you’ve made up your mind, I won’t try to change it.”
“I have.” Taylor nodded vigorously, eager to convince herself and Falcon, too.
“Then there’s nothing I can do.” Falcon tipped his hat to her, backed up, putting space between them. “Thank you for hearing me out.”
“You’re welcome.” He wasn’t. She felt completely dissatisfied, as if he’d just given her permission she didn’t need, to do what she’d been perfectly satisfied with not ten minutes ago.
With Falcon standing in front of her, staring down at her with navy eyes and long dark hair and a gently confused smile, Taylor didn’t feel satisfied at all.
She felt as if she was making the mistake of a lifetime.
But there was no way to get out of said mistake gracefully. He’d forever know that he could just snap his fingers and she’d give up everything to be with him, which was exactly what she wanted to do more than anything.
That didn’t seem wise. She’d been so hurt when he’d taken back his marriage proposal.
“I know this is just about the baby, and the ranch,” Taylor said softly. “Trust me, I’m making the best decision for both of us.”
“You let me think for myself, little lady, and I’ll let you think for you.” He tipped his hat again, went over to say goodbye to Mary. Taylor waited, giving the two of them a chance to chat. After a moment, Mary got up, threw her arms around Falcon’s neck. He seemed pleased by the attention.
“Guess what, Taylor?” Mary exclaimed. “Falcon’s agreed to drive us to Florida!”
Taylor’s gaze jumped to Falcon, who shrugged as if he was pure as the driven snow.
“Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Mary put up her chair with a content smile. “I always say three is the perfect number for traveling!”
Taylor had never heard her mother say any such thing. Falcon winked at her, and Taylor was pretty certain he hadn’t heard such a point of view before, either.
This was her mother’s trip. If Mary wanted Falcon along, then fine.
But if her mother was trying to pull a Fiona-style ambush, it wasn’t going to work.
* * *
“T HIS IS SO EXCITING !” Mary said, as Falcon and Taylor took her to the gate at the Houston airport the next day. Falcon had slept in his truck at the state park, and her mother and she slept in the Airstream.
Which apparently had given Falcon time to think of a plan that required just a tweak or two to suit his purposes.
“I said I wanted to see the sky, and this is even better than I hoped!” She leaned up to kiss Falcon on the cheek. “Thank you so much for the airplane ticket. I’ll be sure our rooms at the hotel are just right!”
Falcon smiled, and Taylor shook her head. This was a plan no doubt cooked up between the two of them.
Taylor knew she’d been outmaneuvered, Callahan-style.
She hugged her mother goodbye. “I’ll see you in a couple of days. Enjoy the extra fun time on the beach.”
Her mother gave her a tight squeeze. “I’m going to enjoy every second!”
Taylor smiled. “I thought you said three was the perfect number for traveling.”
“I can count,” Mary said. “You, Falcon and your baby make a perfect three. Toodles!”
Her mother went through Security, beaming, waving goodbye as she went off on her adventure. Taylor turned to Falcon.
He held up his hands in mock surrender. “I had nothing to do with it. She said she felt riding in the truck so far was tough on her, and she was going to buy her own crack-of-dawn ticket.”
Taylor walked out into the bright Texas sunshine. “And the first-class plane ticket, and the fancy hotel rooms? We’d been planning on staying at a state park in the trailer.”
“Well,” Falcon said, and his voice was a tad too innocent, “I had frequent-flier miles and hotel points. Does it matter? Your mother deserves a nice vacation. She’s been through a lot.”
It was so true. Taylor couldn’t argue the point, and secretly thought it was sweet that Falcon would do
“I have.” Taylor nodded vigorously, eager to convince herself and Falcon, too.
“Then there’s nothing I can do.” Falcon tipped his hat to her, backed up, putting space between them. “Thank you for hearing me out.”
“You’re welcome.” He wasn’t. She felt completely dissatisfied, as if he’d just given her permission she didn’t need, to do what she’d been perfectly satisfied with not ten minutes ago.
With Falcon standing in front of her, staring down at her with navy eyes and long dark hair and a gently confused smile, Taylor didn’t feel satisfied at all.
She felt as if she was making the mistake of a lifetime.
But there was no way to get out of said mistake gracefully. He’d forever know that he could just snap his fingers and she’d give up everything to be with him, which was exactly what she wanted to do more than anything.
That didn’t seem wise. She’d been so hurt when he’d taken back his marriage proposal.
“I know this is just about the baby, and the ranch,” Taylor said softly. “Trust me, I’m making the best decision for both of us.”
“You let me think for myself, little lady, and I’ll let you think for you.” He tipped his hat again, went over to say goodbye to Mary. Taylor waited, giving the two of them a chance to chat. After a moment, Mary got up, threw her arms around Falcon’s neck. He seemed pleased by the attention.
“Guess what, Taylor?” Mary exclaimed. “Falcon’s agreed to drive us to Florida!”
Taylor’s gaze jumped to Falcon, who shrugged as if he was pure as the driven snow.
“Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Mary put up her chair with a content smile. “I always say three is the perfect number for traveling!”
Taylor had never heard her mother say any such thing. Falcon winked at her, and Taylor was pretty certain he hadn’t heard such a point of view before, either.
This was her mother’s trip. If Mary wanted Falcon along, then fine.
But if her mother was trying to pull a Fiona-style ambush, it wasn’t going to work.
* * *
“T HIS IS SO EXCITING !” Mary said, as Falcon and Taylor took her to the gate at the Houston airport the next day. Falcon had slept in his truck at the state park, and her mother and she slept in the Airstream.
Which apparently had given Falcon time to think of a plan that required just a tweak or two to suit his purposes.
“I said I wanted to see the sky, and this is even better than I hoped!” She leaned up to kiss Falcon on the cheek. “Thank you so much for the airplane ticket. I’ll be sure our rooms at the hotel are just right!”
Falcon smiled, and Taylor shook her head. This was a plan no doubt cooked up between the two of them.
Taylor knew she’d been outmaneuvered, Callahan-style.
She hugged her mother goodbye. “I’ll see you in a couple of days. Enjoy the extra fun time on the beach.”
Her mother gave her a tight squeeze. “I’m going to enjoy every second!”
Taylor smiled. “I thought you said three was the perfect number for traveling.”
“I can count,” Mary said. “You, Falcon and your baby make a perfect three. Toodles!”
Her mother went through Security, beaming, waving goodbye as she went off on her adventure. Taylor turned to Falcon.
He held up his hands in mock surrender. “I had nothing to do with it. She said she felt riding in the truck so far was tough on her, and she was going to buy her own crack-of-dawn ticket.”
Taylor walked out into the bright Texas sunshine. “And the first-class plane ticket, and the fancy hotel rooms? We’d been planning on staying at a state park in the trailer.”
“Well,” Falcon said, and his voice was a tad too innocent, “I had frequent-flier miles and hotel points. Does it matter? Your mother deserves a nice vacation. She’s been through a lot.”
It was so true. Taylor couldn’t argue the point, and secretly thought it was sweet that Falcon would do
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