She sat back like she was just going to casually peruse the texts before her green eyes went wide. “Nope. Wait. I stand corrected. Not boiling. Scalding. Holy crap, Dakota.”
She turned the screen toward me and pointed at it.
Groaning, I buried my face in my hands.
“Tell me you two did the dirty deed. Emphasis on the dirty.”
At her prodding, I dropped my hands and glanced around the restaurant, ensuring we were out of earshot of anyone around us. My staff was busy, and the customers seemed satisfied and well taken care of, so I edged forward, feeling a sudden rush of gratitude for Paisley.
That she just knew and was always there for me when I needed her, showing up before I even realized how badly I did.
“We did. So many times, I’ve already lost count,” I admitted below my breath.
Except every one of them was scored inside me. Memories I would forever cling to as the best of my life.
She squealed, and I shot her a look to be quiet.
“Right, right,” she whispered, glee lighting all over her face. “But how in the world do you expect me to stay quiet when my bestie finally got herself some of the good D?” She gripped the edge of the counter. “Tell me it was good. This is Ryder Nash we’re talking about. I mean, those hands.”
Tipping her head back, she issued a greedy groan toward the ceiling.
“If I didn’t know you better, I’d tell you to keep yours off my man.” It was purely a tease.
One that sent that glee striking like a sun flare. “Your man?” she challenged.
All those emotions rushed me at once, and a shudder rocked me through, my tongue growing thick as I whispered, “He told me he’s in love with me.”
Paisley was suddenly holding both my hands from over the top of the counter, leaning my direction as she squeezed. “Of course, he’s in love with you, Dakota. If I had to make bets about it, I’d say he’s been for a long, long time.”
My nod was erratic. “He keeps confessing all these things. About how he’s been since he was twenty-two, but he didn’t think he was good enough. How could he ever think that?”
“I think both of you have walked around for far too long thinking you weren’t good enough for the other while it was plainly obvious to the rest of us that you were meant to be together. But sometimes the heart has to take its time to figure out what that means.”
I warred, usure of what to admit. “He said we have to keep it between us for now. There’s something going on in his life that he’s afraid of. What’s held him back all this time.”
A frown marred her brow, and she squeezed my hands tighter. “Is he in trouble?”
Worry bottled at the base of my throat. “Maybe. I don’t know. He just said he needs to take care of something in his life before we can tell anyone.”
Paisley scowled, not liking the sounds of it. “If that’s a woman he needs to cut loose before then, I will literally chop off his dick and cram it down his throat. I don’t even care how good it is.”
My head shook, and I blinked through everything he’d told me. “No…I don’t think it’s that.”
Her frown deepened. “Do you trust him?”
I didn’t have to search too deep inside myself for the answer. “I do.”
“And you love him back?”
“So much.”
“Then you hold onto that. But just…” Her frown deepened more. “Be careful, okay?”
Unease quivered through me at her statement. It reminded me too much of the warning my mother had given.
Before I had time to answer, she smirked. “And enjoy that D. Based on this…” She glanced down at the phone she’d set on the counter. “…I’d say you are.”
“That is a very safe assumption.”
She giggled and squeezed my hands again. “I’m so happy for you, Dakota.”
“I’m happy, too.”
“Then that’s all that matters.”
Moisture stung my eyes, and I wiped at it and inhaled the emotion down and straightened. “Okay, enough about me. We need to make some final decisions about this party. I’ve worked up a sample menu, and I’d like to come by the ranch to check out the area you want to set up in so we can figure out what we have space for and what we need to order.”
“That would be great.”
“I’m off Saturday, so I thought I’d swing by then.”
“But that’s your day off.”