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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Teagan openedthe fence to the outer fields of her parents’ farm. She was lost in her head as she walked the dirt path on her way to the Texas redbud tree.
The sun warmed her face as she kept walking, her pastel pink sundress swishing with every step. She was on her way to see Flint. Ryan had called her that the wild boar was roaming around on their grounds again. He told her that she needed to handle it, since he would only listen to her.
She thought back at what Devlin had said to her the day they’d met, ‘I’ll never be tamed, sweet girl. You’d better forget all about me. This wild hog would tear you up and swallow you whole...’
He couldn’t have been more right in his prediction. Devlin hadn’t exaggerated about tearing her up and swallowing her whole. She still felt like her heart was ripped out of her chest.
The moment she saw Devlin in the background during Gwenn’s video call two days ago, she knew she had to do something. She needed to tell him that this couldn’t be just the end of their relationship. Why hadn’t she fought for him? She had run away from him like the little girl he probably thought she was.
She fisted the cabbage she’d brought for Flint a little tighter. At least the wild boar would put back a smile on her face. She hoped.
The yellow leaves of the redbud tree appeared before her and she kept on going on the winding road. Something felt off, though. She squinted to identify the black object in the field, several yards away from the path.
She cocked her head as she wondered what Devlin’s hog was doing here. Her heart raced as she speed walked over to his bike. She would recognize Callie everywhere after she’d been riding on the back of this bike on several occasions.
“Ah, shit! Come here, you stupid pig!”
She whirled around and saw Devlin running after Flint. She had an instant flashback of that time she’d jumped Devlin’s back to protect Flint.
She ran across the field towards the foliage where Devlin stood and shouted, “Leave Flint alone!”
Devlin shot a look over his shoulder and instantly froze when he saw her approaching.
“What in the world do you think you’re doing, Devlin Walker?” She cringed as she sounded just like her mother.
His brows shot up to his hairline as he stammered, “Shit. You’re here…”
She rolled her eyes as she came within reaching distance. “This is my parents’ farm. Why are you surprised?”
He quickly cleared his throat and swept a hand over his black buttoned-down shirt under his cut. He’d trimmed his beard and even his hair seemed to have been cut a few inches, or at least combed.
“What is up with you? Why are you so jumpy?”
He glanced from Flint over to her and back again. She couldn’t read his expression. He seemed panicked about her standing in front of him. Why would he even come here if he didn’t want to see her?
“Right. Eh, I thought I had it all worked out…”
She couldn’t hide the giggle at his nervous tone of voice. It didn’t suit this bulky man. Somehow, she found it endearing.
“You thought you had what worked out?” she said as she stepped closer. Oh, his smell took her off guard. How she’d missed his unique smell of motor oil mixed with rain. She closed her eyes for just a second and took her fill.
She couldn’t believe he was standing right in front of her again. After all those weeks. She’d promised herself that she would talk with him and now he was right here.
“I need to tell you something,” he said.
She opened her eyes and watched in utter shock that he’d went down on one knee in front of her. She brought a hand to her mouth and mumbled, “Oh, Dev…”
He took her other hand in his and squeezed. “My sweet, Little Bird…”
She already felt the first tear fall from the corner of her eye. Flint squealed, and she jumped on the spot.
“Will you cut it out?” Devlin said to Flint, who inched closer and closer to him. Devlin let out an exaggerated sigh and said to Flint, “Okay… so now you’re coming to me, eh? I’ve been struggling for an hour to get you to show your hairy face and now that our lady gets here, you’re coming out of the woodwork. Just great.”
Flint’s growl in answer matched Devlin’s. Teagan smiled as she watched them together.
Devlin ignored Flint and said to her, “I’ve been a stupid asshole.”
