“Why not?”

“How many reasons do you need?” She inched away from him, scooted higher on the pillows and pushed her hair back from her face again.

“Come for a week, Belle.” He talked fast, knowing he had to drive his point home and make it count. “Come home with me. Let me show Caroline where I live, let her see some of Texas.”

“I can’t just pick up and go, Wes.”

She wasn’t saying no outright, so that gave him some wiggle room. He’d take it. “Give me a reason why not. One good one. We’ll start there.”

“Caro’s school.”

He almost laughed. “Pre-K, Belle,” he said, shaking his...