27. Hadley

27

HADLEY

H adley grabbed the last bag from Gage's truck and hefted it onto her shoulder. Knowing she still couldn't lift boxes, they'd made a plan to use more bags while packing Gage's things.

She walked back up the porch steps to Travis's place. It was a small, two-bedroom house just inside the town limits, and the inside was plenty big enough for the two men.

She hadn't seen Gage's place until today, and while it was clean and nice on the inside, it was hidden deep in the dark woods on the outskirts. No neighbors, no frills, no light.

Her place in Tennessee hadn't been anything to write home about, but ever since she moved to the ranch, she was constantly struck by the endless beauty just outside her door .

Maybe Gage would notice that here too, now that he was out of the shadow of his family.

Dawson appeared in the doorway. "What's left?"

"This is it," Hadley said, pointing to the last bag.

Dawson took it from her and moved to the side so she could enter. A few boxes were stacked outside Gage's new bedroom, but the rest of the place was in order. It was as basic as a bachelor pad was expected to be. No couch pillows, no pictures hanging on the walls, and no ornate furniture.

"This is the last of it," Dawson announced as he tossed the duffel bag onto the bed in Gage's room.

Gage pulled his cap off and pushed a hand through his short hair before putting the cap back on. "Thanks for all the help."

Brett stood from where he'd been cutting boxes open with a pocketknife. "I only accept cash payments."

"You're not getting paid," Gage said as he slapped a heavy hand on Brett's back.

"Fine. I'll take an IOU, but I expect you to at least buy me dinner one day this week."

Gage rolled his eyes. "Go home. You're drunk."

Brett stretched his arms above his head. "I'll go home but only because I want to. Not because you told me to."

"Whatever gets you out of here."

Dawson looked at his watch. "I'm gonna run. I think I can still meet Olivia for supper. "

Travis pulled out his phone. "Looks like it's just us three. Want me to grab a pizza so we can keep working?"

Gage looked at Hadley and lifted his brows. "You okay with pizza?"

"Yep. I'm okay with whatever kind y'all want."

Travis chuckled. "Y'all. I love it when you get Southern."

"Get used to it. You might be seeing a lot of me."

"We might be close to town, but we still don't get delivery out here. I'll call it in and go pick it up," Travis said.

Brett and Dawson waved their goodbyes as they headed out, and Travis called in the pizza order.

Gage leaned in to whisper while Travis was on the phone. "Thanks for your help today, but you don't have to do anything else."

"I'm fine. My shoulder hasn't hurt at all today."

Gage rubbed the back of his neck. "Really, you don't have to stay."

Hadley narrowed her eyes at him. What was he getting at? If he wanted her gone, he could just say so. The dismissal cut like a knife in her chest. He was pulling away, and there wasn't anything she could do to stop it.

Travis turned around and grabbed his keys from a table by the door. "I'll be back in about forty minutes. Call if you need anything from town, and I can stop and pick it up. "

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it."

Sounded like he appreciated everyone's company but hers. The fragile threads of their connection were unraveling.

As soon as Travis closed the door behind him, the entire house fell into a thick silence.

Hadley straightened her shoulders, bracing herself for the blows headed her way. "What's wrong?"

Gage averted his gaze and crossed his arms over his chest. "Nothing is wrong."

"That's a lie. I don't know why you're pushing me away, but I'm not going to force myself into your life if you don't want me here. If you want to break things off, just say so, though I'd love an explanation."

Gage sucked in a breath and lowered his arms. "It's not that I don't want you here."

"Then what is it?" Her heart rate spiked, leaving her lungs working overtime to suck in enough air.

Gage sighed and looked off to the side. He was really considering his words. He was probably trying to think of a way to let her down gently.

Nothing about this was gentle. Her chest ached, and the slowly built trust between them was crumbling under the weight.

He finally met her gaze and said, "It's not that I don't want to be with you. It's that I don't think you should be with me. "

Hadley's eyes widened. "Did you just use the ‘It's not you, it's me' line?"

"No. That's not what I'm saying…. Well, maybe it is."

"And why exactly should I not be with you?" Yes, she was going to go down with this ship. If he was going to break up with her, he was going to have to be a man and use his words.

Gage ripped his hat off his head and threw his hands out to his sides. "How are you still here? I keep waiting for you to get a clue and leave, but you're still here."

Hadley's jaw dropped. So much for thinking he was trying to spare her feelings. This was more than she'd bargained for.

But she'd made this bed. Now she'd have to lie in it.

Her nose tingled until the stinging settled behind her eyes. She would not cry. Absolutely not.

She sniffed and raised her chin. "I won't bother you anymore."

At least her voice didn't shake. She couldn't take it if he felt sorry for her right now. He hadn't cared one bit about hurting her feelings, but she wouldn't let him see how much damage he'd done.

He hadn't really done anything. The cracks were always there. He'd just broken them open again.

She turned to leave, eager to hide from the embarrassment, when Gage's hand wrapped around her arm. She jerked against the hold, and he let go immediately.

"Wait. Please. I'm sorry. This isn't coming out right. I don't want you to leave."

She whipped around to face him with her jaw set. How dare he try to take back what he'd just said. Couldn't he let her escape without a fuss? "Excuse me?"

"Hadley, you have a hold on me that I can't explain or understand, and it scares me to death."

He rubbed a hand down his face and sighed. There was a look of pure sadness on his face that had her swallowing back the lump creeping up her throat.

Was he hurting her? Or was he the one hurting?

He reached for her hand and linked his fingers with hers, but he didn't look up. "I've tasted pure happiness for the first time in my life, and I'm afraid I'll lose you. This is proof that I'm bound to mess this up. You're already halfway out the door because I said something wrong."

Gage was right. She knew what it was like to get confused by feelings and read too much into words. The least she could do would be to give him time to speak his piece.

She'd asked him to, after all.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"No, I'm sorry. I just get caught up in my head. I don't know how to be a good boyfriend to you. "

Hadley's mouth was bone dry, and she took a few seconds to weigh her words. He didn't understand the connection building between them, and how could she blame him? She barely knew how to define it herself.

Wasn't she currently wrestling with doubts? No wonder he was too. This was new for both of them.

She took a step toward him and steeled her spine. "I'm not trying to leave."

Gage released her hand and wrapped his arms around her. She rested her head against his chest until she heard his heart beating a quick rhythm just beneath his skin. She gave up trying to suppress her emotions and let a silent tear sneak free. His shirt soaked it up immediately, erasing all evidence.

"I'm not good at this," he whispered.

"That makes two of us. I get it. The doubts are really loud some days, but I'm proud of all you've done. You're making good decisions and turning things around. That takes guts."

He rested his cheek on the top of her head. "I'm going to mess this up. I don't know what I'm doing."

She chuckled. "Welcome to the club. I haven't exactly done this before either."

Gage leaned back and framed her face with his big hands. Holding her gently, he brushed his thumbs over her cheeks. "You're my sunshine. All my days are dark without you. "

Hadley bit her lips between her teeth. "You don't need me. You're doing great."

"I want you. I want you with me all the time. Please be patient with me."

"As long as you're patient with me."

Gage scoffed. "You're perfect."

"I'm not perfect. Far from it. We're growing and taking chances in our own way, and we're doing it together. We got this. I'm not going anywhere."

Gage let out a relieved breath and tilted her chin up. He lowered his head until his lips were inches from hers. Brushing his nose along the side of hers, he closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. "I don't deserve you."

Hadley lifted up onto her toes and closed the distance between them. Pressing her mouth hard against his, she let him fill her lungs like the air she needed.

Gage took control of the kiss, moving slow and pressing his lips hard against hers. Every movement was carefully controlled but desperate. Soon, the urgency released, and every brush of his mouth was soft and comforting–a promise to adore and cherish her.

They could do this. They just had to keep listening to each other.

Gage released the kiss and let his hands fall from her face to her waist. Wrapping her in a warm embrace, he whispered against her hair, "Can we stay like this until Travis gets back?"

"I have no objections to that. Promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"Promise me you'll be honest with me. When something is bothering you, just tell me. I'll try my best to listen and understand."

Gage nodded, rubbing his bearded cheek against her hair. "I promise."

That was all she could ask for and all she wanted. They could work through anything, as long as they did it together.