“Alright. Have you heard from Ryan?”
Seth propped his elbows on the rail; his gaze fixed on the chestnut horse as she shifted from a canter to a trot. When his phone vibrated from his pocket, he fished it out, opened it and stilled when he saw a text from Ryan. He opened it.
I’m leaving Saturday. I know you didn’t want to know but I can’t go without telling you goodbye. Though I don’t want to. I know what I want, Seth.
“Seth?”
He turned the phone to Cull so he could read the message.
“Is she leaving without saying goodbye?” Cull removed his hat, ran a hand through his hair, then resettled the hat.
“I don’t know if she’ll be out to tell you all goodbye or not. You saw the message.”
“I don’t know what to say, Seth.”
Seth’s lips curved into a hollow smile. “Nothing you can say. I should have stayed away from her.” He shook his head, the stakes of his mistake weighing on him.
“Damn it, Seth. Don’t you want to ask her to stay?”
He sighed as he shook his head. “Won’t change a thing. I’ll be fine.”
Cull’s jaw clenched. “Bullshit.” Without another word, he pivoted and strode from the barn, the doors swinging shut behind him.
Seth stared at the fleeing dust in the slanting light. “Damn it,” he murmured.How do you move on from someone you never really had?
Seth straightened and put his phone back into his pocket. The barn was quiet except for the echoes of hoofbeats. Another day, another hard lesson about love and loss.
****
Ryan slumped deeper into the sofa before picking up the remote and aiming it at the TV. She wondered if Alyssa was home and if she’d come over to watch a movie with her. As she looked around for her phone, she realized it was plugged into the charger in the kitchen. With a soft groan, she pushed herself upright and shuffled across the cold wood floor to retrieve her phone from the kitchen counter. The charging cable resisted for a moment before releasing its grip.
Back on the sofa, she tucked one leg beneath her and squinted at the bright screen, her thumb hovering over Alyssa’s contact photo.
Are you doing anything?she typed, watching the three dots pulse almost immediately.
Nope. What’s up?
I thought maybe we could watch a movie. I need to get my mind off Seth.Ryan’s fingers trembled slightly as she typed his name.
Is it okay if I just wear comfy clothes?
Ryan’s lips curved into the first genuine smile she’d managed all day.
Of course. I’m in my T-shirt and lounge pants.
I’ll be there in a few minutes.
Okay. Thanks. Just come in, the door is unlocked.Ryan ended the call and placed the phone on the arm of the sofa, before settling in to wait for Alyssa.
A soft click of the door echoed through the quiet living room. Ryan peeked over the tufted back of the sofa, and a tired smile brightened her face when Alyssa stepped inside. The early evening light filtered through lace curtains.
Ryan shifted on the sofa. “Come sit down,” she said.
“Alright.” Alyssa smiled as she sat down on the sofa. Her ponytail swung free as she sat, and Ryan knew she was going to miss her new friend too.
Her lips curved wryly. “I also wanted to tell you that I’m leaving Saturday.”
Alyssa’s brow furrowed in sympathy. “Oh, no. This isn’t your last week, is it?”
