Chapter Nine

Tyler had a headache by the time he got home from Annie’s house. What in the world was he going to do? As he was kissing Annie, the realization had flooded through him that he loved her. Which was good. Great, in fact. He wanted to love Annie, and he wanted her to love him back and share his life. He truly wanted to be a father to Courtney and a husband to Annie.

So now he had to decide once and for all—did he stay in Falling Star and commit to the woman he loved and the ranch he wanted to run? He’d told his partner at the law firm that he didn’t expect to come back, but they’d left it somewhat open until Tyler made his final decision.

Still mulling over his choices, Tyler parked his truck in the garage and headed across the yard to the back door. At times, being back home made him feel like a teenager again. The night’s kissing match with Annie only compounded that feeling.

He smiled as he unlocked the door and slipped inside. The kitchen light was on, and he assumed his mother had left it on for him. Turning, he started to set the alarm when he spotted a note on the counter. It was from his mother. She’d gone somewhere with a friend and might be late coming home.

Glancing at the clock, Tyler frowned. It was almost midnight, much too late for a pair of elderly women to be driving around town, especially one who was just recovering from a major illness.

Tyler paced across the kitchen a few times, unsure of what to do. He’d never been the person doing the waiting before. With an annoying amount of guilt, he realized his mother had always been that person. Many times when he’d been young, he’d tried to slip in the back door well after his agreed-to curfew. His mother had always been waiting for him. And every time, she’d kiss him and tell him how happy she was that he hadn’t been hurt. Then she’d ground him for a week.

He’d been late the night his father convinced him to break his engagement to Annie. After dropping her off, he’d driven around for a while, then headed home and found his father waiting up for him.

Henry Nelson had been successful in business partly because he knew how to get what he wanted from people. He hadn’t yelled or issued an ultimatum. He’d simply talked to Tyler about life and women and responsibility and sacrifice, about family loyalty and expectations, and a father’s dreams and a mother’s hopes, and finally, about what needed to be done.

The sound of tires on the gravel drive pulled Tyler’s attention back to the present. He walked over to the door and looked out. A sedan he didn’t recognize was parked halfway between the garage and the kitchen door.

“Mom, it’s too late to ask your girlfriend in,” he muttered as he opened the door. He took one step outside and froze. The light from the kitchen illuminated the occupants just enough for him to see his mother lean across and kiss the man driving the car.

Tyler felt as if he’d been punched in the solar plexus. In a daze, he watched his mother push open her door and still laughing, climb out of the car. Before she shut the door, she leaned down and said something to the man. Tyler wasn’t positive, but he thought he heard something about another date. Then she closed the door and waved as the man backed down the driveway.

“Hi, honey,” Judith said as she walked toward her son.

A million things occurred to Tyler to say, but he pushed them out of his mind. He kept a litany going in his head about his mother being a grown woman, and what right did he have to say anything about her dating? But underneath it all, Tyler was surprised and didn’t know how to handle this situation. It wasn’t that he thought she shouldn’t date; she’d just never mentioned that she was.

“I didn’t know you were seeing someone,” Tyler said as she walked past him into the kitchen. All those years in a courtroom had taught him how to control his expression and his voice. His tone didn’t sound accusatory, just interested.

His mother’s expression was worried. “Are you upset?”

At her words, he realized he wasn’t. In the back of his mind, he actually was happy to see her dating, for a lot of reasons. It meant she was feeling better. It meant she had her own life and interests.

“I’m just surprised you didn’t mention it earlier,” he admitted.

“I was afraid you’d get mad.”

Now he felt like a heel. “Of course I wouldn’t. You’re a grown woman.”

“I’ve known Carl for a long time, long before I got sick. But I asked him to wait until I felt better before coming to see me.” She shot Tyler a quick glance. “In fact, I wasn’t going to go with him tonight, but he tempted me with the promise of ice cream.”

Tyler nodded slowly, unsure how he was supposed to act. This was one of those weird moments when a child feels like the parent. “How long have you been dating?”

“We aren’t really dating. Not the way you think. We’re more like friends.”

You’re friends who kissed good night, Tyler thought. “Why don’t you have him over so I can meet him?”

His mother beamed at his words. She quickly crossed the room and hugged him. Tyler leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “The sooner the better, young lady. I want to know what sort of man you’ve taken up with.”

Judith playfully shoved at her son’s chest. “I guess fair is fair. I’ll ask Carl over since I got to spend time with the person you’re seeing.”

Tyler laughed. “Yes, Annie and I went out. Courtney came along, so nothing happened.”

The twinkle in his mother’s eyes should have warned him. “Oh, really? Then why do you have lipstick on your cheek?”

Humming a little tune, she spun and headed up the back stairs, leaving her bemused son staring after her.

Tyler would never understand women, but he supposed it was better this way. If he understood them, he’d miss out on all the fun.

**

The more Annie thought about last night, the more she hoped Tyler would fall in love with her again. She knew she’d already fallen. The question was what did she do about it? Did she tell him? Was that the smart thing to do? She just wasn’t sure.

Until she knew how he felt, she figured she should bank the fire between them down to a simmer. So when Tyler came into her office at lunchtime, she greeted him with a polite smile. “How’s your morning going?” she asked.

It gave her more than a little thrill that he looked as if his night hadn’t gone much better than hers had. His hair was ruffled, and he seemed distracted. When he saw her, though, his expression brightened.

“Great.” He moved several steps forward until he stood directly in front of her desk. “Care to join me for lunch today? I think we should talk about us.”

That silky, deep voice of his made the invitation sound like a promise of heaven. He was right; they needed to talk. “Okay.”

She pulled her purse out of her desk and crossed the room to join him by the door. As she got close to him, her heart began the same erratic rhythm she’d come to associate with being around Tyler. It was increasingly difficult to stand this close to him and not want to kiss him. Good grief! How was she going to simmer this relationship down if she couldn’t even spend a few normal minutes with the man?

Tyler shifted so she could precede him, and she couldn’t help but notice he’d left enough room so she wouldn’t brush against him. That was a smart move. After telling Brett where they were headed, they walked to Tyler’s truck. Silence hung awkwardly between them. Annie glanced briefly at her black boots, hoping lunch wouldn’t lead to a verbal battle between the two of them. Tyler had spent the last few years learning how to win any argument, while she hadn’t even been on the debating team in high school. It was like taking on a sharpshooter with a gun filled with blanks.

But life with Courtney had taught Annie a few things, not the least of which was to stand her ground even if it was a bit shaky.

She was thankful that Tyler chose a restaurant away from town. She didn’t want half the population of Falling Star watching them.

They made polite chitchat on the drive, and then once they were settled in the booth, Tyler leaned back against his seat.

“About last night,” he said. “I need you to know I’m not trying to rush you. I know you have a lot to consider.”

She shifted the silverware in front of her. Before she had to say anything else, the waitress appeared to take their order. Once the woman left, Annie glanced back at Tyler. There was no time like the present to have an honest discussion. The restaurant was practically empty, so no one would overhear them.

“Look, Tyler, I can’t deny I’m attracted to you. I’ve always been.” She drew a deep breath into her lungs, gathering her courage to tell him how she felt. As she looked into his eyes, words escaped her.

“Things do seem to be getting pretty serious between us,” he supplied.

“Yes. They do.” She leaned forward, needing him to understand how she felt. “But as I said last night, I have to think about Courtney.”

Anxiously, she waited for Tyler’s response. Finally, he sighed. “I know.”

When he didn’t say anything else, disappointment filled her. “Then we understand each other.”

He reached across the table and covered her hand with his. Briefly, he glanced away, and when his gaze returned to her face, his expression was serious. “I’ve fallen in love with you again.”

Annie wrapped her hand around his, surprise and joy rushing through her. “You have?”

“Yes, I have.” He studied her face and then added, “If you don’t feel the same way, just say so. I’ll back off. But I wanted you to know how I felt.”

Tears burned her eyes, but they were happy tears. “I love you, too.”

Tyler grinned. “That works out nicely, doesn’t it?”

She laughed. “I guess it does.” After a moment, she asked, “What about your mom? Will this upset her?”

Shaking his head, he said, “I don’t see why. Plus, she’s feeling well enough to start dating someone.”

Annie felt like the world was full of possibilities. “What do we do now?”

His smile was both sexy and sweet. “I say we keep dating.”

She nodded. “That sounds like the best approach.”

“Long enough to make sure you’re sure,” he said, finishing his sentence.

She looked at him, her pulse beating frantically. “Trust me. I’m sure.”

Tyler leaned forward and opened his mouth to say something when his cell phone rang. Still watching Annie, he removed the phone and answered. Annie turned her attention to the window, but when Tyler’s voice became tense, she looked back at him. His face was pale as he handed her the phone.

“It’s Brett,” he said. “Courtney—”

“What’s wrong?” Annie demanded, fear rising in her throat. This couldn’t be happening. Nothing could be wrong with her precious daughter.

“Courtney had a seizure at day care. They’ve taken her to the hospital,” Brett said.

That was all Annie needed to hear. She jumped to her feet, grabbed her purse, and bolted to the door. It was only after she’d reached the truck that she realized Tyler was right beside her. He unlocked the truck, and they both silently climbed inside. On the ride to the hospital, he reached over with one hand and patted her arm.

“It will be okay,” he told her.

She found his words oddly comforting.

Annie hit the door to the emergency room at a sprint. The nurse on duty directed her to the small cubicle where Courtney was lying on a table, and Ginny from the day care center was holding her hand. When Annie saw her still and silent daughter, her throat constricted, but she forced herself not to cry. She wouldn’t scare her daughter.

“It’s Mommy. I’m here,” she said, kissing her daughter’s face. Courtney mumbled and continued to sleep. Frantically, Annie looked around. A woman stepped forward.

“I’m Doctor James. Your daughter spiked a high fever, and that caused her to have a febrile seizure.”

“She had one of those a few months ago, and her pediatrician did several tests until she was sure it was a febrile seizure. I’m confused, though, about today. Courtney was fine this morning. She didn’t have a fever. What do you think caused the fever to set on so quickly?”

“Even though she might not have been complaining, she has a bad ear infection. We’re treating it and the fever. She’s going to be fine.”

Relief overcame Annie, and she didn’t realize she was shaking until she felt a strong arm slide around her waist. Glancing up, she looked into Tyler’s concerned face. He smiled gently at her and brushed her cheek. With surprise, she realized he’d wiped tears from her face.

“Can we take her home?” Tyler asked.

The doctor nodded. “I’ll release her in about an hour if she continues to improve. Call your pediatrician if you have any further problems.”

Annie leaned over and kissed Courtney, thrilled that she would be fine. “I love you, sweetie.” Then she glanced at Tyler. She could see the same love for the child echoed in his face. He loved her daughter too. He loved them both.

She moved into his arms and let him hug her.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” he murmured to her.

Annie nodded, hoping he was telling the truth.

**

Three days later, Tyler stood on the front step of Annie’s house and rang the doorbell. She was probably going to tell him to take a hike, but he’d been sent on a mission from her mother, so he had a job to do.

Slowly, Annie opened the door. She looked exhausted, and Tyler’s heart went out to her.

“Hi, Tyler. You know, you don’t have to stop by all the time to check on Courtney.” Annie yawned. “She fine today.”

Tyler gently moved Annie away from the doorway and glanced around the living room. When Courtney saw him, she ran over, and he scooped her into his arms.

“Hi there, peach cheeks.” He gave her a kiss on the forehead, thrilled the little girl was feeling better. She’d been steadily improving over the last few days, and now she positively beamed. “Want to visit Grandma?”

Annie blinked at him. “Grandma? What are you—”

Tyler leaned forward, and this time, dropped a quick kiss on Annie’s lips. “Your mother asked me to bring Courtney over for the day. We all agreed you’ve exhausted yourself. Your mother wants to keep Courtney today, so you’ll get some rest.”

“But Courtney needs me,” Annie said softly.

Tyler shook his head. “Nope. As you said, she’s fine. Right now, you’re the one who needs care. You’ve gotten very little sleep during the past few days. You need to rest before you get sick.”

When Annie opened her mouth to disagree, Tyler bent his head and kissed her again, silencing any argument she might have. He felt the impact of that kiss clear to his toes. How he loved this woman. With great reluctance, he pulled away.

“Courtney, do you want to visit Grandma?” Annie asked, her gaze never leaving Tyler’s face.

“Marne,” Courtney said with a giggle. When Tyler put her on the ground, the little girl hurried to her bedroom.

“Guess she’s gone to pack,” he said as he trailed after her. Between the three of them, they managed to gather Courtney’s belongings and move the car seat into Tyler’s truck. When he was about to leave, he couldn’t prevent himself from dropping another kiss on Annie’s soft lips.

“I’ll see you later,” he said, knowing he would. “You sleep.”

This time, Annie didn’t argue with him. She simply nodded and waved goodbye.

**

Annie was expecting Tyler to stop by after work. After sleeping all day, she felt like a million dollars. When she woke, she called her parents’ house to check on her daughter, then showered and put on her prettiest dress. It was made for summer, light blue with a tiny flowered pattern and a full skirt that was long and flowing. She took extra care with her hair and makeup, wanting to look wonderful.

Her efforts were rewarded by the stunned expression on Tyler’s face when she opened the front door. Annie didn’t need any flattering words to know he thought she looked great. Still, she got them.

“Wow, Annie. You look . . . wonderful.”

“Thank you.” She started to move out of the doorway to let him come inside, but he shook his head.

“I have dinner reservations for us,” he said, taking her hand in his and tugging her outside.

Annie laughed, loving this fun side of Tyler. “I’m not dressed for any place fancy.”

Tyler headed toward his truck. “This place isn’t fancy. Just special.”

And it was. Tyler took her for a picnic by the lake on his ranch. As they ate cold fried chicken, they watched the sun set. Neither of them brought up the past. Instead, they talked about Courtney and the business.

“See any falling stars?” he asked.

Annie shook her head. “Nope. Not a one. Why, is there supposed to be a meteor shower tonight?”

Tyler nodded. “Yes. Let’s see if we can spot any.”

He stretched out on the blanket, and after a moment, Annie joined him.

“You know, we never got a chance to talk about our shared confessions the other day,” he said.

Annie didn’t pretend not to know what he meant. “Are you sincerely in love with me?”

“Yes.”

“Enough to build a life with me here in Falling Star?” she whispered, her love for him swirling inside her.

“I love you too much to lose you again,” he said. “So, yes, I love you and want to stay in Falling Star with you.”

Happiness washed through Annie. Smiling, she moved toward him, stopping when he gathered her into his arms. “I love you too,” she said. Then she kissed him deeply.

She felt his love in his kiss and in the tender way he held her. Maybe things really would work out for them. Maybe they could truly find happily ever after.

She certainly hoped so. Because she knew now, if he left her again, the heartbreak would be more than she could take.

When the kiss finally ended, Annie sat up and glanced at the sky. A falling star blazed by and she laughed. “Look, a falling star.”

“Make a wish,” Tyler said.

Annie closed her eyes and made her wish. When she once again looked at Tyler, she wondered what his wish had been. Hopefully, he’d wished for the same thing . . . a forever love for the two of them.

**

Tyler’s life had never been better, he decided two weeks later. After that miraculous night when he’d promised to stay in Falling Star with Annie, they’d spent their days together at the ranch and their evenings together at her house. He was one happy guy.

He glanced at his watch. It was too early to ask Annie to lunch, but maybe he could stop by her office and coax a quick kiss out of her. Before he could stand, though, his cell phone rang. Tyler answered it, and immediately wished he hadn’t. Bernie Savan, Tyler’s partner at the law firm, was on the line.

“Tyler, glad I got you. Look, I know I agreed to your extended leave, but things have changed. The Collins case is in jeopardy. I fired Budd Davin. I need you to come back and take over.”

Tyler felt as if a vise tightened around his heart. Bernie Savan had been his partner from the day they both graduated from law school. Bernie had known a lot of important people, which had made it possible for their firm to grow rapidly. He owed the man a great deal.

But his life was different now.

“I can’t come back, Bernie. In fact, I’ve been meaning to call you. I’ve decided to leave the firm. I’m moving back to Falling Star permanently.”

“You can’t. The firm needs you. I need you. If we lose this case, we can kiss a large part of our revenue goodbye.” His tone dropped, and Tyler realized with a start that suddenly his friend sounded exhausted. “I can’t lose everything at this point. Can’t you do it for old time’s sake? I won’t need your help for long. Six months. Maybe a year, two at the most. Then you can leave.”

Pain shot through Tyler. He hated to disappoint Bernie, but how could he explain this to Annie? The Collins case was huge. Spending a year or more was likely if he returned. He’d have to put in impossible hours. There’d be no time for visits to Falling Star. In fact, he’d have no time for anything.

Annie would never forgive him if he left.

“Bernie, I can’t. I just—”

“Tyler, I hate to do this. But you can’t just dump me and the firm like this. You need to keep your promises.”

Tyler closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. Bernie was pulling out all the stops. Over the years, Bernie had helped Tyler out in many ways. The man had always been there for him. There was no way Tyler could refuse to help him now. Even if it meant that Annie wouldn’t understand, he had to say yes.

And it was killing him.

“Okay, Bernie. I’ll help,” Tyler said, feeling like he’d just sealed his own fate.

**

Annie glanced up when Tyler entered her office. She started to smile, but something in his manner stopped her. When he shut her office door, she knew something was wrong.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, half fearing she already knew the answer.

“I just got a call from Bernie Savan.”

Annie felt her heart drop to her toes. “Your partner at the law firm?”

Tyler nodded. “Annie, I don’t know how to tell you this. I need you to know that I love you. I love Courtney. I would never—”

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” She blinked against the sudden tears in her eyes. How could she have been so stupid a second time? Of course, he was leaving.

He dropped into the chair across the desk from her. She could see the pain on his face, but it didn’t help. He was going to leave no matter what she thought.

“Bernie has an emergency at the office. I need to go help him.”

Annie nodded, struggling to hold in the tears. “I see.”

Tyler leaned forward. “No, you don’t. I owe this man, Annie. I can’t let him down. You wouldn’t love me if I turned my back on a friend in need.”

Her immediate reaction was to think, yes, she’d love him if he said no. But then, honesty forced her to admit he was right. She wanted him to do the right thing . . . even if it broke her heart.

“I understand.” She drew a shaky breath into her too-tight lungs. “You have to do this.”

She couldn’t help wondering what Courtney would think when Tyler stopped coming over. Would her daughter miss him the way Annie knew she would miss him? But maybe it wasn’t as bad as she feared. Maybe he wasn’t leaving forever.

“I love you,” she said, not sure what else to say.

At her declaration of love, Tyler circled the desk to stand next to her chair. He knelt and took her hands in his. “This hurts me too. But I have to go.”

“I’m sure it won’t be too bad. How long will you be gone?”

When he paused, she knew the answer was, in fact, bad. “I’d guess a year. Probably longer,” he said.

Annie felt a tear slip free. “I see. Will you be able to come back for visits?”

“I doubt it.” He took her hands in his, his gaze locked with hers. “Come with me. Marry me and come with me.”

He couldn’t be serious. She slowly shook her head, sadness overwhelming her. “I can’t. My life is here. Courtney’s life is here. I have plans, commitments. We both can’t leave Brett to run things by himself.”

“Annie, please, you have to come with me. I love you. I need you with me.”

His tone tugged at her heartstrings. “I can’t. I made a promise to my brother. You wouldn’t love me if I were the type of person to break a promise.”

Tyler groaned. “I know, but this is different. We can hire people to help him. I want you to be with me. I want you and Courtney to live with me.”

“Then don’t leave.” She knew she was being unfair, but she couldn’t help it. She didn’t want him to leave, not now, not when she’d finally found love again.

“I have to. I owe this man.”

She knew this was hurting him as much as it hurt her. But just like him, she had people who depended on her.

“What about the ranch? Brett and I can’t afford to buy you out.”

“I don’t want my money back.” He leaned forward and brushed a kiss on her cheek. “We don’t have to end here. We can find a way around this.”

She wasn’t so sure. He’d go back to his law firm, and a year from now, he’d be caught up in his old life.

“Why don’t we take a break,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “We haven’t been together long. You need to go back to where you belong. I need to get on with my life here. We can see how things work out.”

Tyler stood. His expression showed how much her words hurt him. He knew what she was saying. But he didn’t argue. Instead, he walked to the door. After he opened it, he turned to face her. “Don’t you wish just once things would work out for us?” he asked softly.

Then he walked out.

**

“Don’t worry. I’m sure it will work out,” Blair said to Annie the next day. “I once thought Ethan was going to leave, but he came back.”

They were having lunch at the small café Annie loved. Normally, she and her friends would be laughing and talking about old times, but today, they were discussing how Annie’s life was falling apart.

“Tell him to stay,” Tara said, pulling her napkin out from under the silverware and placing it in her lap. “It’s that simple.”

“No, it isn’t,” Annie said, glancing at Blair for reinforcement.

“That’s right,” Blair said. “This type of situation is difficult.”

Tara sighed. “It turned out fine for Blair. I’m sure it will turn out fine for you, too. I bet tonight he’ll tell you he’s changed his mind and plans to stay here.”

Annie wished she felt as confident as her friend, but she knew Tara was being unrealistic. Blair’s now-husband had been able to change his plans because he hadn’t had a partner depending on him. His choices were his own.

Tyler wasn’t in that situation. He had someone depending on him, someone who meant a great deal to Tyler. Even though she hated the situation, Annie understood his position. Saying no wasn’t an option.

“Why don’t you go with him?” Blair suggested.

“And do what? Leave my brother to fail? He needs help, the kind of help you can’t simply hire. We both made a promise to him, a promise I won’t break,” Annie said.

Tara leaned forward and said, “It’s great that you’re both so honorable, but you’re also both going to end up with a broken heart.”

Annie wanted to argue with the other woman, but Tara was right. The only way this would end was with them both having a broken heart.

“Sometimes life stinks,” Tara said.

Annie nodded. Truer words had never been spoken.