Chapter Twenty-six
Vaughn steered Charlie down the front drive and rode her as fast as she could go. Natalie steadily grew closer, and Vaughn called out for her as she neared.
“Natalie,” she said. “Wait.” She tugged on the reins and brought Charlie to a slow trot and then a walk, gliding up next to Natalie who’d stopped and squinted back at her.
She didn’t have much of a reaction; her face gave away nothing. Vaughn climbed down off the horse and led Charlie closer as Natalie picked up her pace once again.
“Going somewhere?” Vaughn asked, feeling foolish.
“You could say that.” Natalie readjusted the canvas bag on her back.
“Where you going?”
“You really want to know?”
Vaughn sped up, tugging on Charlie. “I do.”
Up ahead, a yellow cab slowed and turned down the drive. It was headed right for them.
“That’s my ride,” Natalie said.
“You called a cab?”
“Didn’t have a cell phone for a rideshare. So, I called from the landline in the guesthouse.”
The car drew closer.
“You still haven’t said where you’re going,” Vaughn said, now feeling her chest tighten in desperation. What was Natalie thinking? How could she do this? Why was she doing this?
Because of me. Because of what I said. Shit.
“I haven’t answered you because I have no answer, Vaughn. I don’t know where it is that I’m going.”
The cab came to a stop as Natalie held up her palm. She walked up to the driver’s window.
“You call for a cab?” the driver asked.
“I did.”
“Hop in.”
Natalie walked to the passenger door. Vaughn hurried after her.
“You can’t leave,” she said. “If you have no place to go.”
“Any place will be better than here,” she said, glancing back to meet Vaughn’s gaze. “After this morning.”
“Look, I—I just meant that we can’t—shouldn’t—with all that we’ve got going on—”
“I know, Vaughn. And I think you’re right. So I should go.”
“But why?”
Natalie was quiet for a moment and Vaughn noticed that the driver, a middle-aged man with a dark, scruffy beard was looking from Vaughn back to Natalie, as if he were following the conversation.
“Because I can’t just forget it and move on, Vaughn. Not like you obviously can.”
“I—” She sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you, I just—”
“You made your point very clear. And I guess I’m just not like you.”
“But you can still stay. I didn’t mean to make you feel like you had to leave.”
“That was all me,” Natalie said. “I made that decision on my own.”
“Please,” Vaughn said. “Don’t go.” She stepped closer.
“Why?” Natalie said.
Vaughn hesitated. Struggled to find the words. Struggled to somehow get past what she’d said to her that morning. “Because I don’t want you to. And Gram doesn’t want you to. And the horses don’t want you to.”
“I think you’ll all get along just fine without me.” She opened the passenger door.
“No!” Vaughn let out. Natalie paused and looked back at her again. “I mean, no, we won’t.” She swallowed. “I won’t.”
Natalie studied her. Really bored into her. Vaughn came closer, went to reach out her hand. “Please,” she said. “Stay. I want you to. I—need you to.”
Another moment of silence ensued. Then the driver spoke. “Ladies, I’ve got a schedule to keep here. Can we hurry this along?”
“Mind your business,” Vaughn said, still looking at Natalie, pleading to her with her eyes.
“At the moment, lady, she is my business. Now if you don’t mind, she and I need to get going.”
“Just shut up a minute,” Vaughn snapped. She reached her hand out for Natalie. “I can’t promise you anything, Natalie. God knows I wish things were different. But they aren’t. I’m not. And I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’ll ever be. What Jeanie did…the betrayal. All the time behind my back—” She shook her head. “But I still want you to stay. Please. You’re safe here. And we love having you. We need you. I need you, Natalie.”
Natalie lowered her hand from the door. She pushed the door closed. The man sighed and jerked the car in reverse. “Damn waste of time.”
Vaughn dug out her wallet and pulled out a fifty-dollar bill. She tossed it in his car at him. “Go,” she said, never taking her eyes off Natalie.
He took the money and backed away, back down the drive. Natalie gripped Vaughn’s hand and Vaughn led her to Charlie’s side where she helped her up in the saddle. Once she was settled, Vaughn climbed on behind her and wrapped her arms around her with reins in her hand. She inhaled the scent of her hair, closed her eyes, and ticked at Charlie, turning her around. Then, with a gentle kick of her heels, she led them back toward home.