CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

REAGAN

Keeping my composure became harder with every passing second that we got closer to the farm. 

For the first time in years, I started to doubt myself. Maybe this was a terrible idea. Maybe I read too much into her saying "I miss you".

But there was no turning back now and no other option. I thought of every possible solution and outcome. This one was most likely to succeed, although I didn't dare bring my hopes too high.

Pepper waited for us on the porch with Bonny loyally at her side. The instant my door opened, Bonny came running up to me. 

"Hey, Bon-bon!" I greeted her with aggressive ear scratches as she put her front paws on me and wagged her tail violently.

I planted a kiss on the smooth fur of her head and whispered, "I missed you too," before gently pushing her off and walking around the front of the car with Julian. 

Pepper leaned against one of the support beams casually, but I could tell she was just as unsure of this as I was. Her hands wrung nervously in front of her.

"Hi," she said, her eyes darting from me to Julian curiously.

"Hey Pepper," I said, drinking her in with my eyes and fighting every urge to sweep her up into my arms. 

"This is Julian," I said. They shook hands and made their introductions. "He's the most qualified farm manager in the state of California."

"Farm manager?"

She raised her eyebrows in a silent question.

"Yes," I said, trying to talk around my heart being in my throat. "Someone who organizes and delegates the daily tasks of running this place. They'll report to you, of course but they will be paid through a contract by R. Sells, Inc." I added a wink which I hoped Julian wouldn't see. "As we discussed." 

Pepper narrowed her eyes at me while Julian was too occupied looking over the layout of the land. 

"You have a beautiful farm here, Miss Sage," he breathed, oblivious to the tension between us as he turned around in a slow semi-circle. "I can already tell it's very efficiently laid out."

"Ah, thank you." 

I felt ready to burst from the breath I was holding. She gave no indication of what she thought of my little stunt and I was dying to know what ran through her gorgeous head. 

Finally, she smiled at us.

"Would you like to take a walk, Julian?"

He excitedly agreed and they stepped off the porch together, starting with the herb garden and talked farm shop that was essentially a foreign language to me.

Still, I didn't have to be a farmer to know that he'd be a good employee. Finding the best people to fill jobs was one of my talents and it was a huge relief off my chest that Pepper at least humored me by showing him around and talking to him.

I followed behind them by a few paces, giving them privacy to talk while pretending to scroll through my phone as I strolled leisurely along the dirt path. 

She seemed to be taking her time, asking him questions, pointing out various things and not rushing through this. Still, I didn't dare hope she'd let me get away with this. I couldn't bear the crushing weight if she told me to leave and never come back.

We walked around the farm for an agonizing forty-five minutes before circling back to the house. At that point, Bonny seemed warmed up to Julian as well, walking alongside him and licking his hand for head scratches as we gathered back in the kitchen. 

"Julian, would you mind giving Mr. Sells and I a minute to talk?" Pepper said after the three of us had enough water and small talk. 

"Of course! Thank you again for showing me around, Miss Sage." He looked at me. "I'll be out by the car." 

I barely acknowledged him as he walked past me. My whole focus was on Pepper, my body tense and waiting to hear what she had to say. 

"You interviewed a farm manager without even talking to me?" 

"I know you don't want just anyone working here," I said quickly, desperately. "So I looked for the best. He'll be paid extremely well and none of it will come out of your profit. Plus you won't have to work so hard. And you'll have time to do other things, if you want to." 

She said nothing. I couldn't tell if she would scream or cry. 

"How do you do that?" 

The question came so softly after a long silence, I barely heard her. 

"Do what?" I asked. 

"How do you know exactly what I need before I even know that I need it?" 

She stepped closer to me and all my blood vessels pumped like mad under my skin.

"My mom wanted me to give this all up to be with you. My dad wanted me married to this farm with nothing else to live for. They tore me in two different directions and here you are with the answers to how I can have both. You and this farm." 

Her chest barely brushed against mine. Her eyes bore into mine with that light and energy that changed everything for me. The flint to my fire. The drop of rain that ignited the storm of passion within me.

“How do you do that?” she repeated. “How do you know exactly what my heart needs and deliver it to me on a silk pillow like this?” 

“Because I love you.” 

The words that had been bouncing around in my head for days flew past my lips as easily as breathing. The summation of my agony, frustration and drive to make everything right in the world for her in four short words. I laid it all out there at her feet to do what she wanted with it. 

She blinked. Tears glittered in her eyes, threatening to spill over. 

“You love me?”

“Yes,” I answered, my throat tightening. “You’ve humbled me, grounded me, and it just feels wrong to not be with you. I understand you don’t need or care about wealth but I still want to give you everything you do want and need. And I want to look at your beautiful face every day when I’m caught up with the bullshit of my job and be reminded of what really matters.”

Her tears spilled freely now and my throat would not stop constricting. She didn’t say anything but continued to cry softly. I reached for her hand and she let me take it, let me pull her into my chest and feel the curves of her body melt into mine.

The fear remained, gripping my chest and stealing my breath. Her lack of words cemented the idea that this would be the last time I held her.

“What’s wrong?” I urged gently, pressing my lips to her forehead. I couldn’t bear to wait any longer or this fear of losing her would cause my chest to collapse.

“Nothing,” she whispered. “You’re the first person who truly understands me. You don’t try to force me in any direction for your own gain.” She looked up at me, the joy shining through her tears. “And I love you so much for that.”

The moment I processed her words, my mouth fell to hers like a meteor from the heavens. I let out a sound, something between a groan and sigh of relief, when I tasted her and she kissed me back, securing her arms around my neck.

Our tongues danced and our hands grasped, desperate to take in what we missed and craved. I pulled away just to look at her, stroking the apple of her cheek with my thumb.

“I’ll never take anything away from you,” I promised in a low whisper. “I’ll support any decision you make. This land is yours. I’m yours. To do with as you please.”

“Is that so?” 

She flashed me a naughty grin, creeping her hand down over my chest and abs and gave a firm tug at my belt. 

I would have hoisted her up on the kitchen counter right in front of the window if I didn’t remember Julian in that moment. 

“Fuck, I’ve got to take him back to the office,” I moaned, which reminded me of something else I forgot. “So what do you think of him, boss?”

“Me?” Her eyebrows lifted. 

“Yes, you,” I answered, dropping another kiss to her mouth. “It’s your decision if you want him working here or not. I just handle all the boring details.” 

“I like him.” She grinned adorably. “He’s hired.” 

“Good.” I gave her one last long, lingering kiss before moving toward the door. “Don’t move. I’ll be back before this boner can go away.”