Page 65 of Fall or Nothing

TWENTY-TWO

Loved

CARTER

By the timeI parked behind Wylde West Outfitters, it was late. The lights were on in the apartment upstairs. I grabbed the bags of food I’d just purchased from the grocery store and took the stairs two at a time , heart pounding. This had to work.

I knocked and leaned against the door frame, ready to charm Sage with all I had.

Ivy answered.

I straightened. She glanced down at the bags and then at my boots.

“Carter? What are you doing here?”

“Look, I know what everyone must think of me. But if I could just talk with Sage, I have to make her see what she means to me.”

“Which is?”

“The world. She’s everything. I even renounced my inheritance to prove it. Where is she? Sage?” I called out, peering around Ivy.

“She’s not here. Carter. We all pitched in and bought her a ticket to New York to seeyou.”

My shoulders dropped, along with my heart and the bags of groceries too. Food spilled out of them all over the floor.

“I don’t understand. Why?”

“Because she loves you. She spent the past few days in tears over you, swearing she had made a mistake pushing you away. She convinced us she knew your heart, even if the name had changed. So we took up a collection from around town, at the Copper Cup, and even the guys at the ranch. We scraped together enough to send her on a flight to see you and talk with you, and that flight should have landed…” she glanced at her phone, “like two hours ago.”

I groaned, a hand brushing down my face. “Oh my God. Our flights crossed each other in the air. Do you have her number? I need to reach her.”

“Yes. And for what it’s worth, I know there is something special between you two. I really hope you both can figure it out because I hate to see my sister hurt.”

“Believe me, I know. You already proved how much you’ll protect her heart. Seeing how hurt she was when she heard about me killed me when I left. I won’t be doing that again. But do you really think she’ll have me back?”

“She left the only home she knew and went to New York City, didn’t she?”

“That’s all I need to know.”

A minute later, Ivy had given me Sage’s number and left me in the apartment for privacy. I put the groceries away, but all the ingredients for my Bolognese would have to wait.

I dialed. It rang three times and went to voicemail. She probably didn’t recognize my number.

When the beep came, I said, “Sage, sweetheart, it’s me. Carter—Carter James.YourCarter, if you’ll have me. But guess what? You won’t find me in New York, because I’m here in Montana, at your apartment. Ivy was here and explained everything. God, I need to see you. Look, head back to the airport and go to the private jet terminal. I’ll arrange for you to take the Magnus jet back here where I’ll be waiting on the tarmac for you. Sage… one more thing. I… I love you.”

I clicked off and released a shaky breath.

I was in love.

Then I quickly texted the Magnus jet crew the instructions for the flight. Now, this was worth every dollar to pay for her to get back to me as soon as possible. I’d just finished the arrangements when Sage called back.

“Carter?” Her voice came through, small, maybe sad. “I’m standing in front of your building. You live on the top floor the doorman told me.”

“But I’m here, baby. I flew to Montana today to get on my knees, grovel, whatever I needed to do to get you back in my arms.”

She sniffled, definitely crying. If only I could catch every tear. “I flew to New York to see you and talk with you and convince you to come back because I think you belong in Montana with me.”

“No convincing needed. I love you, Sage.”