Irritation flared.
“Isn’t that how we got here in the first place? You making all the choices?” She’d had days to think about what had happened between them and she still felt frustrated. Resentful. “I understand you didn’t mean to undermine me by going directly to my sister, Drake. But that’s how it felt to me. And I’m extremely sensitive to that after the way my father played god with his financial power.”
“I overstepped,” he acknowledged, his expression disconsolate. “I took it for granted that you would want help, and I thought I was helping. In hindsight, I can see that I had no business assuming that. But I’ve accomplished a lot charging ahead without asking anyone’s permission, and I failed to notice that it hurts people I care about.”
“People?” Curiosity prompted her to ask.
Especially now that she noticed the violet shadows under his eyes. Almost as if he’d lost as much sleep this week as she had.
“You. And Colin, too.” He flicked open the button on his tuxedo jacket before dipping a finger into his bow tie and loosening that as well. “We spoke just now, and I realized that what I perceived as being protective has been viewed as domineering to those around me.”
Her heart softened a fraction at the despairing note in his voice.
“Colin said that?” She found her thoughts returning to the time she’d spent with him. They’d always been friends, their interactions easy and fun, unlike the way she and Drake had sparked friction.
Those weeks she and Colin had dated, she remembered him complaining that Drake was hard to live with, his expectations too high for anyone to meet. At the time, she’d thought she’d understood since she had her own strained relationships with Lark and Jessamyn. But maybe the fractures had gone deeper between the brothers.
“Apparently, he left for Montana because of it.” His dark eyes met hers. “Or at least, that was one of his reasons. But it made me realize that I don’t want to be that man who thinks he knows best. I didn’t see the damage I was doing by getting involved in your business, Fleur, but I can change.”
There was an earnestness in his voice, a depth of concern that she hadn’t heard before.
It awakened her empathy. Her hope.
“Anyone canchange,” she agreed, her heart hammering so loudly it was all she heard. “If they want to. If it really means something to them.”
How many times had she thought that about her family? All the Barclays had laughed at her attempts at peacekeeping in their dysfunctional clan, but she was still idealistic enough to believe people could change if they cared enough to try. Her failures hadn’t taken that away from her.
And this was the first time anyone she’d loved had suggested they wanted to change.
“Fleur.” Drake moved closer to her now, his dark cowboy boots covering the steps between them so that he stood before her. He lifted one of her hands and held it between both of his. “I love you. And I can’t think of any more compelling reason in the world to change than for love.”
The warmth of his touch anchored her as her heart soared on those words. Because coming from Drake Alexander, she knew it wasn’t merely a phrase to toss out lightly. She’d seen firsthand how he kept his pledges to his parents.
Her chest expanded, a joy exploding inside it like the fireworks she’d seen through the kitchen window. Yet before she could speak, he continued.
“I know that I don’t deserve you. Not yet.” His dark eyes were serious. Somber. He squeezed her hands lightly, his voice lowering. “But if you’ll give me a chance, I am confident that I can show you that you mean everything in the world to me.”
Something shifted inside her, a new tenderness opening wide that gave her a different perspective of him. No doubt he was a man of strong principle and fierce loyalty. And now, he wanted to envelop her in all of those deep feelings.
A relationship with Drake promised her a depth of love—and passion—unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.
“I love you, too, Drake. So much.” She spoke the words aloud that had been circling around her thoughts every hour since they’d been together last, and it felt beautiful to share.
He crushed her to him, holding her tightly. And she knew without question that he’d been as frantically worried about losing her as she’d been about him. She understand that desperate hug because it echoed everything inside her. She sighed into him.
And it felt like coming home.
“I will always want to fix everything I can for you,” he spoke the words through her hair, kissing her in between words. “But you can tell me when I can’t, and I promise that I will listen.”
The last of her worries fell away, her heart full and so very happy. A smile curved her lips, the rightness of the moment filling her whole being.
“I will hold you to that,” she told him simply, leaning back to look him in the eyes, this proud, hardworking rancher that she loved.
And he stared at her like she’d solved all his problems. His eyes held a wealth of tenderness, and she wanted to melt right into it.
“I’m going to do everything I can to make you happy, you know.” He stroked his hand over her cheek, slowing the touch so he could trace her lips with his thumb.
Her knees went weak from just that caress.