Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70264 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70264 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“I think they’re amazing, and if I ever get my own bakery business off the ground, you’ll be my first employee.”
The young girl blushes with pride.
“Come on,” I say. “Let’s eat.”
As anticipated, the food is mouthwatering. Taylor watches us all with a secret smile playing on her lips.
“We’re going to need to get Molly registered with a school,” I say.
Taylor’s eyes widen. “I guess.”
“Would you prefer to go to the local school or home school?” I ask Molly.
Before she has a chance to reply, Taylor steps in. “I think the local school would be better. She’ll need to make friends?” She voices the last part as a question.
“She will,” I confirm. “I know you’re both away from what you know, and it’s important for you to put down roots.”
Taylor nods and focuses on her plate. She lets out a long breath through pursed lips like my words are a source of relief. She may have been worried that we’d be unhappy about Molly’s arrival. She couldn’t be more wrong.
When lunch is finished, I tell Maverick and Clint that I’ll meet them in a half hour. With our three workers, my presence isn’t so desperately required.
“Can I talk to you?” I ask Taylor. “In my office.”
It sounds ridiculously formal, but there’s no way around it. What I have to say isn’t for Molly’s ears.
“Sure. Molly, can you finish the clearing up?”
Without argument, Molly starts scraping the plates into the trash and Taylor follows me into the hallway. Once we’re inside my office, I close the door. Taylor waits expectantly, her posture tight and her gaze fixed on the floor.
I sit and urge her to do the same. As soon as her butt hits the chair, she starts. “I know you didn’t sign up for a child, Jesse. If it’s too much for Molly to stay here, we’ll move out. I’ll just need some time to get set up.”
“Is that what you want?” I ask. “You want to leave?”
My heart already feels lacerated, watching as uncertainty clouds her expression.
“I want whatever you want,” she says.
Sweet, sweet girl. She’s too used to putting her feelings aside for others, but I won’t let her anymore, even if her choices contradict what I want. “No, Taylor. That’s not going to cut it. Tell me what you want. If it’s to move out with your sister, be honest. If it’s to stay here but without a relationship with one or all of us, just tell me. Whatever it is, it’ll be fine.”
“Don’t you want me anymore?”
The pain in her question tears my heart even deeper. “Of course I want you. And Maverick and Clint feel the same. It’ll kill us if you decide you want to walk away. But we’d understand, Taylor. That day at the auction, I thought it was what you wanted. Marriage. A family. Maybe not with three men, but with one, at least. I hoped you’d come to feel something for all of us in time. But now we’ve discovered that it was for your dad’s benefit… we just want to make sure you’re with us because you want to be.”
“I do,” she says quickly. She reaches across the space between us, taking hold of both of my big, rough hands in her small, dainty palms. She laces our fingers and gazes up at me. “I never believed I’d find men like y’all. Men who’d fight for me. Who’d take on my problems and share them? Who’d make me feel worth something? But—” Her eyes drift to the window. “I’m not ready to be a momma, Jesse. I don’t want that. Not yet. And I’m scared you won’t want me if I can’t give you what you need.”
I bring her hands to my lips, kissing her palms softly. “I understand, sweet girl. I do. I want you to have your dreams. We’ll do everything we can to make Taylor-Made Bakes a reality. And one day, when you’re ready, I know my dreams will come true, too, as long as you stay with us.”
When I look into her eyes, tears are already welling. “I want that,” she says, “but what about your sister? I’m not going to be responsible for breaking your family apart.”
“I’ll work on my sister,” I say. “It might take some time, but she’ll see what we have is real, and everything will be fine.”
As I pull Taylor into my arms and kiss her deeply, relief steals the breath from my lungs.
But although I’ve tried to reassure Taylor about Beth, a part of me doubts that she’ll ever come around. And if she doesn’t forgive me for this relationship, will Taylor ever truly feel like her rightful place is with us?
19
TAYLOR
FAMILY FIRST
As dawn’s first light creeps in through the drapes, I watch my sister sleep. It’s hard for me to believe that she’s really beside me, tucked into bed in a safe place, away from the fury and abuse of our father. After my conversation with Jesse last night, I’m more settled, but there’s still the outstanding issue of Beth to deal with. Nothing can ever be right at the ranch unless the people who matter outside of the ranch understand what I’m doing here.