25. Beau
Chapter 25
Beau
W illow shifted beneath me as we stood at the top of the hill overlooking my private paradise at the back of the ranch. I’d been there nearly all morning just staring at the scenery and she was getting restless. I leaned forward in the saddle, resting my head against her neck.
“Sorry old girl,” I muttered, holding her tight. “I’m just… I’m not ready to go back just yet.”
The old mare didn’t fight or try to head for home. Instead, she just gave a soft huff and stood there, knowing I needed just a little more time to myself. She was the only friend I had in the world that wasn’t going to ask me questions or try to make me feel better. She was just there, a warm steady presence rooting me to the ground when all I felt like doing was fading away into nothing.
Goddammit my heart hurt.
I closed my eyes, inhaling the scent of leather and horse sweat, trying to push away the ache in my chest. The warm Texas breeze ruffled my hair, carrying with it the sweet scent of sagebrush and prairie grass. It should have been comforting, but it only reminded me of him .
Lucas.
His name echoed in my mind, bringing with it a flood of memories. The way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, how his soft city boy hands felt against my skin, the sound of his sweet voice whispering in my ear as he lay beneath me in the tall grass. It had all seemed so perfect, so right. Until it wasn't.
Willow shifted again, this time turning her head to nuzzle my boot. I knew she was trying to comfort me in her own way, and I appreciated it more than she could ever know. I patted her neck, feeling the rough texture of her mane beneath my calloused fingers. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the inevitable return to the ranch house. There would be so many questions and I just wasn’t ready to answer them yet. But I couldn’t stay out on the prairie forever.
“Alright, girl,” I murmured, straightening up in the saddle. “Let's head back.”
As we began our descent down the hill, the sun beating down on my shoulders, I couldn't help but replay the events of the past few weeks in my mind. Lucas had swept into my life like a whirlwind, all charm and city-slicker swagger. At first, I'd been annoyed by his presence, but somehow, he'd wormed his way under my skin.
I remembered the night everything changed, when Daisy took off and I had to rescue Lucas. The way he’d clung to me after I pulled him down and the way he kissed me… it was like I’d woken up for the first time. And even with all the fear I had in my heart about admitting who I really was, I couldn’t push him away. Once I had him the first time, I couldn’t get enough. And now, just when I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, he turned out to be a liar and crook.
And, most importantly, he was gone. Forever.
Willow's hooves crunched against the dry earth as we made our way back to the ranch. The rhythmic sound was soothing, almost hypnotic, and I found myself lost in thought once more.
I couldn't shake the image of Lucas's face when I told him to leave and never come back. The shock, the guilt, and then the desperation in his eyes as he tried to explain. But how could he explain away the fact that he'd been lying to me from the start? That his whole presence here had been nothing but a ruse to steal prize winning recipes from honest and hardworking folks including me?
The worst part was, I still loved him. Even now, knowing what I knew, I couldn't stop my heart from aching for him. And it tore me up.
As we approached the ranch house, I saw a figure on the porch. My stomach clenched for a moment, thinking it might be him. But as we got closer, I saw it was Mabel. There was a look in her eye that I knew all too well. She wanted to talk and if there was one person in the world I couldn’t say no to, it was her. No matter how much I was hurting, it would have to come out. Like poison from a wound, she’d say.
I dismounted Willow, patting her flank as I led her to the barn. Mabel watched me silently from the porch, her eyes following my every move. I took my time unsaddling Willow, brushing her down with slow, deliberate strokes. It was a futile attempt to delay the inevitable, but I couldn't help myself.
Finally, I had no choice but to face Mabel. I trudged up the porch steps, my boots heavy on the weathered wood. She didn't say a word, just opened the screen door and motioned for me to follow her inside.
The familiar scent of cinnamon and coffee washed over me as I entered the kitchen. Mabel busied herself at the stove, pouring two steaming mugs of coffee despite the heat of the afternoon. I slumped into a chair at the kitchen table, my body suddenly feeling every bit of the emotional turmoil from the past few days. All I wanted to do was sleep until it was all lost to the sands of time.
Mabel set a mug in front of me, the rich aroma of fresh coffee filling my nostrils. She took a seat across from me, her weathered hands wrapping around her own mug. For a long moment, we sat in silence, the only sound the gentle ticking of the old clock on the wall .
“You want to talk about it, Beau?” Mabel finally asked, her voice soft and motherly.
I stared into my coffee, watching the steam rise in lazy curls. “Not really,” I mumbled, but I knew it was pointless. Mabel had a way of getting things out of me, whether I wanted to share or not.
She reached across the table, her hand covering mine. “That city boy did a number on you, didn't he?”
I felt my throat tighten, tears threatening to spill once more. All I could do was nod, knowing if I spoke that I’d lose what little control I had left.
Mabel squeezed my hand gently, her touch as comforting as it had been when I was a boy. “Oh, honey,” she sighed, her voice filled with sympathy. “I know it hurts. But you can't keep it all bottled up inside. It'll eat you alive if you do.”
I took a shaky breath, finally looking up to meet her kind eyes. “I thought... I thought he was different, Mabel. I thought he really cared about me.”
“Maybe he did, Beau,” she said softly. “People are complicated. Sometimes they do foolish things, even when their hearts are in the right place.”
I shook my head, anger flaring up alongside the pain. “He lied to me. Everything was a lie. He was just here to steal from us, from everyone in Sagebrush.”
Mabel was quiet for a moment, her eyes searching my face. “Are you sure about that, Beau? Are you certain everything was a lie?”
I wanted to say yes, to insist that Lucas had played me for a fool from the start. But the words caught in my throat. Because deep down, I knew it wasn't true. The way he'd looked at me, touched me, held me... that couldn't have all been fake. Could it?
“I don't know,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I thought I knew him, Mabel. I thought...” I trailed off, unable to finish the thought.
She nodded, understanding in her eyes. “Love has a way of blinding us, sweetheart. But it also has a way of revealing truths we might not otherwise see.”
I frowned, confused by her words. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” Mabel said, her voice gentle but firm, “that sometimes love can make us see the best in people, even when they've made mistakes. And sometimes, it can help us forgive those mistakes.”
I shook my head, feeling a surge of anger. “Forgive him? After what he did?”
Mabel sighed, her eyes filled with a wisdom that came from years of life experience. “I'm not saying what he did was right, Beau. But people do foolish things for all sorts of reasons. Have you even given him a chance to explain?”
The memory of Lucas's desperate face flashed through my mind. I had been so angry, so hurt, that I'd barely let him get a word in before I'd told him to leave. Shame washed over me as I realized how quick I'd been to push him away.
“I... I didn't,” I muttered. “Not fully anyway.”
Mabel nodded, a knowing look in her eyes. “Maybe that's where you need to start, honey. Hear him out. You don't have to forgive him or take him back, but at least give yourself the chance to understand.”
I sat back in my chair, running a hand through my hair. The thought of facing Lucas again made my stomach churn, but Mabel's words had planted a seed of doubt in my mind. What if there was more to the story than I knew? What if there was something redeemable about his story? Would I take him back? I wasn’t sure. But suddenly there was a burning desire in my belly to know the whole truth.
“I don't even know where he is,” I said, my voice rough with emotion. “He could be halfway back to New York by now. Once he’s back in that big city… there’s no way I’d ever find him.”
Mabel's lips curved into a small smile. “Now, I wouldn't go givin’ up just yet.”
She reached into the breast pocket of her shirt and pulled out a neatly folded square of paper. Setting it down on the table, she pushed it over to me. On the front of it was my name in a handwriting I didn’t recognize.
“What’s that?” I said, too afraid to touch it.
“Just read it,” she replied. “And remember that this old woman has been around the block a time or two. She’s no fool when it comes to things like this.”
I reached out, picking up the paper. Unfolding it with shaking hands, I started to read.
Beau,
I guess I’m not sure where to start other than tell you I’m sorry again, from the bottom of my heart. When I came to Sagebrush, I never expected to meet such good people. Maybe that was my ignorance and prejudice getting in the way, but the people I met in this little town were so much better than I expected. And you Beau, my gorgeous savior of a cowboy. You were the best of them all.
I wish I could tell you that what I did wasn’t true. But I did come to Sagebrush to steal from you all. My boss isn’t the nicest guy, and he knew Logan had connections down here. He offered us a promotion if we pulled it off. But he also told us that we’d never work in New York again if we didn’t. With rent and student loans and overdue bills piling up on top of us, we didn’t feel like we could say no. Both of us worked so hard to get to where we are and… well, we didn’t think we had a choice.
But I see now that I was wrong about that. Wrong about Sagebrush and definitely wrong about the people there. I know it’ll never make up for it, but Logan and I burned the book we kept all the recipes in, including the one for your prize-winning barbecue. The only person that knows it is you. And by the time you read this, I’ll be on a plane back to New York to tell my boss to kiss my ass. After that, I’m not sure where Logan and I will go. But I’ll write you when I can. Mabel gave me your address so I can at least let you know when I get settled. Then, if you don’t ever want to talk to me again, I’ll understand .
Please know that I might’ve lied about why I was in Sagebrush, but I NEVER lied about how I felt about you. You’re one of the good ones Beau. Any man would be lucky to have you.
I wish you all the happiness in the world.
Love,
Lucas.
I looked up at Mabel, tears running down my cheeks. “W-What… What do I do?”
She glanced down at her watch. “Well, if you head for the airport now, you can probably catch him before he moves out of his apartment.”
I was on my feet in an instant.
“Hold on a second,” she said, pulling another slip of paper out of her pocket. “Here’s his address.” As I went to take it, she grabbed my hand and pulled me in close, her smile widening. “You love that boy, don’t you?”
“Yes ma’am.”
She nodded. “Good. Now go and don’t come back without him.”