me?”
“How are the arrangements with the funeral?”
“Okay, thank you.” I tuck my hands deep down in my pockets and walk alongside her, focusing on the gray gravel filling the drive.
“I lost my dad and it never gets easier, let me tell you that.”
“Well, I wasn’t that close to my mom.” I sound like a cold, heartless bitch but can’t seem to find the courage to soften my message.
“Glad you and Maverik found each other again. After running into you at that rodeo, he was pretty shook up.”
“Yeah, that was stupid. I was trying to escape a bad blind date and then ran into him.” I laugh at the fucking irony of that whole night.
“A blind date took you from the city so close back to home?”
“I was visiting a friend from college who’s now living in her hometown and it happens to only be hours away from here.”
“I see. You never thought about coming home when you were so close?”
This conversation needs to end, and I make it happen. I stop dead in my tracks and look Challis straight in the eyes. “I never wanted to come back to this town. Ever. No matter how close I was or even if my mother died.”
I don’t wait for her response or even soften my message with a smile. Instead, I walk toward the barn I know the men will be at. Instantly I feel like a bitch but tamp down all my emotions knowing the last thing I want to do is build a new relationship here in town. I need to get home.
“Well, look who we have here.” I look up to see Marvel standing before me covered in dust from his black cowboy hat down to his boots. His smile makes my life feel normal again as does his welcoming voice. He is definitely the little brother I never had.
“Hi.” I wave to him.
“Look at you still fitting in them jeans.”
I put my hands on my hips and cock my head sideways. “Mav already bragging about me fitting into these bad boys?”
“Naw.” Marvel walks up to me and pulls me into a tight hug. “I know you, Ella James. No way in hell you own a pair of jeans.”
I laugh into his shoulder, forcing back the tears and thoughts of what would have happened if I stayed.
The sound of four hooves pounding the hard dirt fill the barn. Stepping away from Marvel, I turn to see Maverik holding Chili and I bolt straight over to them. The three of us were partners in crime during our high school years, traveling to rodeos and wasting time on the ranch.
“Hi, baby.” I pet the white spot on the tip of Chili’s nose and then drag my hand up his strong jaw. “Oh, my God, I’ve missed you.”
Leaning forward, I place a kiss on the top of his nose and feel Maverik’s hand rubbing circles on the small of my back.
“Where are you two off to?”
I hear Marvel’s question and Maverik’s reply about the calves, but Chili has me hypnotized. Never a country girl and always destined for the bright city lights and life, but Chili showed me otherwise and it’s only him and Maverik who truly know my love for the life with them.
“I’m going to tie him up and saddle him. You can grab his brush, it’s in the same spot.” Maverik plants a kiss on my temple as he steps away.
I’m left standing in awe at the duo and nearly lose everything I’ve kept buried inside at the sight of them. They’re like my safety blanket, and mere inches from me floating just out of reach and with the cold hard truth knowing I’ll never be able to bask in the comfort of them again. That’s reality, and soul crushing at that.
I make my way over to the silver tack box, and when I open the lid, Maverik’s right. Everything is in its place. I know he’s used this tack, but it’s like opening a box from the past. I snag my favorite brush to use on Chili and take a moment rubbing circles with my thumb on the cold metal handle. Beginning to wipe the leaking liquid from underneath my eyes and steadying the crashing emotions of my heart, I try to focus so I can turn back around to the world and act like Ella.
Fingers jab into
“How are the arrangements with the funeral?”
“Okay, thank you.” I tuck my hands deep down in my pockets and walk alongside her, focusing on the gray gravel filling the drive.
“I lost my dad and it never gets easier, let me tell you that.”
“Well, I wasn’t that close to my mom.” I sound like a cold, heartless bitch but can’t seem to find the courage to soften my message.
“Glad you and Maverik found each other again. After running into you at that rodeo, he was pretty shook up.”
“Yeah, that was stupid. I was trying to escape a bad blind date and then ran into him.” I laugh at the fucking irony of that whole night.
“A blind date took you from the city so close back to home?”
“I was visiting a friend from college who’s now living in her hometown and it happens to only be hours away from here.”
“I see. You never thought about coming home when you were so close?”
This conversation needs to end, and I make it happen. I stop dead in my tracks and look Challis straight in the eyes. “I never wanted to come back to this town. Ever. No matter how close I was or even if my mother died.”
I don’t wait for her response or even soften my message with a smile. Instead, I walk toward the barn I know the men will be at. Instantly I feel like a bitch but tamp down all my emotions knowing the last thing I want to do is build a new relationship here in town. I need to get home.
“Well, look who we have here.” I look up to see Marvel standing before me covered in dust from his black cowboy hat down to his boots. His smile makes my life feel normal again as does his welcoming voice. He is definitely the little brother I never had.
“Hi.” I wave to him.
“Look at you still fitting in them jeans.”
I put my hands on my hips and cock my head sideways. “Mav already bragging about me fitting into these bad boys?”
“Naw.” Marvel walks up to me and pulls me into a tight hug. “I know you, Ella James. No way in hell you own a pair of jeans.”
I laugh into his shoulder, forcing back the tears and thoughts of what would have happened if I stayed.
The sound of four hooves pounding the hard dirt fill the barn. Stepping away from Marvel, I turn to see Maverik holding Chili and I bolt straight over to them. The three of us were partners in crime during our high school years, traveling to rodeos and wasting time on the ranch.
“Hi, baby.” I pet the white spot on the tip of Chili’s nose and then drag my hand up his strong jaw. “Oh, my God, I’ve missed you.”
Leaning forward, I place a kiss on the top of his nose and feel Maverik’s hand rubbing circles on the small of my back.
“Where are you two off to?”
I hear Marvel’s question and Maverik’s reply about the calves, but Chili has me hypnotized. Never a country girl and always destined for the bright city lights and life, but Chili showed me otherwise and it’s only him and Maverik who truly know my love for the life with them.
“I’m going to tie him up and saddle him. You can grab his brush, it’s in the same spot.” Maverik plants a kiss on my temple as he steps away.
I’m left standing in awe at the duo and nearly lose everything I’ve kept buried inside at the sight of them. They’re like my safety blanket, and mere inches from me floating just out of reach and with the cold hard truth knowing I’ll never be able to bask in the comfort of them again. That’s reality, and soul crushing at that.
I make my way over to the silver tack box, and when I open the lid, Maverik’s right. Everything is in its place. I know he’s used this tack, but it’s like opening a box from the past. I snag my favorite brush to use on Chili and take a moment rubbing circles with my thumb on the cold metal handle. Beginning to wipe the leaking liquid from underneath my eyes and steadying the crashing emotions of my heart, I try to focus so I can turn back around to the world and act like Ella.
Fingers jab into
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