Page 7

M averick and I were up early, completing our chores around the ranch, trying to beat the summer heat. The last couple of days, when we’ve finished, Bellamy has joined me down at the barn to help with the horses. She’s normally waiting for me on the front porch, but today, there’s no sign of her.

Expecting to find her in the kitchen, sipping her iced coffee, I’m surprised when I find it empty. I know my dad was going into town with Papaw today, so maybe Andrea and Bellamy joined him.

I hate the way my excitement dissipates at the thought. My feelings for her are spiraling. I’m not just thinking about her smile, her freckles, her smart mouth… Now, I’m thinking about her lips, her tits, her ass.

I nearly kissed her in the pond the other day, and I know she wanted me to. It was so clear in her eyes. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to stop it from happening if the situation arises again.

And why should I? Our parents aren’t married yet. Does it really matter?

I shake off the thought and decide to head to the barn solo, but hushed voices on the side patio draw my attention.

“All I’m saying is, I hope you know what you are doing. This family has been through enough.” Bellamy’s tone is angrier than I’ve ever heard.

Andrea responds, “I really do love him, Bell.”

“Pshh, okay, I’ve heard that before. That may be true right now, but six months from now, it won’t be.”

A sick feeling swishes in my gut. Is she planning to undermine my dad in some way?

“Well, for your information, I’ve been honest with Cal about my history and the reason I am the way I am.”

That eases my initial fear slightly, but something about this whole interaction doesn’t sit right with me.

“Did you tell him the whole story?” Bellamy sneers.

What story?

“Yes, and it’s the first time I’ve ever told anyone.” There’s a pause before Andrea continues, “That should show you how real this is for me. Hence why, you should stop making googly eyes at his son.”

It sounds like Bellamy huffs. “Whatever, Mom. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, I do, Bellamy. I know you think I’m the most selfish person on the planet, but this is one time I’m genuinely looking out for you. I’d hate to have to send you back to Tennessee.”

I hear Bellamy gasp. “Are you serious?” Her voice gets louder with each word. “Where the hell would you send me, Mom? It’s not like I have a Daddy I can go live with.”

Her statement makes my curiosity about her father grow. Was he ever in the picture?

“Bellamy Ann, you know I didn’t really mean that. Stop overreacting.”

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Mother Dearest.” I can almost picture her sneer.

“Exactly, so don’t get caught up in his good looks and get yourself knocked up at seventeen like I did…because then, you’re stuck for life.”

Her words cut through the air like a knife, landing right on their target.

Fuck her for saying that shit to her own daughter. I consider how my dad would feel about that, knowing he’d give anything for one more day with his own.

I dig my heels into the kitchen hardwood to keep myself from intervening.

“I don’t know why I expect any different from you,” Bellamy says, her pain obvious. “Your heart turned cold and black as the sky that night. But that doesn’t mean you can stomp all over mine.”

I hear her boots against the patio floor, and she’s quickly opening the door to the kitchen before I can even attempt to hide.

Her big green eyes meet mine, and she stops in her tracks. A blush creeps onto her cheeks, and she wipes her face of the tears rolling down it. My heart pinches, and all I want to do is kiss those tears away.

I walk over to her slowly, reaching my hand out for hers, and without hesitation, her small palm settles against mine.

“Wanna go for a ride?”

She bites her lip, hiding the smile trying to take over her sad face. Nodding, she lets me tug her toward the front door.

We don’t say anything until we get to the stables.

Somehow, we’ve both gotten used to not digging deeper, but today, I find myself wanting to more than ever.

I try to tell myself it's to protect my dad, but a big part of it is because I feel the need to know everything about the beautiful redhead walking beside me and into the barn.

“How much of that did you hear?” she asks, not looking at me.

“Enough to know your mom’s a bitch.”

She lets out a little huff. “Yeah, you can say that again.”

Bellamy pauses in front of June, aimlessly rubbing her buckskin coat. I can see her mind working, and I desperately want to know what she’s thinking.

Why doesn’t she have a dad?

Will she listen to her mom’s warning about getting too close to me?

What’s her mom’s deal, and does she really think she’ll hurt my dad?

Why is she scared of thunderstorms?

Why can’t I stop thinking about her and her thirty-three freckles?

Her words pull me from my thoughts. “As much as I love June, how do you feel about me riding one of the faster horses today? I feel like being a little reckless.”

I nod, trying to gather my thoughts away from the argument I heard just minutes ago, and think of who I should put her on. I know all too well the need to feel fast and free.

You know who she should ride, Cash.

The voice filters into my head, out of nowhere.

I stand in front of Roman, trying to push it out of my headspace. Maverick wouldn’t mind her saddling up his horse, but it doesn’t feel right, and the little voice in my head won’t shut up.

Mia deserves this, too.

It’s like I can literally hear Jules talking to me. The thought squeezes the piece of my heart that will always be broken. My eyes trail to the end of the stables and back to Bellamy. She doesn’t say anything, but she watches me the way she always does, like she knows what I’m battling with.

Mia deserves more than a pity ride around the arena. She deserves to be free.

I know.

My feet carry me to Mia’s door before my mind has time to come up with an excuse for Bellamy not to ride her.

“Hey, pretty girl.” I lean in and put my cheek to her cheek.

My throat clogs with emotion. I feel Jules more in this moment than I have in a long time.

Mia whinnies and nods toward a wide-eyed Bellamy.

Okay, okay. I hear you, Jules. I shake my head, and a smile takes over my face when I wave Bellamy over.

“Cash,” she whispers. “Are you sure?” I hear the emotion in her voice, and even though we’ve never really talked about it, it’s like she knows how big of a deal this is to me.

“Positive,” I respond without hesitation.

Bellamy comes over, and just like the first day, I can tell Mia is drawn to her. Her eyes become softer as she watches Bellamy, and she immediately dips her head, welcoming her touch.

“Jules would want her to have the freedom.” I choke back the tears wanting to escape and smile at the memory of the last time I saw my sister riding. “They used to light these fields on fire.”

With one hand on Mia, she takes the other and barely touches the picture of Jules hanging on the wall. “I’d be honored.”

Okay, if I thought she was hot as sin in her daisy dukes and bikini top the other day, watching her cut across the fields is next level.

She’s always been confident riding June, and we’ve had fun exploring, but seeing her like this makes me feel things I can’t even describe.

Tapping Dom with my heels, he knows exactly where I want to go. When we catch up with them, I’m sure the smile on her face matches my own.

“Damn, Bobcat, where’s that been?”

She shrugs, and I love that the smirk on her face has replaced the sadness from earlier.

“I was just waiting to unleash the beast. Didn’t want my riding skills to hurt your ego, Stud.”

“Oh, yeah.” I quirk my eyebrow and lean down toward Dom. “You hear that, boy. Sounds like a challenge to me.”

“Race ya to the stream at the edge of the property.” She doesn’t even finish her sentence before she’s signaling Mia, and they’re taking off again.

Excitement weaves through my veins as we catch up with them. Her laugh filters along the breeze, and I love the way she closes her eyes for the briefest second, like she’s soaking it all in.

We canter side by side until we reach the stream that runs down from the mountain, then we slow down, giving the horses a reprieve.

I hop down from Dom, and Bellamy follows behind me while both horses drink from the cool mountain water.

We sit in the double swing that my papaw built for my gigi many years ago and admire the view.

After a few minutes of silence, Bellamy reaches for my hand and squeezes it. “Thank you, Cash.”

I take off my hat and rake my fingers through my hair. “I didn’t do anything special.”

“Yes. Yes, you did,” she says softly as her eyes trace over every inch of my face. “I didn’t know Jules, but when I was riding Mia, I pictured her riding my horse Jay that passed away, her brown hair whipping in the wind, a smile on her face that looks just like yours and Mav’s. And you know what?”

I swallow thickly, trying to picture it myself. “What?”

Bellamy’s smile widens. “She was so happy, and believe it or not, she was in a place even more beautiful than this one.”

The image chokes me up, but the gentle stroke of Bellamy’s thumb over mine calms me enough to blurt out something I’ve been wanting to share with her ever since her green eyes saw through the shadows of my own.

To explain what she sees there. Not only did I lose my baby sister, but I couldn’t save her either.

“She died in my arms, Bellamy,” I whisper.

It’s almost like I can hear the air rush from her lungs.

“Oh my gosh, Cash.”