Savage Cowboy (Whiskey Valley: Bryant Brothers)

I nod my head and decide that the best way to get this over and done with is to just get it out.

"Sir, I'm here to talk to you about your daughter."

Mr. McCoy flies down the steps and doesn't stop until he's right next to me. We're the same height, but he presses his barrel chest to mine. "What about my daughter? Is she okay?"

I take a step back. "Yes, she's fine. What I came to talk to you about is to tell you that I love her and I would like to date her and eventually marry her."

He looks at me in shock, but he recovers quickly and then starts to laugh. "You love her?"

I nod and look him right in the eye. "Yes, sir. I love her."

He looks at me shrewdly. "How long has this been going on?"

I want to be as truthful as I can with him, so I tell him honestly, "We've been seeing each other for a few weeks, sir."

He blurts out, "A few weeks. You don't love somebody after a few weeks."

I cross my arms over my chest. "Sir, I knew I loved her the minute I laid eyes on her."

He shakes his head. "So not only are you a Bryant, but you're also way too old her."

I feel as if I'm starting to lose control of the conversation. "Your daughter doesn't care how old I am or what my last name is."

Mr. McCoy settles himself on the second step and then points next to him. "Have a seat, young man."

I sit down next to him, and he turns to look at me. "If you love my daughter like you say you do, then you'll stay away from her."

I start to interrupt him and tell him that's not possible, but he holds his hand up. "I don't know how well you know Amanda, but you should probably know that she hates ranch life. She couldn't wait to leave here. Why else do you think I would let her move into town? She was miserable on the ranch. That's why I talked her into doing the bookstore and the apartment in town. She wouldn't be happy with a rancher."

Stunned, I look at him open-mouthed. I have to admit, I was surprised when I found out that she had moved off the ranch, but I never thought too much about it. Could it be true that she really does hate ranch life? “I'll quit then," I tell him stubbornly.

Mr. McCoy laughs like it's funny. "You're a Bryant. Ranching is in your blood. Besides, what else you going to do? You going to help my daughter run her little bookstore? I'm telling you, if you love her at all, you'll let her go because a life with you will slowly kill her. She doesn't deserve that."

Speechless, I just stare at him, and then he nods his head. "Obviously you don't know as much about my daughter as you think you do. Why don't you have this conversation with her and then come see me? And like I said, if you really do love her, you won't subject her to this."

I stand up from the step and tell him goodbye as I stumble my way back to my truck. It's early, and I drive into town and sit parked right in front of the bookstore. I watch for at least an hour before the store opens, and as soon as she flips on the open light, I get out of the truck and barrel inside.

As soon as she spots me, she runs toward me and hugs me. She goes on her tiptoes to kiss me, and I can't refrain from kissing her back. I push her an arm’s distance away and search her face. She looks so happy now, but could it all be just a farce? I grip her upper arms. "Tell me why you moved into town into your apartment."

She shakes her head in confusion. "I told you why. It was my dream to own a bookstore."

I shake my head. "What about your father's ranch? Have you ever thought about...?"

Before I can ask her if she would ever consider moving to another ranch, she interrupts me. "Never. I'm never going back. I hated it there."

Sadness fills her face, and right then, the truth is in front of me. Everything her dad said was true, and I don't see how I can subject her to it. Yeah, she may be happy for a time, but eventually she would be miserable. And what could I do? Mr. McCoy was right. Ranching is in my blood. I can't just sponge off of her for the rest of our lives. What kind of man would I be? I release her and take a step back. It's the hardest step I've ever had to take in my life.