Danica Favorite - The Cowboy's Faith

He knew the but was coming even before the expression hit her face and the words left her mouth.

“But that’s all I want from you. I got the answers I needed. You don’t owe me anything else. So please stop trying to be my friend and asking me questions beyond what you need to know to do your job.”

Nicole’s brow furrowed, like she realized that she’d been a little too harsh with him.

“It’s just too confusing for me right now to talk about personal things,” she finally said. “I don’t like this angry version of myself, but when I’m around you, I can’t help it. I let my guard down, and then I remember that I’m still mad at you, even though I’m trying to get past it. The emotions that take over are hard for me to handle. I’m sorry.”

Her admission made him realize that maybe he’d been pushing her too hard. All this time, his need for her to forgive him was all about him making things right. Even though he’d assumed that the right thing for Nicole was to let go of the past, he hadn’t taken the time to understand her actual needs. He’d assumed a lot on her behalf, starting with when he’d decided to keep Adriana’s secret from her, continuing to now.

“It’s okay,” Fernando said. “I know I’ve been pushing you hard. You’ve been asking me for space, and I haven’t given it to you. I’m sorry. I’ll do better in the future.”

She nodded slowly, and he could see her posture relax slightly.

He gestured to the barn they’d stopped in front of. “Do you want to tell me about your plans for this? I assume it was used to store hay and other equipment in the past, but it looks like it’s in need of a lot of TLC.”

The rest of her resistance melted away as she led him to the entrance. “Shane says the bones are still strong, but it does need a lot of repairs. My sisters and I were thinking we could use it as an event center, like for destination weddings or something. Ricky, our neighbor at the Double R, has a dude ranch, but he doesn’t have a facility his guests can use for their events. This would help both of our businesses grow.”

As Nicole explained their plans for the barn, Fernando could see where, of all the projects, this would be the one that would provide the best long-term benefit.

“I like your plans a lot,” Fernando said when she finally finished. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a better look at everything and I’ll come up with a list. Then you and your sisters can tell me what your priorities are and where you can best use me.”

The look she gave him was less grudging than she’d been with him in the past. Even though they’d been in two totally different situations, he could almost relate. Until this point, he’d taken the control of their relationship away from her. He’d kept valuable information about her fiancé and best friend from her. He’d continued contacting her when she’d asked him to give her space. He’d forced her hand with Snookie. Now, she had a choice.

Whatever she decided, Fernando was going to respect it.

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