"So I guess breaking the news to everyone in Texas wasn't such a great idea, after all."
"Riley will get over it."
"Riley's not really my biggest problem right now." Her brows furrowed in offense-what could be a bigger problem than Riley? He sighed, sliding down on a nearby hay stack. "I don't even know if I'm moving back yet, ya know?"
"Well, do you want to? I mean you know what they say: home is where the cows are," she drawled, falling beside him.
He smiled despite himself. "I don't know. What do you think?"
What did she think? "I think Riley wants you to stay, so you should stay."
"I'm not asking for Riley; I'm asking for me. As my friend, do you think I should pack up all my stuff and move back here? Or do you think I should stay in New York?"
The question hit deeper than she would've expected. Of course she didn't want him to go. How boring would New York be without the infamous Ranger Rick to tease? And yet... "I think-" and she thought of teary-eyed Riley storming out seconds ago, of Janitor Harley once saying there are always two doors, of how she always seemed to pick the wrong one-and she was really the last person Lucas Friar should be asking for advice-she thought of the Renaissance, of keeping the things that are important to you. "I think if moving back here makes you happy, that's what you should do."
"Wow. Thank you, Maya."
"For what?"
"For wanting me to be happy."
Her smile fell; the moment shattered. "I mean-I don't actively want you to be happy-"
"You just said-!"
"I mean if going to Texas makes you happy that's great and all-what do I care-"
"You care about me!"
"Well you started it!"
"You think I deserve to be happy."
Oh, no. "You wanna know what I think of you, cowboy?"
"Oh, no."
"Ha hurr!" Her eyes slid shut as she got in his face, and the last of the "hurr" was cut off as he closed his mouth over hers. He felt her lips press against his one moment and disappear the next.
And then all hell broke loose.
"What did you do that for?"
His eyes snapped open. "I-don't know."
"You don't know why you kissed me?"
"I shouldn't have! Maya, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you." The scowl on her face fell into a pout; for maybe the first time in her life she found herself at a loss for words. He seemed to share the feeling-until realization sparked in his eyes. "And you shouldn't have kissed me back!"
The scowl returned with a vengeance. "What?"
"You kissed me back!"
"I did not!"
"Before you pulled away-"
"Only because you took me by surprise!"
"-you kissed me back."
They both stopped talking at the same time, her glare staring down his half smile. "Only because I didn't want you getting all the blame when everyone inevitably finds out." He laughed despite himself; she shook her head, standing up and leading the way out of the barn. "You know what this means, don't you?"
"What?"
"You are so moving back to Texas. For your own safety."
He risked a sidelong glance at her as they headed back toward the Friar house. "Nah. I could never let you face all our John Quincy shippers alone when they inevitably find out. Since you went to the trouble of taking half the blame and all."
Her smirk dipped, eyes gleaming up at him until she turned her head to look forward again. "Does that mean our Ranger Rick is staying?"
"You had to know you couldn't get rid of me that easily."
She bit her lip. "Riley will be happy."
His smile fell. "Yeah."
They reached the front door; he turned the knob. Just another door opened, she thought. Only this time, she couldn't find it in herself to believe it was the wrong one.