AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Noelle touched her short bob. “I got a bob. Isn’t it the cutest? Luc talked me into it.”
Hallie snorted. “Luc sounds more and more like an ignoramus because that haircut is not cute. It makes your face look like the Pillsbury Doughboy.”
Noelle’s eyes widened. “Did you just call me fat?”
“No, but you’ve always had a round face with chubby cheeks, Elle. A bob is the last thing you needed.”
“Chubby! Did y’all hear that?”
“Enough, you two,” Sweetie said. “We have a bigger problem to worry about. We need to convince Corbin to let Rome pay off the ranch.”
“I don’t think it’s possible,” Liberty said. “Believe me, Jesse is world class at convincing people to do things. If he couldn’t, we can’t. Especially when it sounds like Corbin is holding a grudge against our family for me breaking a date with him in high school—although he didn’t see it as me breaking the date. He saw it as me trying to pull a twin switch on him.”
“A twin switch?” Belle looked stunned. Liberty couldn’t blame her. She had been just as shocked by Corbin’s lie.
“I know. As if we would do that.”
“You used to do it to us and Mama, Daddy, and Mimi all the time,” Hallie said.
“That’s different. You’re family. Belle and I wouldn’t do it to someone else. Especially a guy who had a crush on me.”
“No, you’d just break a date with him,” Sweetie said.
Liberty sighed. “You’re right. I was wrong to break the date.”
Hallie spoke up. “What is going on here? What happened to my tough, determined sister who is never wrong and never gives up and always keeps fighting?”
All her sisters stared back at her and she told the truth. “Maybe I’m just tired of fighting.”
“That’s not the Libby Lou I know.”
The deeply spoken words came from behind her and the heart she’d thought was gone started beating twice as fast. She turned to see Jesse standing there looking like he’d been rode hard . . . and left out in a blizzard. His hair was more messed than usual. His eyes were bloodshot. His skin had a grayish tint.
Just the sight of him made her feel complete and utter joy . . . and pain.
“Can we talk?” he said.
She turned away—mostly because if she kept looking at him, she knew she’d give in to the strong pull he had over her. “There’s nothing to say, Jesse. I know you’re sorry. And I know you tried to talk Corbin into allowing Rome to pay off the loan. So let’s just leave it at that.” She tried to hold back the tears, but it was a losing battle.
Fortunately, she had her back to Jesse.
Unfortunately, she was facing her sisters.
“Libby.” Belle’s eyes welled with tears.
“Ahh, honey.” Sweetie pressed a hand to her chest.
“Oh, Liberty.” Cloe’s voice quavered.
“What?” Noelle said. “Why is Liberty crying?”
“Wait a second.” Hallie blurted out. “Is something going on with you and that jackass who helped his brother steal our ranch, Libby? Hey, asshole! Taking our ranch is one thing, but you hurt my sister and I’m going to hurt you.”
“Hurting her is the last thing I want to do,” Jesse said. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. “Please, Libby Lou, don’t cry. Please just give me a chance to explain.”
Try as she might, she couldn’t ignore his plea. “I’ll call y’all later,” she said to her sisters before she closed her laptop and got up. Without saying a word to him, she headed for the door. Once they were outside, she whirled on him. “So say what you want to say.”
He reached out and gently brushed a tear from her cheek. “Not here. I’ll follow you out to the ranch.”
