56. Chapter Fifty-Six

Chapter Fifty-Six

Nolan — Now

T here was cat hair on my boots.

Cat hair on my sleeve. My hat. My bed. Even my pillow wasn’t safe. Hell, if I shucked off my pants, I bet I’d find a hair or two on my boxers. The point was Genny’s hair was everywhere.

And so were Indy’s curly red strands.

It had been a month since she’d officially moved in. Since she’d put her foot down and told me she wasn’t leaving. I’d recognized the fire in her eyes and knew it didn’t matter what I said. She was staying. I realized in that moment it was okay that I doubted myself. That I was afraid, unsteady. If I’d trusted her that night in the forest a lifetime ago, I could trust her now. Believe her when she told me I could take what I wanted, that I deserved it even. I’d learned long ago a man could only withstand so much until he fell at the mercy of a good woman.

And I’d love to be at Indy’s mercy for the rest of my life.

Hands loose on the steering wheel, I turned into the empty parking lot of Ye Olde Trusty Tavern and parked my truck. I’d barely switched off the engine when my phone vibrated, and I shifted in the front seat to pull it out of my pocket, finding a text from Indy. It was pictures of paint samples. Since moving in, she’d wasted no time turning our house into a home. She’d swapped out dusty curtains with lacy ones. Replaced framed photos with updated pictures and hung colorful flower boxes from every window. Painted peaches on our bathroom walls. There was an ungodly number of fluffy pillows on our bed, but I loved the sight of her plopping down on them too much to care.

And with every update and ray of life she brought into our house, I could feel the shift within me too. I still had hard days. Days when, despite my antidepressant, I questioned myself. Second-guessed my worth and if I deserved happiness. But as I made those changes in our home, planting flowers and painting peaches beside Indy, I understood I was capable of good, even when I was battling my mind.

Before I could text her and ask what we were painting, she sent another. Let’s go to North Carolina . Attached was a photo of a sandy beach. Grinning, I shook my head. At least once a week she had a new idea. Last week it had been deep sea fishing in Alaska. I’d replied with a link with flights, to which she’d replied she’d changed her mind after remembering she didn’t like fish. I had no idea if Indy wanted to move to North Carolina or if she just wanted a little vacation there, but I texted, Start planning. I’ll be home soon .

With that, I tossed my phone on the dash and climbed out of my truck, facing Ye Olde Trusty Tavern one last time before the new owner took over. After donating the money Dad had left me to the school’s athletic program, I’d backed out of buying the bar. I could’ve asked the bank for a higher loan, and Indy had even tried giving me her half of the money from our deal, but I’d moved on. I was okay letting the bar go.

I had something better to hold on to.

Heath hadn’t seemed annoyed I’d backed out and moved on to the next buyer without a second thought. I wasn’t surprised; he’d always voiced his displeasure with me buying it.

But when he’d called this morning and asked me to stop by, wanting to introduce the new owner to the other local business owners, I hadn’t told him no .

Opening the door, I stepped inside, surprised to find it empty. The barstools were gone, the pool tables too. There were no pictures on the wall, and the liquor cabinets behind the bar counter were barren.

Heath stepped out of the back storage room. “It’s about time. Thought you were standing me up.”

I snorted, shaking his hand. “I like you, Heath. But I wasn’t about to skip out on Sunday breakfast with Indy. I value my life too much.”

“Smart man.” He chuckled, his gaze flickering to the gold band on my finger. It was my wedding ring from before. We’d put them on a month ago, right after throwing our divorce papers in the trash. “I once told you that you’d stand in my bar and tell me your biggest dreams came true. I’m glad to hear that’s the case. I’m proud of you, Nolan... and I know your dad is too.”

I froze, caught off guard by his words. Back in the day, Heath had been one of my biggest supporters. One year, he’d purchased us new uniforms, and after well-earned wins, he’d host a cookout for the team in his parking lot. He’d always believed I’d make it big. I’d just assumed I’d disappointed him when I didn’t.

But there was unmistakable pride in his gaze.

And I imagined wherever Dad was... he wore the same look in his eyes. He was proud of me. But he’d been proud of me before today. Loved me on my worst and best days. And I was so lucky and grateful to be his son.

“Yeah.” I tucked my hands in my pockets. “I’m glad it worked out the way it did too.”

He glanced at his watch. “Sorry to keep you waiting. The new owner was supposed to be here by now.”

I shrugged, not in a rush. When I’d left the house, Indy was going out to our garden. I imagined she’d still be there when I got back, so I planned to spend the afternoon in my shed working. “Any plans for retirement?”

“Yeah, I’m thinking of—”

The front door swung open and smacked against the wall, and I spun on my heel to see the commotion. “Ah, shoot.” Indy closed the door and knelt, examining the new hole in the wall. “Heath, can you fix that, or do I have to?”

“You bought it. You fix it. ”

I glanced at Heath, not understanding his words or why he was grinning. Nor did I understand when Indy said, “Actually, it might work. If I just make it a little bigger, Nolan can hide behind it and sell his carvings.”

She laughed, giving me no explanation as to what was going on. Her hair was down, wild curls cascading down her back, and her dark jeans had yellow flowers painted on them. “Sorry I’m late.” Her voice was breathless. “I had to run all the way here.”

I furrowed my brows, confused. Before I could ask why she hadn’t driven, she gave me a sheepish look. “I locked the keys in my car again.”

I laughed, shaking my head. This was the fourth time since she’d gotten it. “I’m beginning to think you just like running everywhere.”

“At least she’s wearing shoes,” Heath teased from behind me.

Indy rolled her eyes with a smile and sauntered toward us, giving him a hug before slipping her hand into mine. “So, what do you think?” she asked as he patted my shoulder and walked away, the back door sounding shut behind him.

I raised a brow. “About?”

“The building.”

“Well, there’s a hole in the wall—”

She slugged my arm, and I laughed, catching her hands before she could do it again. I maneuvered them behind her and guided her backward, stopping when her back was pressed against the bar counter. She was giggling, not bothered in the slightest when I leaned over her, my hold loose on her wrists. “What’s going on, peaches?”

She smiled. She knew it didn’t matter if I had her trapped—I was wrapped around her finger. “I’d like to make a deal with you.”

I smirked, thinking about how well our last deal went. “Let’s hear it.”

Her chest rose with a quiet breath. “Heath sold me the building.”

I’d assumed as much from what she’d said to Heath when she arrived. What I didn’t understand was why. “You used your half of the money Dad left?” She nodded, and my throat swelled. “Please tell me you didn’t buy it for me—”

“I bought it for us.” The determination in her voice was enough to close my mouth. She slipped her wrists out of my hold and wrapped her hands with mine, bringing them to our sides. “I know I promised I’d use it for me . . . but honestly, all I could think of doing with it was putting it in savings or toward my student loans.” That didn’t shock me. Indy had never cared about money—even when I’d told her I’d split the money with her, she hadn’t seemed overly enticed. “Yeah, it would’ve been the smart thing to do, but I don’t want to play it safe. I want to take risks. In a way, it feels like your dad left this money for us . . . and I’d rather do something together.”

My chest tightened, gratitude pulsing through me. She was the most considerate person I knew, and I was so grateful Dad had stolen our divorce papers and saved me from myself. Without him, I wouldn’t have fought my way back to Indy. She was the type of love you fought for.

I pressed my lips to the top of her head, breathing her in. “I’m in. Let’s do it.”

“Yeah?” She smiled wide, beaming. “I don’t have any set plans yet. I was thinking we could keep it similar to how it is now, but instead of a bar we could turn it into a soda shop or something. We could get a few more pool tables. And of course there’d be dancing. Hell, maybe we could do karaoke nights.” Fingers holding mine, she led us away from the counter and glanced around the empty bar room, as though she was envisioning what could take place. “But then I sort of like the idea of starting something completely new—like a flower shop. It would be a lot of work, but I think it would make me happy. And you could sell your carvings here too. Maybe we could host gardening or woodworking classes?” she said, seeming to think through her thoughts aloud. “Or we could get really wacky and teach yoga here. Minus the goats.”

Chuckling, I tipped my chin in agreement to whatever she ultimately decided. I’d do anything she wanted. If she asked me to move across the country tomorrow, I’d make it happen. I didn’t care where we were or what we were doing if it was with her. I was so grateful to see her dreaming again, to see her imaging a life she wanted to live . But for the time being, living in Wallowpine and running Dad’s shop while planning the rest of our lives together sounded pretty good .

I could already see the dreams taking form in those warm brown eyes. I couldn’t wait to hear what she had planned for us. What she wanted to transform the bar into. But first things first.

My lips twitched. “I’d need something in return though.”

“I already agreed to getting another cat.”

I laughed and leaned down, pressing my forehead to hers. “You owe me a dance, Indy.”

Heat crawled up her neck, her lips parting. I couldn’t help but think of our time in New York, when I’d begged for one last dance. I’d been frantic, desperate. And she’d been determined to not give in. But all of that fear and hesitation between us was gone, replaced with a calm confidence.

With a coy look in her eye, Indy hopped on the counter and connected her phone to the speakers. She climbed off the bar counter and stood before me, the sound of a guitar beginning to play through the building. I curled my hand around her hip, pulling her against me. She raised our joined hands to our side, placing her other atop my shoulder. I brushed my lips across her temple and whispered, “I love you.”

She smiled, and as “Hardwood Floors” by Charles Wesley Godwin played on the speakers, we stepped into the song. Her eyes on me, we moved across the floor in a two-step, finding our rhythm again. Quick, quick. Slow, slow. We stepped together, again and again. The song sped up, and as Indy’s smile grew, I could sense she was wanting more. Pulling her in, I spun her toward me, her back brushing my chest. I dropped my hand from her hip, and pride pulsed through me as her hand automatically found mine. Still moving, I guided her to walk beside me before I dropped one hand and spun her out, holding the other. Her hand was behind her back, finding mine as I turned toward her and rotated her around my back.

I spun her again and again, and each time, we’d find our way together, our hold never breaking. Following the beat, I swung her body away from mine before bringing her back in. Hooking my arm around her waist, I leaned forward, smiling to myself at the ease in her frame as I lifted her and dipped her over my thigh. She kicked her legs up, one curled in and the other extended to the sky. Her hair was wild, pooling against the floor as I held her there before pulling her up and setting her feet on the floor. Her body was pliant and easy in my hands, moving exactly where I led her. Her cheeks were flushed, her smile wide, and there was so much damn life in her eyes, it was obvious who was leading who.

And I’d follow her anywhere.