I reply automatically.
“Were you even paying attention to me? I don’t think so. Starlight almost bucked me off.”
“Oh, yeah … no, I saw that. I was talking in general. The rest was good,” I try.
“Uh, huh,” she seethes, mockingly. “What’s up with you, Denver?” She pauses, her hand on her hip as we walk our horses back to the stable. I let a group of other girls pass us by.
“It’s too soon,” I finally say when we’re isolated from the group.
“Too soon?”
I look to the heavens for some inspiration for this conversation. While being straightforward about most things has always come to easy, being honest about my feelings has always been an issue. Despite the fact that I trust Maggie, the paranoia of having my emotions used against me is ever-present, but that fear had still managed to make me weak and vulnerable, hadn’t it? I pray Ransom’s advice will pay off and try to tamp all that down. “For me to be feeling this way … for Ransom,” I spit out.
“Well, I think there’s been extenuating circumstances, don’t you?” She rushes on, not allowing me to answer. “You and Ransom relying on each other—and only on each other—in a moment of need, was like a shot of steroids: everything exploded and got magnified, right quick.” I open my mouth to get a word in, but she doesn’t let up. “Here’s the thing, though. The train had already left the station on that one. You and Ransom were already headed there. Only it was gonna take you a lot longer to get here since you’re both as stubborn as mules. I think he’s very good for you, and it’s crazy how he lights up at the mention of you now. I can only hope Pete responds to me that way. Anyway, it may not seem real because it happened so fast, but trust me, what you two are feeling is real.” I keep my mouth closed, waiting for her to go on, running through everything she’d just thrown at me. “Well, are you gonna say something?” she demands, as she throws a lock of her strawberry red hair over her shoulder, her eyes burning electric green.
Laughing lightly, I tell her my greatest fear, “I think it is real, and I think that’s my hang up. If it’s real … Greer and I are over. There’s no going back, and even after everything, that scares me.”
“Why, Denver? You said yourself you see no future for you and Greer. You’re beating a dead horse.”
Oh, I know why. And I know if I say it, Maggie won’t let it go. But I think that’s what I need. I expel a deep breath and prepare, because I know she won’t let me cling to it any longer. “I’m using him again. Well, using his memory to protect me. To protect me from getting hurt all over again.”
“Yes, you are, honey. And you’re gonna knock that shit off right now,” she deadpans.
“Yes, ma’am,” I laugh. Oh my God, how I love this woman.
“Meet you out front?”
“Yep, see you in a few minutes.”
Rolling over my admission and struggling over accepting it, I don’t notice the figure leaning on Indy’s stall door until he clears his throat.
“Hey, Denver,” Greer greets me. “I was hoping we could talk before you head back to school.”
“Umm … OK, but I rode with Maggie today.”
“I can drive you,” he offers.
“No, uh, I’ll just ask her to wait for me. I need to get Indy squared away first.”
“Yeah, I need to take care of a few things too. I’ll meet you out back at the picnic tables?”
“Yeah, all right.” He eases off the door and brushes past me without a backward glance. “Come on, girl,” I whisper to Indy. “This talking through feelings shit is getting old quick.”
After I fire off a text to Maggie asking her to wait, I get the girls settled in and start to head out back. I close Indy’s stall, only to drop my head back with a thud as a nagging thought hits me. Ransom will not be pleased. Shit. After my last talk with Greer, which Ransom was all for, he made me promise not to see him alone. He still
“Were you even paying attention to me? I don’t think so. Starlight almost bucked me off.”
“Oh, yeah … no, I saw that. I was talking in general. The rest was good,” I try.
“Uh, huh,” she seethes, mockingly. “What’s up with you, Denver?” She pauses, her hand on her hip as we walk our horses back to the stable. I let a group of other girls pass us by.
“It’s too soon,” I finally say when we’re isolated from the group.
“Too soon?”
I look to the heavens for some inspiration for this conversation. While being straightforward about most things has always come to easy, being honest about my feelings has always been an issue. Despite the fact that I trust Maggie, the paranoia of having my emotions used against me is ever-present, but that fear had still managed to make me weak and vulnerable, hadn’t it? I pray Ransom’s advice will pay off and try to tamp all that down. “For me to be feeling this way … for Ransom,” I spit out.
“Well, I think there’s been extenuating circumstances, don’t you?” She rushes on, not allowing me to answer. “You and Ransom relying on each other—and only on each other—in a moment of need, was like a shot of steroids: everything exploded and got magnified, right quick.” I open my mouth to get a word in, but she doesn’t let up. “Here’s the thing, though. The train had already left the station on that one. You and Ransom were already headed there. Only it was gonna take you a lot longer to get here since you’re both as stubborn as mules. I think he’s very good for you, and it’s crazy how he lights up at the mention of you now. I can only hope Pete responds to me that way. Anyway, it may not seem real because it happened so fast, but trust me, what you two are feeling is real.” I keep my mouth closed, waiting for her to go on, running through everything she’d just thrown at me. “Well, are you gonna say something?” she demands, as she throws a lock of her strawberry red hair over her shoulder, her eyes burning electric green.
Laughing lightly, I tell her my greatest fear, “I think it is real, and I think that’s my hang up. If it’s real … Greer and I are over. There’s no going back, and even after everything, that scares me.”
“Why, Denver? You said yourself you see no future for you and Greer. You’re beating a dead horse.”
Oh, I know why. And I know if I say it, Maggie won’t let it go. But I think that’s what I need. I expel a deep breath and prepare, because I know she won’t let me cling to it any longer. “I’m using him again. Well, using his memory to protect me. To protect me from getting hurt all over again.”
“Yes, you are, honey. And you’re gonna knock that shit off right now,” she deadpans.
“Yes, ma’am,” I laugh. Oh my God, how I love this woman.
“Meet you out front?”
“Yep, see you in a few minutes.”
Rolling over my admission and struggling over accepting it, I don’t notice the figure leaning on Indy’s stall door until he clears his throat.
“Hey, Denver,” Greer greets me. “I was hoping we could talk before you head back to school.”
“Umm … OK, but I rode with Maggie today.”
“I can drive you,” he offers.
“No, uh, I’ll just ask her to wait for me. I need to get Indy squared away first.”
“Yeah, I need to take care of a few things too. I’ll meet you out back at the picnic tables?”
“Yeah, all right.” He eases off the door and brushes past me without a backward glance. “Come on, girl,” I whisper to Indy. “This talking through feelings shit is getting old quick.”
After I fire off a text to Maggie asking her to wait, I get the girls settled in and start to head out back. I close Indy’s stall, only to drop my head back with a thud as a nagging thought hits me. Ransom will not be pleased. Shit. After my last talk with Greer, which Ransom was all for, he made me promise not to see him alone. He still
Similar Books
