wings to wear with her ballerina costume.” His eyes met hers. “Brandi was a dancer. A good one. She was supposed to go off and study at this big conservatory in France, but she got mixed up with this guy her parents didn’t approve of. So they sent her here for the summer, so things would cool off.”
“And while they cooled off with him, they heated up with you.”
He nodded. “My parents were still here at the time, and my dad gave riding lessons. She came for the summer to learn to ride. She forgot all about dance, and we ended up married.”
“Do you regret it?”
He shook his head. “How could I when my relationship with her resulted in Corinne?”
Patience smiled. “She is the most perfect little ballerina butterfly on the face of the earth.”
“She is. And she’s a lot like her mother, except she’s not spoiled.” He took another drink, his eyes on hers. “I don’t ever want her to get as spoiled as her mother was.”
“So things weren’t as great between you and Brandi as Corinne thought they were?”
Ryan shook his head. “She’d just decided she was going to go back home to her parents when we found out she had breast cancer. Things got clearer for her then. She wanted things to be good between us before she died. She had stage three before we knew about it. She wasn’t old enough for routine mammograms yet, so it snuck up on us.”
“I’m glad you had time to work things out.”
He nodded. “I am too. We had three months of a good marriage, but she was doing chemo during those three months. Two weeks on hospice at the end.” He sighed. “I want Corinne to always think her mama was perfect. There’s a picture I have of the two of them in their tutus together. It was taken just days before her diagnosis. That’s what I want Corinne to remember when she thinks of her mama.”
“She will. I’ll help ensure that happens.”
He took both of her hands in his. “I guess I’m telling you all this so you know, you’re not in any kind of competition with Brandi. She wasn’t the wife I needed. Not like you are. You’re so much better to me than Brandi ever was.”
Patience nodded. “I guess I can understand that. I’m glad you told me.”
“So you don’t feel like you’re playing second fiddle to her anymore?” he asked.
She shrugged. “In some ways. I mean, you loved her, and I’m just some girl you married because Corinne needed a mom.”
“What? No! Maybe at first, but that was only at first. I love you, Patience. That’s what I’m trying to tell you in my clumsy way.”
“Wait? You love me? You don’t have to say that.” She shook her head, refusing to believe it.
“I know I don’t have to say that. I’m saying it because it’s true.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Am I riding alone here? Or am I sharing my saddle?”
She laughed. “You’re not riding alone.”
“Then I want to hear you say it!” Ryan looked at her, as if daring her to say the words he was waiting for.
“Fine! I love you, too. Happy now?”
He nodded. “Very. Are you?”
“Maybe we should dance again, because I need to feel you holding me.”
He got to his feet, holding his hand out. As she grasped it and followed him to the dance floor, she realized she hadn’t ever expected to be this happy with him. She sighed contentedly as she settled into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. “I love you, Ryan.”
He gathered her close, leaning down to brush his lips against the top of her head. “And I love you, Patience.”
She lifted her face for his kiss, for once not caring that there were people all around them.
Trainer's Treat (Culpepper Cowboys Book 7) Page 12
