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A pause, and I know he’s rubbing at his neck again. I know I’m giving him a headache. Another sigh. “I can’t make you do anything, Abby. You’re your own person.”
It’s the closest he’s ever come to implying that perhaps I can lead my life away from the farm without further recrimination from him. Perhaps a tiny bit of understanding?
Or maybe he’s just giving up on me?
Regardless, I never look a gift horse in the mouth. “I accept, then. Thank you, Ethan.”
“You’re welcome,” he says, and he sounds like the Ethan I remember from a very long time ago.
Years, even.
When he was carefree and idealistic and fun to be around.
A rush of love makes my heart ache. “I’m sorry I ran you off. That was rude.”
“Yeah, well… so was showing up unannounced and demanding you return to Kentucky.”
I smile to myself. “It’s definitely the stubborn, hotheaded Blackburn genes. You got the lion’s share, of course.”
Ethan laughs, and it warms me to my soul. I don’t know when I last heard him find humor in something.
“Will you at least come visit soon? Maybe Dad’s birthday?”
I bite at my lower lip, torn over an answer. Ethan’s opened a door I wouldn’t have bothered to peek through. The pressure to return to the family fold is through my parents, united in their efforts to keep their brood close to maintain our legacy. My parents love deeply. Maybe a little too deep and have a hard time letting go. Ethan’s been the one who’s had to enforce their wishes and has been the one riding my ass.
It’s with regret that I have kept him at arm’s length. “I don’t know if I can handle Mom and Dad trying to guilt me. And it will happen, then there will be a big blowup, and then it’s likely I’ll never return.”
“I won’t let it happen. I’ll talk to them.” Still, I hesitate, and he says, “We miss you a lot, Abby. Please come spend some time with us.”
Well, damn. Tears immediately spill in warm streams down my face. “I miss you all too.”
“Then we can expect you for Dad’s birthday?”
“I’ll try to make it work,” I promise. “Dr. Schoen will be back by then, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“That’s good.” True happiness in his voice, but then he turns businesslike again. “Let me know how much money you need. I can have it wired directly to your bank.”
I give him my routing and account numbers. I don’t have a solid estimate for repairs, but Ethan has built his share of barns. He promises an amount that should be enough but told me to call if it isn’t.
I’m thrilled when he hangs up, and I shoot a quick text to Kellen that I have funds for the repairs. He doesn’t know I have access to that type of money, so I get an immediate response. What the fuck? How?
One laughing emoji back and a promise to fill him in when he’s able to call me, I put my phone down and consider grabbing a yogurt from the fridge. Christy said she’d bring me a sandwich, but my stomach rumbles with hunger. I ran out of the apartment this morning without eating. Having to walk both Bubba and Princess separately put me behind on my morning routine, but I’ve gotten to love these dogs so much, it doesn’t matter.
The front bell rings as I’m walking to the fridge, and I immediately do a U-turn. While we don’t get much walk-in traffic or emergencies, we keep the doors unlocked just in case.
As I move past my workstation at the long counter, I glance at the video monitor Kellen set up beside it. It shows all the cameras on the property, but this view is set to the front door.
I don’t look at the screen, not expecting it to be anything nefarious, but when I see it’s Levi Hellman who’s walked through, my blood runs cold. He has a leash in one hand and a gun on his hip.
Glancing back at Princess, I consider whether I can get her and Bubba out the rear exit, but when I look at the screen, I see Levi moving toward the swinging doors that lead back here.
Without considering the timing or if it’s even possible, I bolt for the door in an attempt to latch it before Hellman reaches it. I can see his figure looming closer via the round glass windows, and his face peers through. He sees me coming at the door, knows my intention is to keep him out, and he bursts in like an angry bull.
I skid to a stop and back up a few feet, noting the gleam in his eyes and the tight set to his jaw. His nose is swollen and both eyes are blackened, and I take a moment to just relish the damage Kellen did to him.
