life. I’d like to think I’m a better man for meeting you. I know I still have a long way to go. You have to understand this is all so new to me. For the first time since Evan was seventeen, I don’t know what comes next.”
“That’s the thing, Ethan, none of us ever really know what comes next. You can fool yourself into thinking you do, or can control it, but everything can change in a moment, and nothing will ever be the same.” She stood up and kept her back to him. “You know, maybe I will take you up on the offer to finish cleaning up. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Sam, wait . . .”
Without turning, she spoke, “No Ethan, it’s been a long day. Please, just let me go.”
She didn’t hear him come up behind her and jumped when he sighed right behind her. “I will . . . for now.” He rubbed her upper arms, and gently tugged her back to him and kissed the top of her head. “Sleep well.”
Because she wanted to sink into him and soak up his strength, she purposely pulled away. “You too.” She put one foot in front of the other and walked away from him. The further she moved away, the worse she felt. Blinking back tears, she looked up at the full moon shining down on her. She wondered what life had planned for her. How come when she finally had everything figured out, Ethan came into her life, encouraging her to dream of things she could never have?
Day 19
Ethan–
Everyone’s stories weighed heavily on my mind last night and I didn’t get much sleep. Everyone talked about family, and I thought of you. I wish things could have been different. That Mom and Dad weren’t killed that night. Do you ever wonder what could have been?
I feel itchy in my skin today. I’ve kept up with my runs and workouts, granted, I’m taking it slower than I used to since the last thing I need is to hurt myself. But today I pushed myself. I needed to be physically exhausted so I could sleep.
Evan
Ethan spent the night tossing and turning thinking about Sam and their conversation. Throwing the covers off him, he sighed in defeat. It was the first time a woman affected him. Even in high school he hadn’t second guessed himself, but Sam brought that out in him. Stepping into the shower, he let the cold water beat over his head, hoping it would clear the cobwebs, which seemed to be multiplying by the minute.
The schedule said he was off for the day, so he stalked toward one of the unused outbuildings he knew Sam had been talking about turning into a gym, some place for the guests to stretch and move. He was hoping he’d be able to work so hard, he’d drop into bed and not open his eyes until the following morning.
He should have known better than to yank the door open with such force, but he hadn’t been thinking about it until dust and who knew what else swirled around and blew into his face. “Dammit,” he sputtered as he quickly closed his eyes and tried not to breathe in. He spun around when he heard laughter.
“Ha, boy. Might want to slow down there. You don’t always need to go barging in.” Phil, one of the nurses continued to laugh as he walked by.
“Yeah, thanks.” Ethan waved after him. “I’ll try to remember that.”
That time he was able to ignore the other man as he walked into the large shed and looked around at the old equipment, which was surprisingly somewhat organized. He walked over to the first piece and noticed it would have been used when this was a working ranch. Getting down on his hands and knees, he looked under it trying to figure out exactly what it was and if it looked as good underneath. His mechanics mind whirled with the possibilities on what he could do with the different pieces of equipment, and their different usages. Even if it was just something she could just put somewhere so guests could use it as a place to sit and relax, something different, which tied the new and old purpose of the land together.
Pulling his phone out, he started taking notes on the
“That’s the thing, Ethan, none of us ever really know what comes next. You can fool yourself into thinking you do, or can control it, but everything can change in a moment, and nothing will ever be the same.” She stood up and kept her back to him. “You know, maybe I will take you up on the offer to finish cleaning up. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Sam, wait . . .”
Without turning, she spoke, “No Ethan, it’s been a long day. Please, just let me go.”
She didn’t hear him come up behind her and jumped when he sighed right behind her. “I will . . . for now.” He rubbed her upper arms, and gently tugged her back to him and kissed the top of her head. “Sleep well.”
Because she wanted to sink into him and soak up his strength, she purposely pulled away. “You too.” She put one foot in front of the other and walked away from him. The further she moved away, the worse she felt. Blinking back tears, she looked up at the full moon shining down on her. She wondered what life had planned for her. How come when she finally had everything figured out, Ethan came into her life, encouraging her to dream of things she could never have?
Day 19
Ethan–
Everyone’s stories weighed heavily on my mind last night and I didn’t get much sleep. Everyone talked about family, and I thought of you. I wish things could have been different. That Mom and Dad weren’t killed that night. Do you ever wonder what could have been?
I feel itchy in my skin today. I’ve kept up with my runs and workouts, granted, I’m taking it slower than I used to since the last thing I need is to hurt myself. But today I pushed myself. I needed to be physically exhausted so I could sleep.
Evan
Ethan spent the night tossing and turning thinking about Sam and their conversation. Throwing the covers off him, he sighed in defeat. It was the first time a woman affected him. Even in high school he hadn’t second guessed himself, but Sam brought that out in him. Stepping into the shower, he let the cold water beat over his head, hoping it would clear the cobwebs, which seemed to be multiplying by the minute.
The schedule said he was off for the day, so he stalked toward one of the unused outbuildings he knew Sam had been talking about turning into a gym, some place for the guests to stretch and move. He was hoping he’d be able to work so hard, he’d drop into bed and not open his eyes until the following morning.
He should have known better than to yank the door open with such force, but he hadn’t been thinking about it until dust and who knew what else swirled around and blew into his face. “Dammit,” he sputtered as he quickly closed his eyes and tried not to breathe in. He spun around when he heard laughter.
“Ha, boy. Might want to slow down there. You don’t always need to go barging in.” Phil, one of the nurses continued to laugh as he walked by.
“Yeah, thanks.” Ethan waved after him. “I’ll try to remember that.”
That time he was able to ignore the other man as he walked into the large shed and looked around at the old equipment, which was surprisingly somewhat organized. He walked over to the first piece and noticed it would have been used when this was a working ranch. Getting down on his hands and knees, he looked under it trying to figure out exactly what it was and if it looked as good underneath. His mechanics mind whirled with the possibilities on what he could do with the different pieces of equipment, and their different usages. Even if it was just something she could just put somewhere so guests could use it as a place to sit and relax, something different, which tied the new and old purpose of the land together.
Pulling his phone out, he started taking notes on the
Similar Books
