22. Tessa
22
I lean into Levi’s chest as we watch the sunrise on Willow. His chest is firm, sturdy, secure. “I like this,” I tell him softly. My thoughts slipping from my lips. I’ve been doing that a lot lately.
And so far, no one’s made me regret my honesty.
Levi’s arms wrap around me. He hums, brushing his nose against my neck. “Leaning against me?” He cocks his head to the sunrise. “Or that?”
“The whole package.”
"Me too," he tells me. And it makes me feel like now is as good a time as any to say this. I take a breath. "Don't sell her. Willow. Keep her."
A heavy sigh releases from his chest. "Tess. Everything's got a price. That's how it works around here, how I keep it running, successful. I like her too. Jackson's already attached—it'll only get harder when—well, when she's no longer in her prime."
I'm quiet, and he chuckles behind me, his breath on my neck. "I think it's time we introduce you to some other horses."
"Not interested," I grumble, then relax back against his chest.
I’ve been waking at four a.m. again. The first night—after several nights without—was three days ago. When Frank texted me. It was followed by an immediate phone call. And for the first time in over three years…I pressed ignore and put it away.
The text didn’t ask where I was. Just that I needed to come back.
I’ve only been here four weeks. My getaways are usually months. Never weeks .
He called again yesterday and today. But the message is clear. He needs to reach me.
Which can only mean one thing. I’m in trouble.
Sure, I’ve laid there, staring at the ceiling, thinking, 'Maybe this is good news' .
But my gut tells me I’m not that lucky. It’s never good news. They’ve been using me as a witness to come in at just the right moment, and I’m done being a sitting duck.
Frank promised me justice, but I’m no fool. My justice isn’t coming. It should have been years ago when I identified Eric’s killer and my shooter.
But it wasn’t enough. His life and the threat to mine weren’t enough.
“How are things with Jackson?” Levi asks, luring me back to the present.
“Oh, you mean the adventures of Curly and Wiggles?” My chest shakes with laughter against his. “We don’t share our secrets.”
“More lies?” he asks, a smirk in his tone behind me, his breath on the side of my face.
I reach my hand behind me, snaking my arm around his neck. “Not lies if they’re none of your business, Indie.”
He’s quiet for a moment. “What if I want to make it my business?” His words are soft and almost a proposition.
I inhale the scent of grass. “Then maybe we’ll share a detail or two.”
He kisses my temple. “You ready to go on back?”
“No, but let’s do it anyway. My boss might get a little grumpy if I’m late for work.”
“Hiya, Tess. Did you bring by more muffins?” Maggie, the ranch manager in the front office rises from her chair with a chipper personality. She’s a sweet older lady. A golden hue to her short blonde hair. A colorful silk scarf around her neck at all times. It’s a different one each time and I make it a point to go into town at some point to pick one out for her.
Especially for the huge favor she’s doing for me.
“Sure did,” I announce as Jackson carries them in behind me.
“Oh my goodness, they smell warm.” She pushes her glasses down to look at the kid. “Darlin’, why don’t you go put that in the kitchen for me.”
We both watch him leave the room.
She motions me forward, whispering. “Levi is going to kill me for not clearing a sale with him.”
I wince. “I know, Mag, I’m so sorry to put you in this position, but he’d shut it down. Practically already did the other day.”
“Well, we won’t give him the chance, now will we?”
I put my hands up. “I’ll take full responsibility. He won’t fire you.”
She laughs and waves me off. “Oh, please. Levi doesn’t fire anybody. That man’s as loyal as they come.”
My chest warms. Those heartstrings tugged again. As if I needed a reason to fall deeper.
She winces. “But Willow’s pricey, you know? She’s young and well trained.” She scrolls down to the figure .
I don’t even flinch.
“It’s fine. You have a payment plan?”
“Of course. No one gets turned away for financial reasons. We’ll work something out but…”
“It’s another thing that Levi needs to approve?”
She purses her lips as her fingers move swiftly around the keyboard.
My heart thumps in my chest. There’s no doubt in my mind that I want to buy Willow before anyone can take her from Jackson. But have I really thought this through? Six thousand dollars is a lot of money for someone who’s got no place to board a horse if the original owner refuses to keep her after the sale.
I’m paranoid.
That’s not Levi. I’m just on edge, doubting everything around me with each day that my fate remains a question.
“Oops,” Maggie chirps. “Forgot that one step of clearing with the boss. Call it my old brain. You’re… officially…” Her fingers race along the keyboard. “Screened and approved.” She looks up at me. “What do you have for a deposit?”
I consider the amount that Levi’s payroll has been depositing into my account. “I can put twenty percent down.”
“That’ll do.” She types it in. “Transport date?”
“Oh…um…” Surely she understands I have no place to keep a horse. Much less myself in two weeks.
She pushes up her glasses. “I’ve got to put something in the system otherwise the sale is incomplete.”
“Two weeks from tomorrow.”
“You got it.”
Jackson comes back out with a mouthful of blueberry muffin. “Aunt Maggie, I tried them for ya. Little light on the blueberries, but that’s my fault. I popped a few when Tess wasn’t looking. ”
She narrows her eyes. “That tracks.”
“Thanks again, Mag. When would… he be notified?”
She glances at Jackson. “No later than one week prior to pick up. That one is a requirement. So he can prepare them.” She looks at her calendar. “So…next Friday.”
I swallow. “But she’s officially…”
She grins, easing my anxiety. “Officially off the market.”
I release a breath. “Thank you.”
The early evening sun slants through the window of Jackson’s room as he and I freshen the space up before the school year.
“How many of these hats do you wear?” I point to the stack of worn, faded cowboy hats.
“Just the two on top. Dad picks me up a new one every summer. But I’d rather wear a baseball hat like my friends.”
I pause, turning to him. “Do you play?”
He shakes his head. “I wanted to, but I've never played, and my friends have been playing since they were like six. If I start now, they’ll laugh at me.”
My eyes move to where I saw a bat and glove near the dresser. “What’s that then?”
“Those were Uncle Elliot’s. I got a lot of his stuff after…”
My shoulders sag. I watch the boy who’s always had a quiet strength about him. Wondering how much of it he keeps bottled inside. How much he’s afraid to ask for what he wants.
I pick up the baseball and move to him on the bed, tossing the ball in the air. “Well, slugger.” I catch it with the other hand. “I happen to be pretty good. Maybe we can practice and get you ready for tryouts?”
He scrunches his nose. “But you’re a girl.”
I nod. “Some think so, yes.”
“Can you throw?”
“’Bout to throw you across the room.” I launch for him, and he giggles and wiggles away from me.
“Okay, okay. I’ll let you show me what you got.” Then he watches me like he wants to say something but hesitates.
“What’s on your mind?” I whisper, leaning in.
“You’re cool. And real.”
“Real? Do elaborate. Real pretty, real funny…”
“Just real. Like when Uncle Chase says, keep it real .”
“Ah.” I watch his hesitation and decide to go a little rogue as the nanny who should never, ever ask this question. “What was your mom like?”
His unchanging expression tells me he was already thinking about her.
Jackson stands and moves to a dusty shoebox under his nightstand. He sits on the floor, cross-legged and pulls it open. He digs through birthday cards and loose paper, then pulls out a photograph. He hands it to me without looking.
A slim woman with red hair cascading down her shoulders and deep brown eyes smiles into the camera.
“She’s beautiful.”
Jackson shrugs. “You’re prettier.”
His comment makes me look at the photo again, studying her features. There’s a resemblance there. Not much on the eyes since mine have more of a golden hue, but the wild red hair, petite figure. Even the way she smirks .
I tuck this new information away. “I know she pops in every now and then,” I say softly.
“I don’t like it. She makes me uncomfortable.”
I wince, remembering what Levi told me about the lies she’d make him tell. “I know.”
“Grandpa says not to take it personally. He says everything she does is to mess with Dad, not me.”
A knot forms in my chest. I’m not the maternal type, but something about his sadness makes me want to crouch down and tuck him under my arm. So I slide off the bed and do just that. “I think he’s right.”
A figure at the door catches my eye. A sweat-stained cowboy leans against the frame, arms crossed. Levi’s hard eyes dip to the photo in my hand. His jaw works tightly.
I open my mouth to say God knows what, but he doesn’t let me.
“When you two are about done, dinner’s almost ready.” He strides off and down the stairs.