“It’s the two of you, isn’t it?” Maia asked, taking the carving out of Jase’s hand to stroke her finger down the cat’s back. “You and Jase. That’s what it represents.”
“It’s all of us,” Jase corrected. “You, me, my mom, and Cole.”
Maia handed the carving back to him. “It’s beautiful, Cole. You’re an unbelievable artist. I had no idea.”
“It looks so real,” Jase said. “Thanks, Cole.”
Cole let his breath out slowly, a small smile somewhere inside of him. Jase understood what he was trying to say with the carving, and more than anything else, that mattered.
“I have something for you too, Jase,” Maia said. “It’s not nearly as nice as what Cole made for you, but you might be able to use it.” She pulled a book out from under the cushions of the couch. “It’s a book on animal behavior. I learned a lot from it, and as you can see, it’s been well used, but I thought if you were really interested in becoming a vet, you’d enjoy it.”
Cole put his arms around Maia. He’d never heard her sound quite so vulnerable, her words spilling out too fast. The book had to have meant a great deal to her, and she wanted Jase to feel the same way.
Jase opened it, read what she had written, and smiled. “We did share a journey, didn’t we, Maia? Look at this, Cole. Maia’s mother gave this to her.”
“I was about ten,” she admitted. “All I could think about were animals. My poor parents had to put up with me constantly bringing home hurt things.”
“You still do that,” Cole said, “or maybe they just gravitate to you.”
“Thanks, Maia.” Jase nudged his brother.
“Jase and I have a present for you,” Cole said. He pulled an envelope from his pocket and held it out to her.
Maia opened the seal slowly and took out the card. She blinked several times trying to make sense of the lettering. “I don’t understand.” Her heart was pounding out of control. She swallowed several times, before raising her gaze to Cole’s.
“You own the clinic,” Jase said eagerly. “It belongs to you. You don’t have to go away now.”
Cole gazed at her steadily, not blinking or looking away, compelling her toward the unknown. Maia blinked rapidly to break the spell. He was so deep inside of her she could hardly breathe without him. The feeling was too strong, too fast, and she didn’t entirely trust it.
“But I can’t take this. I can’t possibly accept this.” Maia shoved the card back into Cole’s hand. “You know I won’t, Cole.”
“You have to accept it,” Jase said. “If you don’t, you’ll ruin the rest of it.”
“The rest of what? There can’t possibly be anything more. Are you two crazy? You can’t go buying a clinic for me. I love you both dearly for the gesture, but I’m not going to accept it.”
Cole sat there, staring into her eyes, his face hard and etched with lines of suffering. “The part where we ask you to stay. The part where I ask you to marry me.”
Her heart sounded like thunder in her ears. For a moment she thought she might actually faint. He looked so alone, so prepared for her refusal of him that she ached with a need to give herself to him. She didn’t dare look at Jase, but she knew he would have a similar expression of need on his face.
“Why, Cole?” She moistened dry lips with the tip of her tongue. “So when you need to go away you’ll have someone you trust here with Jase?” It didn’t matter that she loved him so much. She couldn’t live with him knowing he didn’t return her feelings. She knew she could love Jase always, be a good mother or sister and friend to him, but she didn’t want to be a convenience. She had far more respect for herself than that.
Cole groaned inwardly. He should have known it would look like that to her. Maybe it was part of it, maybe it was all wrapped up in needs and hunger and longing for a home and a family. He took her hand, his rough fingers sliding over her soft skin, his thumb caressing her ring finger. “I don’t want to be without you.”
“How can you possibly know whether you do or you don’t, Cole?” Maia was going to cry. She hated crying, and her reaction was generally to strike out at whoever managed to cause the tears.
Cole felt her trembling. “I know because I know the difference between living in hell, and being alive in paradise. I don’t want to lose what you’ve given me. I feel all the time when I’m with you. The entire range of emotions. Happiness, sadness, exasperation, even anger. All of it. I’ve never had that before. I want you to be happy, Maia. I watch every single expression that crosses your face. I watch you with Jase, with the animals. I think about you day and night. I want to go to bed at night with you beside me, and I want to wake up with you in my arms. I’ve never felt that way about anything or anyone before.”