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But when he was born, I was alone.
Jigs was the only hand I’d had at the ranch at the time, Mags didn’t show until Caleb was almost a year old. Beau was off at college. Mason wasgone. No amount of phone calls that I made, or rodeos that I showed up to would’ve made him come home. It was just Caleb and I. Cathy went off to try and find Mason after Caleb’s birth, in an effort to win him back.
I never hated her more.
I was angry. I was hurting. I was scared.
Scared I wouldn’t be a good father. Scared I would fuck everything up. Then, Jigs stepped in. He was like a grandfather to Caleb, and I owed him my life for it. I looked over to Beau, noting the worry in his features, then his face hardening as the sky cracked open with lightning.
“Something’s wrong,” Beau said, his voice low.
“What do you mean?” Lawson asked.
My eyes darted to where Beau was looking—wheresheparked. It was almost ten in the morning, and she hadn’t arrived yet.
“Maybe she stayed in because of the storm,” Jigs said casually. The twins nodded. Mags lowered his book and raised a brow at me.
“Nah. Something is wrong, Den. That woman is stubborn,” Beau said, turning to me.
My stomach dropped as unease sat heavy on my shoulders.
He was right.
Shewasstubborn. She had been here every single fucking day for the last six weeks. She would have come out rain or shine.
Fuck.
“Caleb, stay in the bunkhouse,” I ordered, grabbing my hat and keys, moving without a second thought.Was she hurt? Had she gotten into a wreck?
The nearest hospital was in the next county over…
Images of her dark hair and greens eyes flashed before my eyes.
“Dad?”
“Stay here, bud,” I said, ripping the bunkhouse door open.
Then I was gone, running through the freezing rain to my truck, while my mind played images of her hurt or dead in a ditch somewhere over and over. I shouldn’t be giving a shit about her. I wanted her gone.
You wanted her gone, Denver. Not hurt or worse…
I put the truck in reverse and spun away, rain and gravel flying behind me as I headed down the long drive of Hallow Ranch. I turned onto the main road that led into town and floored it. My truck fish tailed, but I righted it quickly. I tossed my hat onto the seat beside me, wondering if she would look good sitting there. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck.The rain came down harder, Mother Nature reminding me she was in control.
Not today.
My eyes scanned the road for that stupid little red car. Headlights passed me, muted in the thick grey waterfall around us.
A truck.
Son of a bitch.
Where are you, City Girl?
Thunder clapped outside and I regretted being a dick to her.
Fuck.
Valerie
