“How about we just marry each other, save everyone the heartache?” he teased, and squeezed me closer.

“You’re so dumb. All right, I gotta go do my hair really quick. He’s taking me around the ranch today. I’ll be back before we leave. Did your parents still want to leave tonight?” I dragged the last few words out.

“Probably earlier in the afternoon . . . am I missing something?”

I scrunched my face as I peeked at him from under my eyelashes. “I don’t want to leave; I want to stay here with Gage until he moves back. But I don’t know if he’d be okay with that. I don’t know if he’d want me here for the next few weeks.”

Tyler’s face fell, but he kissed my forehead and got off the bed. “Talk to him about it before you leave this morning; that way if you both decide you want to stay, my parents and I can leave earlier and you won’t have to cut your day short.”

“Hey.” I reached for his hand and spoke softly. “Thanks, Ty.”

“I love you. Be careful with this, Cassi.”

I nodded and watched him walk out the door. Was he really that worried about me getting my heart broken? He looked so sad I almost told him I wouldn’t stay on the ranch and would go back to Austin with them today. Almost.

GAGE

MY HEART PICKED up when I heard someone come down the stairs, but it went back to normal when I realized just how loud it was, right before Tyler rounded the corner. A huge shit-eating grin was on his face. “What’s got you in such a good mood? You that happy to be leaving today?” My stomach clenched; I really didn’t want Cassidy going back.

He raised an eyebrow at me and grabbed a mug. “If your girl woke you up by blowing you, you’d be happy too.”

I choked on my coffee and had to wait a minute before I could speak again. “Excuse me?”

“What?”

“What did you just say?”

His brow furrowed and he looked at me, confused, then his face relaxed and he smiled behind his mug. “Oh, about Cassi? I swear, the things that girl can do with her mouth.”

I slammed my mug onto the table and the chair tipped over from how fast I stood up.

“Whoa, Gage, what’s your deal? The cows will still be there if you’re late.”

Breathe. Just breathe. There was no way he was being serious; he was just trying to piss me off like always. He still had that cocky smirk and I wanted to punch him. Breathe, Gage. My hand fisted on top of the table and I turned to leave the house before I could act on it, but just before I hit the living room, I heard Cassidy coming down the stairs. I needed to ask her about their relationship myself; I was so damn tired going back and forth through Tyler. Turning on my heel, I headed back through the dining room, slowing down when I heard Tyler speak.

“Well, good morning, gorgeous!”

Cassidy laughed lightly. “You act like we didn’t just say that a few minutes ago.”

My stomach dropped when I heard that, right before I rounded the corner to see her fall into Tyler’s arms. He squeezed her to him, kissing her cheek softly.

“Did you talk to him?” he asked when he pulled back to look at her face.

“Gage? No, not yet, but I will.”

“Well, you need to do it soon.”

She sighed and stepped away. “I know, I’m just nervous, I don’t know how he’ll react to this.”

“Get out,” I choked.

Cassidy jumped and turned to see me, her eyes wide. Tyler just raised an eyebrow at me.

“Gage?” She looked worried.

I can’t believe I fell for her shit. “I said get the f**k out. Both of you.”

“What?” She clutched her stomach, her eyes filled with tears.

Without another word, I stormed out of the main house and grabbed Bear, heading off toward the place I’d wanted to take Cass too. The house my dad and I had been slowly building since I was sixteen. Whenever I got married, this would be where we lived, and I’d never wanted to show it to anyone before meeting Cassidy.

Walking around it now, I thought about how perfect it would be for her. Over winter break and the first two months this summer we’d expanded the kitchen, and I knew Cassidy would have loved it. Hell, I’d expanded it for her. There was a large bathtub in the master bathroom as well, and I smiled remembering the conversation with her months ago about how she would kill to have a tub that she could relax in. The ones in our apartment weren’t much in the way of relaxing, but this one was. I walked back out to what would be the living room and sank onto the wood floor, my head between my knees. Other than windows and the wraparound porch I still wanted to build, all the house needed was furniture, and it would be finished. But that would be up to Cassidy to pick all that out. No, not Cassidy. My wife. Whoever that might be, because obviously it wouldn’t be her.

My heart ached and I kept replaying last night and that morning in my head. I’d been so sure last night before waking her up, and then after our time out by the creek, I knew I had been right. Cassidy and I belonged together. I thought about Tyler’s statement and Cassidy’s confirmation when she walked into the kitchen and I felt sick. Raking my hands through my hair, I fell back so I was lying on the floor and looked up at the ceiling through blurred eyes. God, what was happening to me? I couldn’t remember the last time I cried. No . . . I did. It was when my grandma died when I was little. And now this girl, who apparently had no issues leading on one guy and messing around with another, was bringing it all out. I wanted to kick myself for falling for her. For spending an entire year miserable because I couldn’t be with her, and for once again letting myself think I could.