“I don’t know how I’ll actually manage it,” I say. “Maybe I’ll do it; maybe Dad will. I’d prefer it if you did it, since you run it now, but that’s up to you.”

“Cole . . . ,” she says warily.

I force a swallow as my face heats. “You should know that I intend on buying it in a trust.”

“Okay. Why do I care?” she says, still unable to process what I’m saying.

“Because I want the beneficiary to be Ethan. When he’s old enough, of course.”

Her eyes bug out. “What? You . . . you want to give this place to Ethan? Why? Why would you do that, Cole?” Her hands go to her hips. “What is going on here? You’re starting to freak me out.”

My heart pounds in my chest as I prepare to be the most vulnerable that I’ve never been with a person in my entire life.

What if she refuses to hear me out? What if she does listen to what I have to say and decides that I was right—she doesn’t want anything to do with me? What if she feels like she can’t take on caring for anyone else anymore?

I run my palms down my jeans.

“When I came to your house the other day,” I say, starting slowly, “I came with the intention of telling you that I wanted to try things with you. I wanted a real relationship with you.”

She looks at me with disbelief.

I continue on before she can say anything.

“I’d called Scott, my agent, and told him to turn down all of the offers that I’d received. I had a real estate agent come to look at my house in San Diego to put it on the market.”

“Why?”

“Because I was going to move here.”

Her bottom lip quivers. “Why?”

I take a deep breath. “I’ve never seen my parents so happy. They love it here, and you know what? I miss them. They’re getting older, and it’s my turn to be there for them. I didn’t even really realize that until I came here.”

She nods like that makes sense.

“Then I coached the boys,” I say, smiling. “I love watching them and interacting with them and the way they all relate in a small-town kind of way that I’ve never seen before. And I want to be a part of that.”

“Small towns are nice,” she says, watching me out of the corner of her eye.

“And then I fell in love with you. And I fell in love with that little boy of yours.” I smile at the way her shoulders slump in what I think is relief. “I just wanted to be with you. I want to share the home you’ve built. I want to build a life with you, Palmer.”