Page 59 of Infatuated

Her smile fades, and she drops her arms to her sides. She then drones on about how she needed some space, and she’s too young to settle down. She promises she never meant to hurt me, though, and wishes she had told me about applying to UCLA so we could have celebrated together when she was accepted.

She wipes under her eyes after finishing her heartfelt speech, and I feel bad for her. She’s so caught up in her own world, she doesn’t see what’s going on around her. Because of this, I decide to be the bigger person and say something I never thought I would.

“I forgive you, Kasey.”

Her face lights up. “Really? Tristan, I really never meant to hurt you. I want to try something new, get away from this small town for a while.”

I smirk. “I know. You weren’t meant to stay here for the rest of your life. This town, this ranch is my dream. Not yours.”

“I really am sorry.” Tears fall down her cheeks, and I know she means it.

I pull her into my arms and kiss the top of her head. She’s comfortable, and she calms me. I’m still angry about Lana and Russ, but holding her like this is keeping me calm.

She leans up and kisses me on the lips, and it’s so familiar that I return the gesture. It’s nothing more than a simple kiss—no tongue, no passion. It’s her way of saying goodbye to me. The only thing I don’t count on is the quiet gasp of surprise that comes from someone behind me. I peek my head around the corner and see Lana there. Her hand is up by her lips, and she’s backing away slowly. Her eyes are wide and shimmering as she shakes her head.

“Fuck.” I push Kasey away and call out, “Lana, this isn’t what it looks like.” She’s in a full-on sprint, running away from me.

“Tristian, I didn’t know she was there. I promise.” Kasey looks as worried as I feel, and I know she’s telling the truth.

“I know. I’ll talk to you later.” I run past her, hoping to catch up to Lana before she gets too far. I whip my head from side to side, scanning the crowd of familiar faces, but I don’t see her. Holden is chatting with Kasey’s parents, and I run up to him.

“Holden, where is she?” My voice is higher than usual as panic begins to set in.

“I haven’t seen her.” I grab a fistful of my hair and spin in a circle, my eyes scanning the small crowd again.

Russ.I spot him a few yards away and make a mad dash for him. “Russ, where’s Lana?”

He furrows his brows and shrugs his shoulders. “How should I know? She said she was looking for you.”

“You didn’t see her run by a minute ago?” Someone has to have seen her. She couldn’t have just disappeared.

I hear one of the horses neighing in the distance and don’t even wait for his response as I run in the direction of the barn. I’m almost there when I see Lana come out on Clementine’s back, fully saddled up.

“Lana, wait!” I yell out, but she takes off in a full gallop on the horse’s back.

Who the fuck saddled her horse?I run inside, but no one is there. “Billy!” I yell out, but the only response is Gage snorting in my direction. My heart hammers in my chest. She’s riding on the back of a horse that’s not saddled properly, and she doesn’t have anyone with her.

I’m wasting time standing here, so I grab a blanket and saddle, getting Gage ready in record time. I climb on his back, kick his flanks, and take off out of the barn in the same direction as Lana.Please, don’t let her be hurt.I repeat the phase like a mantra as I race into the woods. Gage snorts and his breathing is hard as I push him even faster.

“Lana!” I yell out, hoping she’ll respond to me. “Lana!”

I catch a glimpse of Clemetine’s tail and urge Gage faster to catch up with them. I’m really pushing his speed, but I know he can take it. He’s enjoying every minute of it. His ears flatten down and he pulls his head forward, striving for more speed. When I hear Lana scream, my heart plummets in my chest.

“Tristan!” she screams out.

We make it through the trees into the open field and I see she’s still on Clementine’s back, but the saddle is slipping to the side. She didn’t make it tight enough and now she’s trying to hold on with all her strength.

“Pull back on the reins,” I yell. She pulls back, and Clementine slows to a stop. Her body slips to the side more, and Clementine rears up on her hind legs. Lana screams again, holding on to the brown leather reins with all her might. I’m close enough I can see her white knuckles.

I jump off Gage’s saddle and grab Clementine’s bridle. “Whoa, girl, calm down. You’re okay.” I reach my hand up and pet her snout and the side of her neck. She’s breathing hard from the exertion, and she snorts a few times. I pull her face down to mine and put my forehead between her eyes.

Lana!I jump away from Clementine to see Lana clinging on for dear life. Her saddle has slipped to the side of the horse, and she’s clinging on with her arms and legs. Her eyes are squeezed shut, and her whole body is shaking. Tears stream down her cheeks as she takes deep, ragged breaths.

“Shh, Lana.” I reach up and place my hands on her waist. “Let go, I’ve got you.” She loosens her grip, and I pull her off the horse like a rag doll. I place her on her feet and pull her to my chest, my hands resting on the back of her head and her lower back. She grips my shirt in her tiny fists but, after only a moment, pushes me away from her.

She tries to walk, and her knees give out. I saw it happening before she did and managed to reach out in time to keep her from dropping to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Her hands fly to her calves as she rubs the muscles.

“You’re not used to riding like that. Are your legs cramping?”