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Ring. Future wife. The words were rolling around his head like an out-of-control train. He couldn’t make sense of them.
“I never thought I’d see this thing again.” Truth to be told, he’d hoped he never would. The ring represented every hope and dream he’d ever held in his heart for the two of them. When it had all crashed and burned, he’d wanted the ring to go up in smoke along with everything else.
“Take it. Please,” she begged. “I’ve felt so guilty about holding on to this. It doesn’t belong to me anymore.”
“I can’t take it,” he whispered, his eyes rooted to the box. His nostrils flared. His breathing was uneven. Taking the ring back would be like losing Cassidy all over again. He didn’t think he could go down that road again. It was too dark and twisted. Too filled with peril.
“I can’t keep it.” Her voice sounded agonized. She reached for his hand and tucked the box in his palm. She then folded his fingers over the box. She clasped his hand for a moment, then let go, her eyes shimmering with emotion.
He clenched his teeth. “I won’t ever give this ring to another woman. It may have been in my family for generations, but from the moment I placed it on your finger, I knew it was made for you.” He locked gazes with her, beseeching her for understanding. “Don’t you see, Cass? All I think of when I see this ring is you.”
There would always be a place in his heart carved out just for her. It was that simple. He was no longer in love with her, but she had a forever kind of place in his heart. And this diamond engagement ring represented one of the darkest chapters in his life. Having it back in his possession was yet another reminder of everything that had fallen apart.
Lord, please help me. Give me the strength to accept this ring back with the same grace that I gave it to the woman I loved.
Cassidy hung her head. “I felt so honored to wear your ring. Every time I looked at it, there was such joy in my heart. The day you gave it to me was the happiest day of my life.”
He let out a deep shudder. “Mine too. I had so many dreams that were wrapped up in the two of us. I never told you this, but I already had a house in mind for us to buy. I’d already approached the Realtor about making an offer on it.”
Cassidy’s eyes widened in surprise. “Which one?”
“That yellow Victorian out by the swimming hole. The one with the tire swing in the side yard and the pretty garden.”
“I used to love that house,” she said in a wistful voice that echoed his own feelings.
Tate just nodded, at a loss as to what to say at this point. They’d pretty much said it all.
Silence stretched between them. It wasn’t an awkward silence, he realized. It felt like two people who were so comfortable with one another that they didn’t need words to fill the silence. It had always been this way between them and he knew now it always would.
“I was watching you break in that stallion,” she said, her gaze focused on the horses being led into the corral. One was a chestnut-colored mustang, the other a whit
e palomino.
He turned toward her, noticing the way her eyes lit up at the sight of the horses. Somehow he’d forgotten how much Cassidy had always enjoyed being at the ranch and going riding with him. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Although she’d never been the most accomplished rider, she’d been more joyful riding a horse than almost anyone he’d ever known.
“His name is Rebel. He’s all kinds of trouble, but I think he’s a keeper.” Tate felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “When he arrived here he was meaner than a rattlesnake, and his bite was almost as deadly. He’s coming along though.”
“Rebel. I like that.”
“If you like him, you’ll absolutely fall in love with Fiddlesticks.”
“Fiddlesticks?” she asked with a chuckle. “What kind of name is that?”
Tate affected an outraged look. “Fiddlesticks is an awesome name. We’re actually waiting for her to give birth to her foal. It’ll be anytime now.”
Malachi came running out of the stables, a frantic look etched on his face.
“Tate! I think it’s almost time,” he shouted. “I could use a hand in here.” His handsome Native American features were pulled tight with anxiety. Without another word he raced back into the stables. So much for calm, cool and collected, Tate thought. He’d never seen his best friend move so fast.
He made a face at Malachi’s retreating figure. “I better head in there before he loses his cool. He hasn’t had a lot of experience with foal births.”
“I should be heading home anyway.” She cast a nervous glance at the sky. “There’s a storm heading our way.”
“Drive home safely, ok?” He couldn’t help but feel protective of her.
He watched her walk toward her car, her movements easy and graceful. Before he could change his mind he ran after her, calling out her name. When she turned around he was standing there with his hands jammed into his back pockets, feeling a bit sheepish.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, her face showing concern.
