Ugh. This is not going to be fun.
I slowly nodded my head.
“Reed, Courtney, I’ll leave you both to spend a few minutes alone with Ava while I search for the nurse.”
Yep. This cowboy was a keeper.
When the door shut, I felt my mother running the back of her hand down my cheek. Smiling at her warm touch, I prayed like hell her feelings were not about to be hurt.
My head turned to the side as I opened my eyes and looked into her blue eyes.
“Mom, you know I love you so very much.”
Her smile melted my heart and made it ache all at once.
“But …”
My father made a growl sound and said, “Here it comes.”
Narrowing my eyes at him, I turned back to her. “But, I really don’t think you should stay. I promise I’m going to be fine, and the moment I fly back home you can come and pick me up and I’ll stay out at the ranch with y’all.”
Her chin trembled as she reached for my father’s hand. “You … you don't want me to stay and help you? Who’s going to help you, Ava? You’re with strangers.”
I gave her a thoughtful look. “I’m not with strangers. Ryder is here.”
My mother rolled her eyes. “Please, Ava. You barely know him or his family, and you’re willing to stay here and let them care for you?”
The tears building in my eyes were hard to contain as I felt wetness cover my cheeks. “I thought you, of all people, would understand.”
I turned and looked out the window as I tried to compose myself.
“Court, maybe now is not the best time to be talking about this. Let’s leave Ava be for a bit so she can rest.”
I sniffled like a five-year-old as I wiped my snot across the back of my hand. Thank God Ryder wasn't here.
“Do you love him?” she whispered.
Pressing my lips together, I took in both of my parents’ expressions. My mother’s was hopeful, my father’s angry.
Forcing the words to come out without crying, I replied, “Yes. I’ve never felt like this with anyone before.”
“You broke your leg on purpose, didn’t you!” my father demanded.
Pinching my brows together, my mouth dropped open. “Seriously? Do you not know me at all, Dad?”
With a slight tap on his stomach, my mother shushed my father. “Reed Moore, you be quiet!”
Her eyes softened as she took my hand in hers. “Oh, Ava. Will this work? I mean, he’s going to be moving to Montana and you’re in Austin and … and … the whole thing with Johnny happening not long ago.”
I squeezed her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. “We are taking this one day at a time. All I know is Ryder makes me feel so special. So happy. I just want the chance to see where this goes, Mom. And you staying behind and trying to take care of my every need is not going to help things any. I’ll only stay until I feel up to traveling, and then I’ll fly back home with Ryder.”
My father swallowed hard as he wrapped his arm around my mother. “Our baby girl is growing up, and why in the hell she rushes into relationships I’ll never know.”
I let out a titter as I rolled my eyes at him. “Very funny.”
“I want you to know I’m not happy about this, but I understand. You’re my baby and I just want to take care of you.”
My heart felt torn. In a way, I wanted my mother to take care of me, but I also wanted to take this time and spend it with Ryder. We both threw out the I love you so quickly, I needed to make sure it wasn’t because of the amazing night we spent together. I’d been down this road before and not that long ago. I knew in my heart I’d never felt this way before; I just needed to be sure.
“Well, what better way to find out if Ryder and I belong together than to have him thrown into a situation where he is taking care of me.”
My mother grinned as my father moaned. “Oh hell. What am I going to do with you, Ava Grace Moore?”
With a shrug, I flashed him a smile. “There is one thing y’all can do.”
“What is it, darling?” my mother said as she held my hand in hers.
With a pained expression, I murmured, “Find out why Ryder is taking so long with that nurse. My leg and ankle are throbbing!”
MY HEART WAS pounding in my chest as Ryder pulled down the long driveway that led to his parents’ house.
When he turned off the main road, I glanced his way. “Where are you going?”
He smiled big and my stomach jumped when I saw the dimple pop out on the side of his face. Stealing a peek my way, he chuckled. “You didn’t really think I was going to have you stay in my parents’ house, did you?”
“Um … I thought that was the plan.”
Ryder reached for my hand and kissed the back of it softly. “The only good thing that came out of your fall was that we get to spend more time together … alone.”
My heart skipped a beat.
The old stone house.
“I’m staying in the old stone house?”