Page 28 of Want You Back (Second Chance Ranch #1)
Chapter 28
Maverick
Not surprisingly, I slept like crap after I told Colt Jennings I loved him and I was staying. Nothing like the biggest decision of my life to steal my slumber. Well, and Colt didn’t believe me. Oh, he’d kissed me and held me and pretended to sleep until he actually did, avoiding further conversation. Despite my telling him I’d figure it out, he didn’t actually trust me to do so.
I’d simply have to prove him wrong. Resolved, I padded from Colt’s bedroom at an early hour, dawn sweeping across the arid August skies. I left the sheriff to his very rare chance to sleep in and headed to the kitchen where?—
“Good morning.” Willow sat at the small kitchen table, a glass of juice in front of her, already dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, solemn expression in place.
“Uh. Hi.” Never was I more glad that I’d pulled on my jeans from yesterday. My shirt was toast after the long day, so I’d helped myself to one of Colt’s many black T-shirts. Hopefully, Willow either wouldn’t notice or wouldn’t care. “I was going to start coffee for your dad.”
“The machine is over there.” She pointed at the far counter closest to the stove.
“Thanks.” Not surprising for Colt, the coffee maker was a barebones model, nothing fancy, easy to set brewing with the nearby ground coffee. As I flipped the switch, I turned my attention back to Willow. “How are you feeling? Are you hungry?”
“I could eat.” She sounded so much like her father it was comical, right down to her sharp, thoughtful nod.
“Good.” I stepped to the fridge, finding a carton of eggs, a loaf of bread, an assortment of kid-friendly snacks like string cheese and oranges, and not much else. “Do you like French toast?”
“I love it.” Willow graced me with the smallest of smiles. “I know how to make it too.”
“You want to help?” I pulled out the eggs, bread, and milk.
“I guess.” Willow stood up from her chair with a grimace. She was hurting more than she was letting on, but I knew her stoic father well. No way would she take well to me telling her to sit. “There’s sausage in the freezer.”
“Good call.” I retrieved the package of patty sausage from the freezer as Willow limped to fetch a large skillet. “You sure you’re doing okay?”
“Just a little banged up.” She waved a hand, exactly as I’d expected. “I’ll be fine.”
“You remind me of your dad.” I laughed, then sobered. “And your mom. She was tough.”
“You knew her?” Willow narrowed her gaze.
“Yeah, I went to school with her and your dad both.” I found a bowl to mix the eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. “I remember her riding in the rodeo one year with her wrist in a cast.”
Willow darted into the living room to retrieve a framed photo of Betsey holding a tiny girl on a horse. She held it out so I could admire it.
“She used to ride with me in front of her. That’s her horse, Buttercup. My other grandma and grandpa took Buttercup to Arizona after Mom died. Dad had to beg them to leave Pepperjack for me. Mom picked him out just for me, trained him up. It’s not his fault I fell.”
“He’s a good horse,” I agreed. This was possibly the most I’d heard Willow talk at once, and I hoped like heck I wasn’t screwing it up. “Even good horses—and good people—make mistakes.”
“I guess.” She pursed her lips, stubborn set of her jaw so much like Colt’s. Like her father, she seemed to take on the weight of the world, more worried about her horse than any of her own injuries or feelings. “That’s why I need to see him. He was startled, but I didn’t react well. He needs to know I forgive him. “
“And you need to forgive yourself too.” I gave her a pointed look as I lined up French toast pieces in the hot skillet.
“That’s harder.” She clomped to a nearby cabinet to remove three plates. “It was a stupid mistake.”
“Which is why you need to let it go.” I knew a thing or two about being too hard on myself. I could stand to take my own advice—put the failure of my reality show behind me. And if I truly wanted to make a go of being a rancher, I needed to work more on healing from the past. I couldn’t change what had happened, but I could move forward. I flipped the French toast before nodding at Willow. “You’re a good rider. You’ll get it next time.”
“If Dad lets me keep riding.” Sighing, she sat back in the chair she’d vacated earlier. A crafty look crept across her face. “You could tell him?—”
“Nuh-uh.” I waved the spatula in her direction. “That’s between you and your dad.”
“What is?” Colt chose that moment to wander in, pulling down his T-shirt as he entered the kitchen. “Something smells good.”
“We made French toast.” Willow greeted him with a big smile. “I wanna go to the ranch after we eat. That’s what Maverick and I were talking about. I want to ride today.”
“That eager to ride again?” Colt shook his head before taking a seat across from Willow. “You are your mother’s daughter.”
“That’s what Maverick said.” Willow preened, then frowned. “Please don’t make me stop riding. Grandma said last night that if you were smart, you’d sell Pepperjack and make me find a safer hobby.”
“Grandma and I are going to have a talk.” Groaning, Colt leaned back in his chair. “I’m not going to sell your horse, Willow. Whether or not you keep riding is up to you.” His voice turned gruff. “Always has been.”
“Thank you.” Willow bounced out of her chair to hug him.
Later, after we’d eaten breakfast and Willow went to get her boots on, I finally had a moment alone with Colt as we loaded the dishwasher.
“You did good, telling her she could keep riding.” I patted his shoulder. “I know that wasn’t easy.”
“It wasn’t.” Turning, he gave me a long stare. “Setting things free never is.”
“I don’t want to be set free.” If he meant the past, that was part of what I was working on letting go, but if he meant right now, I had no desire to flee Lovelorn, a strange and new sensation. “I meant what I said last night. I’m staying.”
“I don’t want to fight.” Colt took on the same stubborn expression Willow was so good at.
“We’re not fighting,” I said right as Willow bounded back into the kitchen.
“I’m ready!”
She was still moving a bit slower than normal, but all things considered, we were all remarkably lucky her fall hadn’t been worse. The three of us headed to the ranch. Hannah was waiting for us on the front porch, only too eager to reunite with Willow.
“Willow!” Hannah caught her up in a tight hug. “I was so worried about you.”
“I’m sorry.” Willow’s eyes grew cloudy.
“Don’t be sorry.” Hannah hugged her again. “Just be okay.”
“I’m fine.” Willow grabbed Hannah’s hand. “Let’s go see Pepperjack.”
“Is it okay if I skip the horses?” Yawning, Adler joined us on the porch. “I’m still recovering from the drive and all the excitement yesterday.”
“Aren’t we all?” I laughed, shooing him away. “Go back to bed.”
“Are you really going to ride Pepperjack today?” Hannah asked Willow as the four of us made our way to the horse barn.
“Of course. Right back on.” Willow stomped toward the barn, the barest hint of a limp left, her expression so much like Betsey’s it hurt. “Riding him is the only way he’ll know I’m all right.”
As the girls approached Pepperjack’s stall, I said to Colt, “She’s something else.”
“She really is.” Bemused expression, he shook his head before calling out to Willow, “Don’t forget your helmet.”
“Willow! I’m so glad you’re okay!” Kat joined the girls at Pepperjack’s stall. Hannah wanted to ride as well, so Kat helped both girls get ready to ride in the arena. Hannah looked far more nervous than the resolute Willow, who sat tall and straight in the saddle while talking softly to Pepperjack.
“She’s part of why I’m staying too,” I said to Colt in a low whisper. “Willow needs a place for her horse.”
“We’d work something out.” A muscle twitched in Colt’s jaw.
“The girls need each other.” I was undeterred by his lack of enthusiasm. His doubt was understandable. I’d wear him down eventually.
For now, I didn’t press my point further as we watched the girls ride. Colt gave a sharp intake of breath as Willow went from an easy walk into a gallop, so I grabbed his hand below the railing. To my surprise, he didn’t immediately pull away. Instead, he squeezed back.
“I’m sorry I brought up Betsey yesterday.”
“Don’t be sorry.” I kept my voice low yet firm. “She was a huge part of both of your lives. Of course you miss her, more so when your kid gets hurt.”
“Thank you for understanding.” Continuing to hold my hand, he exhaled hard.
“I’m not going to lie. I was jealous in high school because she could so openly crush on you, and I couldn’t,” I admitted. “But I left, she stayed, and you built a life together. I can’t negate that past.”
“I didn’t know you were crushing.” Colt’s tone was apologetic. “Right up until my bright idea that we should kiss after prom, I was clueless.”
“Intentionally so on my part.” My laugh took on a sharp edge. “It’s not easy falling in love with your best friend.”
“I know.” He held my gaze, something powerful sweeping between us.
Right at that exact moment, us gazing deeply at each other, holding hands, having a moment, Faith came swooping into the barn. She wore strappy sandals and a tailored skirt and blouse, about as out of place in a horse barn as one could get. However, seeing her dressed in her old high style was a welcome change from her robe.
“Good Lord, Maverick.” She shook her head at me like a mother hen unhappy with her wandering chick. Funny, because I’d been looking for my sister all damn summer. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Oh?” I discreetly dropped Colt’s hand.
“I think I’ve finally found a way we can sell.”