My. Heart. Actually. Feels.

It actually feels damn good.

Chapter 20

Tenn

“Are you okay?” Casey asks as I pull into the parking lot of The Last Call to drop her off for work. We’re in her Jeep but call it a man thing, I like to have the wheel.

I drive up to the front door and shoot her a sad smile. “Miss her bad already.”

“Me too,” she says, leaning across the console to kiss my cheek.

Zoey’s mom picked her up this morning. We met at the same spot… the Sand Shark… and it just about killed me to say goodbye. Having her with me the last two weeks reminded me of just how much I really need her more in my life. There is no doubt about me relocating to North Carolina. It gets me far from Wyoming and the ranch and puts me right by my daughter. But one thing I’ve come to realize over the last few weeks, I don’t think I’m ready to settle with having Zoey only on weekends, summer breaks, and holidays. I want her full time, and I talked a lot with Zoey the last few weeks. She wants the same, so I’m going to start working to make that happen.

Oddly, I think this might just have something to do with my relationship with Casey. Every day that goes by, I can feel her stepping closer and closer to me. I can feel her fear melting and her trust building. Every day that goes by, I find myself falling more and more in love with her.

And that is one tried and true fact. I fucking love Casey Markham.

I want to make a life with her. I don’t know what that means to her, but to me, it eventually means marriage and children.

Fuck… we’d make some pretty ass babies, for sure.

Six weeks and I’m already in so deep with her that I’m starting to forget what life was like before her. It’s almost like I didn’t exist prior to her.

With the lone exception of Zoey, it’s almost as if my entire world was just waiting for Casey to walk in so that my life would have meaning. So no matter what happens with Nix on this visit, I’ve already decided to buy that garage for sale and start working toward building up this business. I’ve already committed in my mind that I’m not going back to Wyoming, even if Woolf doesn’t decide to step up to the plate. I’m leaving the ranch and my legacy behind so I can start a new life here on the East Coast with the woman I love and will do whatever I need to do to make her mine in all respects.

Slipping my hand behind Casey’s head, I pull her in for a soft kiss. “We’ll be back to pick you up at six.”

“Sounds great,” she says with a sweet smile as she opens the passenger door. “Can’t wait to meet Nix and Emily.”

“Bye, Goldie,” I say as she hops out.

“Bye, hot stuff,” she says with a wink before closing the door. I wait for her to walk inside and then pull out of the parking lot.

I agreed to meet Nix and Emily at the garage as he had texted me that he was in town. They went straight to the beach house where they were staying to unload their stuff, and we decided to meet over at the garage as soon as I dropped Casey off at work. Because the realtor is friends with Casey and knew I just wanted Nix to take a quick look, he was more than happy to give me the key.

It takes me no more than five minutes to get down the highway to the garage. When I pull in, I see a nondescript dark green sedan, figuring that to be Nix’s rental car. They flew into New Bern and then drove the hour and a half here, which was a much easier drive than Raleigh, although the plane schedules were not as frequent.

I pull up beside them and both doors open up. Nix stepping his tall frame out with his eyes immediately roving over the building in interest. Emily hops out and walks up beside him, casually slipping her hand in his. He looks down and gives her a smile that is both loving and reverent at the same time.

Nix is one badass motherfucker. He was with MARSOC in the Marine Corps, which is our line of elite Special Forces. He could snap Emily’s neck with probably just his thumb and forefinger, but the way he looks at her now… big, bad Marine has fallen hard.

I can empathize. I feel the same.

Nix looks back to me as I get out and shut the Jeep door. “Dude,” he says, jerking his chin up.

I walk up to him and hold my fist out, which he promptly bumps with his. “Dude,” I respond.

And just like that, the male-greeting ritual between old friends is complete. I lean down and kiss Emily on the cheek. “Emily… looking beautiful but standing next to his ugly mug, how could you not?”

She slaps my chest and wraps an arm around Nix’s waist. “My man is the most beautiful creature on this earth.

Nix winces and corrects her. “Um… honey, that’s not a very studly way to describe me. Maybe I’m the hottest fucking man in the universe would be more appropriate.”

I snicker and turn toward the side office, wrestling the key into the lock. Nix and Emily follow me in when I open the door. “This was used as an office and it’s big enough we could do that, but it’s also big enough we could put a bike on display in here as well.”

Nix nods as he walks around the space. Emily walks behind the built-in reception desk and says, “I’d move this into the corner to open up the space more.”

“Agreed,” I tell her as I follow Nix over to a side door that leads into the garage area.

When he steps through, he whistles in appreciation. “Whoever had this didn’t fuck around with equipping it.”

“I know,” I say with a small measure of excitement. “And all of it is included in the list price. As far as the engine work, I wouldn’t have to buy much to get it up and running.”

He doesn’t respond but continues to circle the area, running his hand over some of the shelving and tools. Emily also comes in and looks around with a keen eye.

“I’m worried about the location… if we do this,” Nix says as he turns to face me, shoving his hands deep into his jeans pockets. “It’s a small community. Not much visibility. Nothing around for miles. Not much commerce.”

“All true,” I tell him. “But this type of business isn’t going to depend on walk-in traffic. The type of product we’ll sell is custom and pricey. People who buy from us won’t be stumbling in. They’ll find us by word of mouth, website, or referral. This is just a place for me to do the work, and I’ve decided I want to do my work here on this island.”

Nix snorts and gives me a knowing look. “I’m assuming that has something to do with a woman.”

“The woman,” I correct him with a grin.

“Nix said her name is Casey, right?” Emily asks. “So fill us in on the scoop.”

I had told Nix about her briefly when I went up to New Jersey. That was so early on in our relationship, I didn’t have a whole lot to tell other than the fact I’d met a woman who was both amazing and untouchable at the same time.

Nix’s advice?

Keep reaching out. Keep trying to touch. Make her touchable.

It was great fucking great advice and I followed it, but I had not had a chance to update him on everything. Dudes don’t call each other up to talk about our girls, love, and romance. But with Emily here asking, I get a free pass.

“Well, let’s see… she’s gorgeous and sexy. Looks fucking fantastic on the back of my bike. Uncommonly beautiful but completely down to earth. You both are really going to like her. And she’s a bit broken… bad history, but she’s been working to overcome it.”

“Broken how?” Emily asks with sympathy, her eyes warm and limpid.

“Let’s just say a terrible experience with a man that left her… um… a little jaded.”

“And you’ve shown her the light?” Emily asks with a romantic sigh.

“I’ve shown her something,” I say with a mischievous grin. “She’s warming up to me, let’s just say.”

“Well, she has to know what a great catch you are,” Emily says firmly. “Hot dude who is heir to a cattle baron. That’s enough to make any girl swoon.”