3. Bex
Chapter 3
Bex
The agony radiating from my wrist up my arm dulled for a fraction of a second due to shock when he spoke.
It might be deeper than I remembered, but that voice was one I’d recognize anywhere—a voice I wished I could forget.
Even though his words were uttered quietly, I could sense he was close. His touch hovered nearby while his masculine scent infiltrated my senses.
Vision blurred by tears, I dared to peek over at the man responsible for shattering my dreams and altering the course of my life.
No longer the gangly boy who’d preferred studying to sports, Tucker Grant had grown into a man, his body filled out to perfection. Too bad I hated him with every fiber of my being because he was downright gorgeous, dressed in well-worn jeans and a flannel, a beige cowboy hat gracing his head.
On his knees beside where I sat, he extended a hand, palm out, curling his fingers. “Bex, let me see.”
The pain came roaring back to life, and I couldn’t stifle the whimper that worked its way up my throat. But it wasn’t only my wrist that hurt; it was my heart, that old wound reopening upon laying eyes on the man who’d broken it.
“No.” My voice came out watery and weak.
Piercing blue eyes I’d once loved studied my face before dropping to focus on my injury.
His mouth opened, and I braced for an argument when I heard Aspen shout, “Bex! Oh my God, what happened?”
Our heads turned in unison to find my best friend rushing into the barn and dropping down on my opposite side. She shot Tucker a glare. “What did you do?”
Chest rumbling, he replied, “She fell. Landed with all her weight on her right hand. I’d lay good odds her wrist’s broken.”
Considering I was close to passing out from the sharp waves of pain, he was probably right.
“But she won’t let me assess the injury.” Frustration leaked into his tone.
I forced out through gritted teeth, “I’m fine.”
Aspen sighed. “You’re not fine.” Resigned, she suggested, “You should probably let Tucker take a look.”
“Absolutely not.” I shook my head. “I know it’s a Saturday, but if you drive me over to Doc Stevens’s house, I’m sure he can patch me up. I’ll be right as rain by bonfire time.”
“Um, so the thing is . . .” She chewed on her lower lip nervously.
Her gaze lifted to Tucker’s, and a silent exchange passed between them.
My patience was running short, so I snapped. “Spit it out.”
“Doc Stevens retired,” Tucker declared.
Guess that made sense. He’d been in his early sixties the last time I was in town.
“Then take me to whoever runs the practice now,” I huffed.
“You’re lookin’ at him. ”
My head whipped around so fast that I was lucky not to add a strained neck to my list of ailments.
“No,” I said in stunned disbelief.
Turning back to Aspen, I found her grimacing, confirming what I desperately needed not to be true. That Tucker was my only hope of medical care unless someone drove me an hour to the nearest emergency room. Which wasn’t much of an option, given that the people I was closest to were about to host the kickoff event of their wedding week, and I would never make it back in time to help out as expected.
I’d known this week would be difficult, but this took it to a new level.
“What the fuck, Aspen?” I hissed the minute Tucker left us alone in an exam room to gather the supplies to cast my right wrist, having already confirmed via X-ray that it was broken.
A giant hunk of plaster on one arm was going to look great paired with my bridesmaid dress.
“How could you not tell me?” My voice wavered, reality sinking in that there would be no avoiding the man who’d broken my heart. Worse, we’d be forced together all week.
Aspen sighed, guilt swimming in her blue eyes. “I’m sorry, okay? But in my defense, we’ve been living under the unbreakable rule of not mentioning a single word about him in your presence since we were eighteen. So, how was I supposed to warn you? Can you honestly tell me that if you knew he was the best man, you’d have still agreed to stand by my side?”
I averted my gaze. “I could have sucked it up. ”
“Liar.” My best friend had no qualms about calling me out.
“All right. So maybe I would have come down with a mysterious illness at the last minute,” I grudgingly admitted. “But I still don’t understand why. Mac has two insanely hot billionaire cousins. I was kinda hoping to be escorted by one of them.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Did we forget about Aaron already?”
I wasn’t about to admit that since removing that ring weighing down my left hand, I hadn’t thought about him once. That wasn’t a thread that needed to be pulled.
“A little eye candy never hurt anyone,” I countered.
Narrowing her eyes, Aspen studied me for a minute. “Bex, I can tell you right now that my eyes haven’t wandered once since being with Mac. Are you sure you’re okay? Did you break up with Aaron?” She perked up, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“Could you maybe not look so thrilled by the prospect?”
A flash of regret passed over her features, and her nose wrinkled. “Sorry.”
Groaning, I laid back on the exam table, tossing my good arm over my eyes.
It was impossible not to let Aspen’s hope that I’d ended things with Aaron get to me. We’d been best friends since we were five; no one knew me better than her. Could she sense I was settling? That I was tired of being alone and had opted for companionship over love?
The first time I met Mac, I knew he was the one for Aspen. Watching the two of them together—how he cared for her, his eyes tracking her in any room—warmed me from the inside out.
It was glaringly obvious that my relationship with Aaron was nothing like theirs.
“How’s your pain level? On a scale from one to ten? ”
The voice that spoke didn’t belong to Aspen. Lost in thought, I must not have heard the door opening, signaling Tucker’s return.
Trying and failing to keep the bitchy tone from my voice, I replied, “Can we just get this over with?”
“Bex.” He said my name so softly that it sliced my heart wide open.
Tears burned behind my eyes as memories rushed to the surface, of him saying it exactly like that as he stared down at me, his gaze filled with love, a split second before he’d kiss me.
He’d ruined me for all other men, and I hated him for it. No one who had come after him had ever made me feel as though being in their presence breathed the air into my lungs, like our souls were intertwined.
I dragged my arm away from my face, my quiet sniffle echoing in the silent room. All eyes were on me.
Aspen grasped my uninjured hand, squeezing it in a show of support.
Blinking furiously, I refused to look at Tucker as he tenderly cast my wrist.
Why hadn’t I been good enough for him? What was so special about her that he was willing to break all of his promises to me? And why didn’t he have the courage to end our relationship before jumping head-first into marriage?
A million questions were begging to be asked, but what good would the answers do me now? It had been over ten years since that fateful day that rocked my world. He’d married someone else and left me alone to pick up the pieces of my life. It didn’t matter that I would never be the same; I had to move on. There was no other option.
“All done.”
On reflex, I attempted to wiggle my wrist, but it was held immobile by the thick plaster .
“It’s a little late, but I’ll give Harriet a call and see if she can pop over to the drugstore after hours to fill a script for pain meds. I don’t want you suffering.”
Oh, now that’s a priority for you?
I kept my eyes locked firmly on Aspen by my side. She peeked down at me and nodded, instantly detecting that I was overwhelmed.
“I’ll drive her over there. You head back to the ranch and make sure Mac doesn’t burn the whole thing down.”
There was a beat of hesitation before Tucker replied, “Okay. I’ll see you both over there.”
His footsteps faded away, and I heard his muted voice as he spoke on the phone.
Aspen tugged my arm, helping me to sit up. The look of pity she couldn’t hide nearly did me in.
I only prayed the rest of my time in Rust Canyon would pass without incident. Because I wasn’t sure I could handle much more before I broke.
Driving through the wrought-iron gate of Sullivan Ranch, a calm settled over me. Or maybe it was the painkillers kicking in; I couldn’t really tell. Either way, this place was where I grew up. At one point, Mrs. Sullivan joked that she was going to claim me as a dependent on her taxes. I’d spent that much time there.
Main Street was cozy, but this open land made me feel free .
When Aspen pulled up to the barn, a half dozen more cars were parked alongside it than when we’d left. The bonfire was in full swing, the orange flames lighting up the night.
Stepping out of the car, I inhaled deeply. The crisp spring air filled my lungs, and I held it there for a minute before exhaling. It was clean and fresh, nothing like what I encountered in the city. There wasn’t a trace of pollution or exhaust tainting its purity.
This was my home. I might have stayed away, but I never stopped missing it.
The bride-to-be looped her arm around my waist, and together, we walked toward the casual gathering set to celebrate her upcoming nuptials.
When we cleared the side of the barn, Mac caught sight of us first, raising his beer and shouting, “Look who made it!”
All heads turned in our direction as we approached, the heat of the fire increasing with each step.
Aspen gave me a squeeze. “You good?”
My eyes flicked up to find Tucker staring directly at me. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down my spine.
“Yeah. I’ll survive.”
She pulled me in for a hug, whispering in my ear, “You’re the strongest person I know. If anyone can make it through this, it’s you. You’ve got this.”
Her unwavering faith was just what I needed.
Steeling my nerves, I pulled out of her hold and faced the group. “Hey, everyone. Long time no see.”
That was putting it mildly, but the joke landed, and a chorus of chuckles sounded .
Aspen left my side to give her fiancé a kiss, and I dropped down onto a hay bale. There would be no alcohol for me tonight, as much as I needed the boost. I was so mad at my clumsy self.
A familiar blonde sat beside me, and I did a double take. “Penny?” She nodded with a smile, and I exclaimed, “Wow, look at you all grown up!”
Penny Atkins lived on Sullivan Ranch growing up and was Aspen’s younger brother, Tripp’s, best friend. She’d also been his secret crush, and we had teased him mercilessly for it because he refused to make a move, outright denying that he was even interested when anyone with eyes could see he was head over heels in love with her. It was a shame he’d been blind to the fact that she was in love with him, too.
Two years younger than me, she’d still been in high school when I left Rust Canyon. In the time that I’d been gone, she’d transformed from the pretty girl next door to a beautiful woman.
When she threw her arms around my neck, I peeked around, trying to see if Tripp was here tonight. Since I was an only child, Aspen was like the sister I never had, and therefore, her little brother became mine by default.
My eyes widened when I landed on him. There was no denying he was his father’s son, though he’d never been as rough around the edges. If I’d thought Tucker had filled out, Tripp had him beat by a mile. Which made sense, considering he worked the horses and the land versus in a doctor’s office.
Damn, there was nothing quite like a country boy. I’d almost forgotten after spending so long in the city.
My lips curved into a smile as my gaze shifted toward Mac, knowing he was trying to fit in. You could still tell by how he carried himself that he was a transplant and not country born and raised like the rest .
When Penny pulled back, I focused on reconnecting with her. “Tell me everything. Are you still living on the ranch? Do you have anyone special in your life?”
Even in the firelight, I could see her cheeks pinken as her eyes darted to the opposite side of the bonfire to where Tripp stood with the men.
I was going to shake that boy if I ever got him alone. Grown man or not, I was still older, and he needed some sense knocked into him.
Penny ducked her head. “No. No one special, but I am still here on the ranch. Just finished school to become a livestock vet, which comes in handy during foaling season around these parts.”
The Sullivans were stock contractors for rodeos, specializing in breeding bucking horses since Jett had competed in that event before retiring to become a rancher.
“That’s amazing, Penny!”
Her blush grew deeper at my praise. “I’ve always loved animals, so it seemed like a good fit. It’s challenging work sometimes but rewarding just the same.”
A tiny wail pierced the air, and I spun around to find a woman standing a few feet behind us, bouncing a baby.
Recognition tickled at the back of my brain. I knew her, but it took a minute to place the name.
Finally, it clicked.
“Harper Coleman?”
The baby’s cries grew louder with each passing second. “It’s Winfield now,” she corrected, a weary smile on her face. “Sorry about the noise. He’s hungry.”
Penny vacated her spot on the hay bale. “You can have my seat to feed him. ”
Harper’s eyes flickered with uncertainty as she glanced across the fire to where the men stood together. “Actually, I might head to the car. I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”
“Nonsense.” Penny placed a hand to her chest. “I’m not uncomfortable. Are you, Bex?” She clearly didn’t understand why Harper might be reluctant to nurse with an audience.
I tried to set her mind at ease. “Pretty sure your husband, the town doctor, and an EMT won’t be fazed a bit if you want to feed him here.”
Lips twisting to the side, Harper stepped forward, dropping down beside me with a sigh.
Leaning in, I kept my voice low as I added, “And we all know Tripp’s not looking.”
That got a laugh out of her, and she bumped shoulders with me since her hands were full. “No, he’s not.”
Juggling the baby in her arms, she maneuvered her top until she was able to get her breast out, and within seconds, the screaming was replaced with the sound of greedy sucking.
“Lord,” Harper breathed out. “What I wouldn’t have given to leave him at my parents’ with the others. But he won’t take a bottle.”
Outside of my mother, Aspen was the only person in Rust Canyon I’d kept in contact with all these years. With a town as small as this one, there was only one school for K-12, one class per grade. Though Harper and I were the same age, we’d been more like acquaintances than friends. But her presence tonight meant she was part of the bridal party, and we’d be spending the week together, so it wouldn’t hurt to get to know her better.
“How many little ones do you have?”
“Grady here”—she dipped her chin toward the breastfeeding baby—“makes three. Aubree, my oldest, is six and a half, and Barrett turned three last week. ”
Three kids before thirty. That had once been my dream.
“And you said Winfield, so that means you’re married to . . .” There were three brothers in that family—all older than us—so I didn’t want to guess the wrong one.
“Colt,” she supplied.
“Got it.” I nodded. “The tall, dark, and handsome one.”
“Aren’t they all?” Harper teased, and we both burst out laughing.
“Touché.” I wiped at the moisture that had gathered in the corner of my eye. “At least you know your boys got good genes.”
I gazed down at the infant, whose eyes had drifted shut. Before I thought better of it, I reached out to touch the downy-soft black hair at the crown of his head.
“Beautiful,” I mused.
“They’re all little angels when they’re sleeping,” Harper countered wryly. A soft rush of air slipped past her lips. “But even though there are chaotic days when I want to tear my hair out, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Each one of them is a blessing.”
We fell into companionable silence after that, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from baby Grady.
My life was so very different from the one I had imagined for myself as a girl. Going to college had started out as a place to kill time until my future was ready to begin. I never wanted a career; I wanted to stay home and raise a house full of children. Now, I worked upwards of seventy hours a week, and even if, by some miracle, I found the time to squeeze a baby into my busy schedule, I wasn’t sure I wanted one with the partner I’d chosen.
Shouldn’t that tell you something?
As hard as I tried, I couldn’t shake that thought. What if I was making a huge mistake?