Charlie tapped my shoulder, bringing my attention back to her. “Daddy, can we go see the ponies now?”
I gave her a squeeze. “Yeah, baby girl. We can do that.”
We walked over to the pen, where a couple of horses and cows lazed around, munching on hay to keep them content. Kids and parents alike giggled when one of them came up andnuzzled their palms. I glanced at my daughter, noticing the way her eyes grew wide with the same excitement reflected in her face.
Charlie and I’d had a tough couple of months, so seeing her joy made me feel like I was doing something right for the first time in years. Especially when Cleo looked at me with such contempt, like rocking up here with my daughter ruined her life.
I could admit it was strange being back here. Even more so with Cleo not at my side. I didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy coming to the ranch when the band performed for Doug’s birthday celebration, especially not when the night was over before it had begun.
I don’t know how long Charlie and I stood together watching all the animals come and go. It seemed like just the blink of an eye, but before I knew it, Cleo clapped her hands and thanked everyone for signing up and coming by before launching into a spiel about the camp, the ranch’s history, and what the kids would be learning over the course of the week.
She’d always been lauded for her public speaking ability throughout high school and into college. So much so that our debate teacher once asked her to lead the team because he knew she was the only one capable of taking them to state. He never understood why she said no, but I did.
Anytime she was stressed or nervous, she clenched her fist in a white-knuckle grip. Like holding onto something would stop her from losing it altogether. Right now, it looked like the poor clipboard was about two seconds away from shattering in her hold.
As Cleo finished up, she called for all the kids to follow her and Lennox into the barn for their first lesson of the day. Just before she turned, her gaze met mine, and I felt it. That pull to go to her, that incessant need to tell her how sorry I was. It was taking everything I had not to fall to my knees in front of this whole goddamn town and beg her to listen to me.
I’d grovel if she wanted me to. Hell, I’d kiss her fucking boots if that’s what it took.
Charlie tugged on my shirt. Reluctantly, I dragged my eyes from Cleo’s to my daughters. “See you later, Daddy.”
I bent down, wrapping her in a big hug. It was the only thing stopping me from following Cleo immediately. “See you later, sunshine. Have fun and be sure to listen to Miss Cleo, okay?”
She nodded. “I will. I promise.”
“Alright.” I kissed the top of her head before standing. “Go have fun.”
Without another word, she ran from my side. Instead of falling in line with the other kids, though, she bounded straight toward Cleo. She looked down as Charlie asked her a question, hesitating only a moment before holding out her hand for my daughter to take. I waited for her to look back, but neither of them did.
Instead, I watched them disappear into the barn hand-in-hand, finding myself slightly jealous of my daughter for being so close to the woman I loved.
grady
. . .
16 Years Old
Speedingdown the street in my old truck, I skidded to a stop in my driveway and rushed out into the balmy summer air. Old man Riley had gone about five miles under the speed limit and talked my damn ear off the entire drive back to town from Black Springs Ranch. It’d taken every bit of manners my momma taught me not to tell the old bastard to shut up so I could get home.
I smelled like shit, sweat, and horses, which wasn’t really the first-date impression I wanted to make, even if Cleo was used to being surrounded by it.
When I got to the ranch that day, I hadn’t expected to ask her on a date. I knew who she was, knew my chances of seeing her were high, too. Maybe that was why I jumped on the chance to help Mr. Riley when he asked if I felt comfortable enough to go out on my first call with him. “Don’t fuck this up, boy.” That’s what he’d told me. I just nodded and said, “Yes, sir,” because I had no intentions of fucking anything up.
Especially not my first shot at talking to the girl I’d quietly been crushing on since we were kids.
Cleo was the kind of girl who was born to stand out—nomatter how hard she tried to blend in. She had no idea the effect she had on people. I’d have to have been blind not to notice her.
My plan was simple. Honestly, I was just hoping she’d notice me. If I were lucky, maybe we’d share a conversation that lasted longer than a greeting. Asking her on a date had been the furthest thing from my mind. I was content playing the long game. She was worth it. I didn’t have to talk to her to know that.
But there was something today in the way her cheeks had flushed when we talked that cemented it for me. God, she’d been so pretty. I’d never felt such pride before because I swore, at least for a moment or two, she felt the same way I did.
I wanted—no,needed—to know more about her. Asking her a few of her favorites wasn’t enough for me. If anything, it only made me more curious. Now it was more like a craving.
It felt cliché to say I’d never felt anything like it before, but it was true. I’d been on a few dates before, shared a few kisses here and there, but nothing that ever really stuck on my end. Things fizzled out fast before turning into a relationship, much to others’ dismay. I just hoped I wasn’t about to learn what it felt like to be on the other side of things.
I darted up the porch, hearing my mom call out for me the moment our screen door swung open. She was standing in the kitchen with a towel over her shoulder, brows furrowed as she watched me dart past her. “Hey, baby! How was your first big day?”
“Can’t talk, Mom! No time,” I called, bounding down the hallway toward my room.
