Chapter 23
twenty-three
. . .
Wren
We were at Sunday dinner at Ellie and Keaton’s home, and we couldn’t stop laughing about the aftermath of our little break-in incident.
“I’ll be the one to read this week’s ‘Taylor Tea,’ since we’ve got some outlaws sitting here at the table,” Rafe said as he cleared his throat.
“‘Hey there, Roses. The tea is overflowing once again this week in Rosewood River. Our favorite postman and his baby mama have given birth to their child, and apparently tensions are still running high with both families. But we wish our Roses well. In more exciting news… It’s been the topic of everyone in town, but there was a break-in at the Rosewood River Review last week. Word on Main Street is that a couple local teens broke in and left their bottle of booze behind when they fled through the window. Clearly, they aren’t built for a life of crime.
But what they were looking for still remains a mystery. Xoxo.’”
“I agree that the culprits are not cut out for a life of crime,” Bridger said, smirking at Emilia.
“What’s a culpy, Daddy?” Melody asked.
“Culprit, baby girl. It’s a person responsible for a crime,” he said with a chuckle. “But sometimes the culprits are sitting at your dinner table.”
Laughter bellowed around the room.
“And they drove all the way to Snowcap Mountain so they could spy on the meeting between Jazzy and Emilia’s parents,” Easton said as he covered his mouth with his hand to hide his smile.
“Hey, we were doing our due diligence,” Lulu pointed out.
“At least you found out that Jazzy isn’t the one writing ‘The Taylor Tea,’ though, right?” Isabelle asked, and she winked at me.
“Yep. Turns out they were just there to interview Jazzy while she showed them the new location of the bar they’re opening there.” I shrugged. “But it was a fun little outing.”
“A fun outing?” Lulu snipped. “Eloise got carsick, and she dry-heaved the whole way home. Henley was a total backseat driver the entire time I was driving. Emilia was a nervous wreck about her parents seeing us, and Wren got fourteen thousand phone calls from her coach and her father about her training. And we hit a dead end on our investigation about who writes the freaking article, so we have nothing to show but a bunch of scratches on our legs.”
“Ummm… you were trying to turn right on a red, even though the sign clearly stated that there are no right turns on red,” Henley said, laughing loudly. “I was just trying to keep you from ending up in the slammer.”
“I believe I was carsick from all the swerving,” Eloise said. “You tend to talk with your hands, even when you’re driving.”
“It’s a gift.” Lulu shrugged.
“And once you know my mother better, you’ll understand why I was very nervous about her catching us,” Emilia said.
“Yet you broke into her place of work?” Easton gaped at her.
“That was after way too much tequila.” She shrugged. “It’s called liquid courage.”
“What was it your coach and your father were calling about?” Isabelle asked. “Is everything okay with your training?”
“I’m all registered for the Hampton Classic, so they’re just making sure my training’s on track. Well, at least Coach Sharky is. My father is very concerned about Wrax and if he’s up for it.”
“Is he up for it?” Bridger asked as he forked some mashed potatoes and popped them in his mouth.
“He’s as up for it as I am.” I shrugged, because that was the truth. Wrax and I had been at this for years, and we were both a little tired.
But being here in Rosewood River had been so much better for my training. Mentally and physically.
Maybe it was Axel.
Maybe it was the mountains and the river and the open space.
I felt like I could breathe again.
“I want to see my horse girl at her big game,” Melody said, and my heart squeezed.
“Me too. But I’m still bummed that you’re missing the wedding,” Henley said.
“Me too,” I said.
I meant it. I’d missed so many important events over the years due to training and traveling. This sport was all-consuming, so stepping away and taking a break had been a very eye-opening experience.
“And I’m the flower girl at the wedding,” Melody said as a wide grin spread across her face.
“I know. I can’t wait to see the pictures.”
“I can’t wait for everyone to stop coming to measure the same spaces over and over in the backyard,” Bridger said with a look at Easton.
Easton and Henley were getting married on Bridger’s property because he had a lot of land and views of the river from every single angle.
His home was beautiful, as Emilia had done the magazine-worthy interior as her first big design project.
In fact, the house had been featured in several design magazines since she’d done the renovation.
“I’m sorry, you big grump,” Easton said. “Our wedding planner is very specific about measurements.”
The rest of the conversation was all about the upcoming pickleball championship. I’d been playing with Axel and had quickly fallen in love with the sport. But the Chadwicks clearly took their pickleball game seriously.
“But the bigger news is what else is happening soon,” Axel said, turning his attention to his niece. “A little bird told me that it’s Family Day at summer camp.”
“What little birdy told you that, Uncle A? Because that’s a true story, right, Daddy? It’s a special day at camp, and then I’m going to big girl school after summertime.”
“Yes, you are. My baby is growing up,” Archer said as he looked at his daughter with adoration.
I realized in that moment that my father had never looked at me with that kind of genuine affection.
It was always more about pride or disappointment.
I’d spent my entire life chasing his approval.
I’d had mostly highs, but the lows were very low.
Because on top of dealing with my own disappointment whenever I didn’t do well, I carried the weight of his disappointment.
But watching Archer and Melody—it made me realize how unfair that had been.
Our entire relationship was based on my success.
I’d let him down personally after I’d made the decision to tell my mother about his affair all those years ago.
I’d known in my gut that I couldn’t live with keeping a secret like that from her.
She’d chosen to stay with him, and he’d never fully forgiven me for telling her.
So our relationship had shifted to being fully dependent on how I performed at competitions.
Maybe that was why I was so exhausted. This sport was pressure enough all on its own, but adding in the fact that it determined how my father felt about me—it had all grown very complicated.
“Wrenny, will you still be here to come to my special day at summer camp?”
I smiled. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’m here for a few more weeks, so I’ll get to be here for the famous Chadwick Fourth of July party this year too.”
“Yay!” Melody clapped her little hands together. “My Beefcake and Auntie Em and Uncle Nash will be here, too.”
We started talking about the Fourth of July party, and I looked up to find Axel watching me.
“What?” I whispered. “Is there something on my face?”
He chuckled. “No. I just like looking at you.”
My chest squeezed. How was I going to leave this man. We both knew how difficult it was going to be. I’d be living on the other side of the country. We wouldn’t be in the same time zone anymore. Yes, we could still talk daily, but it wouldn’t be the same.
We finished up dinner and dessert, and Axel and I climbed on Honey and Wrax and took the back path home.
We chatted all the way to the ranch before making our way up the driveway to his house.
“I wanted to tell you that I spoke to Brenner, and he’s found two guys that I think are going to be great additions to the team.”
“Yeah? That’s great. You’re working so much, and having good help will lighten your load,” I said as we jumped off our horses and walked them into the barn.
“Well, there’s a bit more motivation for me, if I’m being honest,” he said as we closed the doors to their stalls.
“What’s your motivation?” I asked as he pressed me up against the pile of hay.
“You’re my motivation, Wren. I know we didn’t put rules on this.
I know we’re going to talk every day after you leave and see where things go.
But I want to be there to support you. So I’m bringing on extra help so that I can get away more often.
I know it won’t be perfect, but it’ll be better than going months without seeing you.
” This sexy, lazy smile spread across his face.
“Anytime I get to see you is perfect.” I sighed.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I said, tangling my hands in his unruly hair and tugging his head down.
We sat there kissing for the longest time, both of us sprawled out on the hay bales as the wind bustled around outside the barn.
Axel pulled back. “You want me to take you inside?”
I shook my head no. “I want you right here, Cowboy.”
“You can have me anywhere you want me, Wren.” He sat up so his back was pressed up against the wall. I moved to straddle him, my knees pressing down on the blades of dried grass. I unbuckled his jeans and shoved them down enough to free his eager erection.
God, I loved this man.
I loved him so much that I felt it in every inch of my body.
I wanted to savor every minute we had together.
Because whether we liked it or not, everything was going to change soon. We’d be living on opposite sides of the country.
He’d live here and I’d live there.
I tugged my denim skirt up, and without warning, Axel tore my lace thong off and tossed the scrap of fabric beside him.
I pushed up, adjusting his tip at my entrance, before moving down slowly as my gaze locked with his. The dim lights in the barn allowed me to see every single one of his handsome features. The sound of water dripping into a bucket in the distance was almost rhythmic.
“Damn, you feel good, baby,” he hissed as he slowly filled me.
Every inch of him.
I unbuttoned my blouse just as I started to move.
Up and down.
Over and over.
He tugged at the lace cups on my bra, pulling them down so he could see my breasts.
And the way he looked at me—it did something to me.
He looked at me like I was the most beautiful girl in the world.
Like I was the only girl in the world.
I smiled and moved faster as we both chased our release.
Desperate and needy.
And I rode my cowboy until we both went right over the edge.
Together.
Always together.