24. Twenty-Four
Twenty-Four
Cash
I could still feel Abi’s lips on mine, even hours later. I lay in my bed, my eyes focused on the ceiling, my mind running through the entire night. The dinner, the dance, the kiss, the confessions. She was feeling this, too. Butterflies, she called them. The same knots I had in my stomach were twirling in hers—and she wanted to go for it.
She wanted me as much as I wanted her.
The conversation we started wasn’t over. As she said, five years of miscommunication. There were still so many things we needed to sift through in order to make it truly work, but I wanted this. I wanted to have her, fully…not halfway, and if that meant opening up then fuck it. I was going to open up.
The one thing that sat unsettled in my stomach was the phone calls and text messages she claimed to have sent in the past five years. I told her she could call me, that I would answer. But I never received anything.
Grabbing my phone from the charger, I thumbed through my missed calls, then my texts. Nothing. Absolutely nothing from Abi’s number or even an unknown number. That’s didn’t make sense. I would text her before, and nothing had changed on my end.
Taking a gamble, I went to my settings and clicked on something I never had before. Blocked Contacts.
Being on the road constantly, talking to as many people as I had, I never blocked anyone. Not even Carolyn. But fear rose as soon as I saw the only name on the list.
Abi Acosta
“Fuck.” I shot up, quickly tapping her name to unblock her. No wonder why I wasn’t getting anything—but how?
A quick Google search told me I wouldn’t get any texts, but voicemails may still come through.
I left so many voicemails of me sobbing…
A moment went by, but then notifications came through, and there they were. Messages from the last few weeks blew up my phone.
Missed Call: Abi Acosta
Voicemail: Abi Acosta
Missed….missed…voicemail…missed.
She had called me.
Not wasting a single moment, I opened the first voicemail…which according to my phone was left when Stetson went missing. Abi’s voice filled the dark space.
“Cash. Come on. You told me I could call you. Stetson. He’s…he’s….he went riding with Rhett and Rhett’s back but not Stetson, and Cash, I’m scared. I’m trying not to want you here in this moment, especially since you said I could call you and text you and you haven’t answered a single one but…Stetson is missing, and I don’t know what to do. He knows the land…I shouldn’t be as worried as I am…but…dammit Cash, answer your fucking phone! Please.”
“It’s been over an hour, and I can’t find him. If you get this, please come to the ranch. I…God I hate to admit this…I need you here.”
“Cash…I just…wait…you’re calling Lachlan…”
Her voice died down and the room fell silent.
I didn’t sleep.
I just heard her voice in my head.
The sun was just rising as I pulled up on the ranch. I sent Lachlan a quick text.
Me
Any tasks for me today?
Lachlan
I got a few I could use your help on. Let me know when you’re here.
Locking my phone, I took in the sight of the stables in front of me. It looked better than when I arrived weeks ago. The new roof had really made a difference, and the barn in the background shined the deep red. There were still things to fix and do while I was able to help, but first…
How the hell was I going to explain to Abi that her phone number was blocked? Would she believe me when I told her I wasn’t sure how it happened? After last night, I had high hopes she would, but then again…she even said there were still things to hash out, and me not even attempting to call her for these five years was most likely the top of her list.
There were a lot of ‘I should haves’ or ‘I could haves’ during this. They fell on both of us. But that saying ‘the phone works both ways’ didn’t add up here. She had called, she had texted. I was the one who vanished.
How the fuck was I going to explain this?
I didn’t even have an answer.
The soft light that came from the stable told me she was there. Turning off my rig, I grabbed my hat and slowly made my way inside. Hook bobbed his head up and down once he saw me, and Charming popped out munching on some hay. Nova was near the back, and Luna…she was with the person I wanted to see.
Abi was hunched over, her hair in a messy ponytail that was flopped over her shoulder. Her Carhartt jacket covered her back, her boots had that signature mud on the toes. Even mucking out a stall—she was gorgeous.
She stood, taking a deep breath before she turned, taking a jump into the air once she saw me.
“Holy shit, Cash…” she said breathlessly, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Say something next time.”
“I just got here.” I opened the stall as she started to make her way towards me. “How did you sleep?”
“Not bad,” she said, the ghost of a smile lingering. “You?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Listen, I…”
“Nope.” Abi stopped me, a hint of a smile on her lips. “I haven’t had that much coffee yet so, before we start the day with ‘Listen, I need to talk to you’ how about…”
I reached out and grabbed the edge of her coat, pulling her to me. With ease, almost as if she had done it every day, she slipped her arms around my waist, nuzzling up next to my chest. She hummed as she melted into me. I kissed the crown of her head, taking her in, enjoying the brief moment I would have before telling her a hard truth and potentially pissing her off even more. For now, I just needed to have her here.
“Good morning.” I lifted my chin slightly, and Abi arched her back to look up at me.
“Morning. Sorry I smell. I got up early because I have a showing today, and I didn’t shower. I need to get Stetson ready for school after this and…well…you know how it is.” She let me go, taking a step back, holding her arms out to the side as if showcasing herself.
Absolutely magnificent—in every way possible.
“I told you, you’re the most beautiful woman in the world, shit under the fingernails and all.” I moved towards her once more, using my fingers to grab her coat. “Come here.”
She let me pull her towards me, and once she was close enough, I cradled her face in my palms.
“Are you going to kiss me?” she asked, almost a whisper.
“Can I?”
She nodded slightly, and then I dipped my mouth to hers. I could taste the slight hint of coffee on her lips, I could smell the cinnamon on her skin, and once she deepened the kiss, I breathed her in. I could get lost in her. No matter what was happening, this right here would bring me back to life. Abi. Her kiss. Her scent. Her taste. Everything about her made me whole.
Her hands ran up my chest, pulling warmth the entire way until her fingers locked at the nape of my neck. She hummed and her entire body relaxed, I had to move my hands to keep her up right. I smiled against her lips, loving the way she let out a breath of air. My arms tightened around her waist.
“I just had to stop you from melting,” I muttered against her, giving her a small kiss.
Shaking her head, she dipped her chin. “Well, it’s been a while since someone kissed me like that.”
“Like this?” I lifted her chin with my forefinger and thumb, taking her mouth in mine again. She hummed as I gently licked her bottom lip with my tongue, smirking as her lips parted for me.
Holding her tight against my body, I could feel each and every breath she took, every deep inhale that was followed by a sigh, our lips barely leaving each other’s. Her fingers caressed my hair, they gripped at the collar on my shirt and tickled the skin at the back of my neck. Enhancing the spark between us.
A throat being cleared stopped us mid moment. Abi pulled away first, her hands sliding down my chest as she tilted her head to look behind me. Secretly loving the blush that spread across her cheeks, I twisted, keeping one hand on her waist, to see Lachlan standing in the center aisle. His arms were folded, baseball cap on backwards, and one eyebrow raised higher than I’ve ever seen.
“Hi Lach.” Abi’s voice was heavy as she licked her lips, fully stepping away from me.
“Hey.” I turned back to her, remembering the entire reason for my trip to the stable. “Have lunch with me?”
Her eyes danced as she bit her bottom lip. “Okay.” Taking a breath, she snapped herself back to reality. “I need to get Stetson ready for school.”
Her eyes met mine once more, before she took a single step past me, past Lachlan, and finally left the barn.
Lachlan was a statue, his full attention fixed on me. “What was that?”
I shrugged. “A ruined moment thanks to you.” I shoved my hands in my pockets, casually walking up to him like he didn’t just catch me making out with his cousin. “What’s on the docket today?”
His eyebrow raised higher—if that was even possible. “Do you know what you’re doing?” he asked, completely avoiding my question.
“Yeah.”
“Does she?”
I looked back at the main house, just in time to see Abi pull open the screen door, vanishing inside.
“She's a big girl Lach,” I quipped, remembering his ‘big girl pants’ bit the day I arrived. I looked over at Lachlan, “If you raise that eyebrow any higher you’re going to get it stuck that way.”
“Just…be careful there. Abi hasn’t let anyone close to her—like this—since Sylas.”
“I’m aware. I haven’t been close to anyone—like this—since Carolyn.”
“Abi’s different, Cash. Don’t screw this up.”
I pinched my brow, not quite ready for the don’t hurt her speech.
My phone dinged, the vibration pulsing as I pulled it from my back pocket. My eyes twitched and a smile pulled on the corner of my lips.
Abi
It’s a long shot to text you…but lunch? Meet me at 12:30.
“Oh.” I looked up at Lachlan. “There is no way I’m screwing this up.”
I typed out my reply faster than I think I ever have.
Me
It’s a date.
Shortly after noon, once Lachlan and I had managed a few tractor repairs, I jogged into the stable. The spring sun was beginning to beat down on the farm, any trace of snow long gone, but that chill was still in the air. Flowers would be blooming soon; the cattle would need to be moved, and before we knew it calving season would begin. More things to keep the Hartwell’s busy. Another excuse for me to have this time with Abi now.
As soon as I got to the stable door, Abi appeared—the messy ponytail replaced with two braids, a cowboy hat perched on her head. She wore boot cut jeans with a brown jacket half zipped to show a pink shirt underneath. And yet still just as vibrant, stopping me in my tracks. In her hands were two reigns, Luna and Nova, saddled and ready to go.
She flipped her braid off her shoulder, and her gaze locked with mine.
“Oh, hi.” She smiled, “I thought we could take the horses and have a picnic.”
“A picnic?”
“You said lunch. I um…” She handed me the reins. “I made us sandwiches, and Luna’s saddle bag has snacks and water.” She cleared her throat and turned to my horse. “And a bottle of wine.”
“Wine? We have to talk and you’re bringing wine?” I raised an eyebrow, smirking down at her.
Her lips twisted. “It’s a white wine.”
“And that makes a difference?” I chuckled, stepping forward closer to her. I smelled the cinnamon again and had to force myself not to kiss her, over and over. “I have something to tell you,” I whispered.
She smiled, her free hand reaching out to my arm, her fingers trailing down to my hand. “Then let’s go to the lake and talk.”