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“You promised me Riggs, you said you were going to be there,” she screams and my heart cracks, but like the coward I am, I say nothing. Just sit and listen. “This was meant to be our night Riggs, I thought you felt the same but clearly everything I thought I knew was just a lie. You never liked me. You were just too polite to say no when I asked you to take me to prom,” she chokes on a sob.
No, baby. My heart only beats for you, I wish I could explain everything.
“I fucking hate you Riggs Rivera.”
I rush out of my bedroom, nearly falling down the stairs as I take them two at a time and I tug on the back door, but by the time I am outside, she is nowhere to be seen. I stand in the pouring down rain as I watch the only girl I have ever felt indescribable feelings for run down the muddy fields, guided home by night lights.
I broke her heart.
And she didn’t stick around for me to fix it.
Because just after prom, she had her accident.
And I have never forgiven myself for that night.
* * *
Dressedin a crew neck jumper and dark wash jeans, I let my hair dry naturally and I’ll kick myself later when it is wild. Placing my cowboy hat back on my head, I slip my feet into my boots and trudge downstairs. My brows pinch when I see the countertop where the flowers were sitting is now empty.
“Mom?” I call out and see her standing at the sink, washing up and the pretty wildflowers from the meadow are sitting in a vase.
“Did you get these for me, Riggs?” she asks, a warm smile on her face and fuck, I’m about to break her damn heart.
“Ah, mom, as much as I would love to say yes…” I pause and I see as her smile slips.
“Aspen?” her brows lift and my cheeks blush.
“Yeah… I owe her an apology. I said some not very nice things.” I run my hand round the back of my neck and rub on the skin.
“Riggs Rivera,” my mom spins from the sink and puts her soap covered hand on her hip and I can feel her judgmental gaze on me and I hate it.
“I know, I know,” I hold my hands up, “I’m going to fix it, well, try and fix it,” I give her a small shrug of my shoulders.
“I baked some brownies. Take her a cup of hot cocoa and a brownie and she will be putty in your hands,” she winks as she opens the refrigerator and takes a brownie slice out and wraps it up all nicely.
I wait patiently as she whips up a hot cocoa and hands it to me in a thermal flask.
“Thanks mom,” I step towards her, bending slightly as I kiss her on the cheek. I tower over my mom. She is short, probably a bit shorter than Aspen. I stand at six foot seven, tallest out of all three of my brothers, but the same height as my dad.
I slowly stand and turn, feeling a slap round the back of my head which causes my cowboy hat to fall on the floor.
“What the hell was that for?” I groan, lifting my eyes from the floor and to my mom as I rub the back of my throbbing head.
“Watch your tone,” she points her finger at me and I back away, giving her a submissive nod. “And that, Riggs Rivera, was for making Aspen sad. Now, go make it right with her. We don’t want her to run away again now do we?” She gives me a knowing look which makes my heart twist.
I puff out my cheeks as I bend my knees so my mom can put my cowboy hat back on and then she continues picking lint and dusting imaginary dust from my clothes.
“Mom, seriously,” I shake my head. “Flowers, please,” I give her a toothy grin, “and I’ll get you some flowers tomorrow, I promise.” Her warm hand finds my cheek, cupping it.
“Everyone reads you so wrong my sweet boy,” I lean into her, “you deserve someone to hang the moon and stars for you.”
“I don’t know about that ma,” I snort a laugh as she walks to the vase and picks the flowers out, shaking the excess water off the stalks and handing them to me.
“Now, go make up withourgirl,” she winks and with that, I turn and walk out of the house all the while my heart is in my throat.
Our.
The closer Iget to the stalls, the quicker my heart is racing under my skin. I see the horses still tied outside which makes me think she is still in there.
