Chapter Thirty Three
A week later
Riley finished her shift, showered, and headed to the cafeteria. Rachel called. Two workers called in sick, and they needed someone to help with the kids’ activities. Her body felt weary, and her heart empty. She yawned as she pulled her hair up in a ponytail and grabbed her boots.
Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at it, seeing Rachel’s name pop up on the screen.
“I’m coming,” she said, thinking Rachel planned to snark at her about working overtime. If she continued at this pace, she’d have enough money to leave for Corpus Christi. She saw Garrett in the fields, and she always disappeared in the shadows when she saw him appear near the cabins.
“Annabelle arrived. When you finish with the kids, she’ll remove your cast because we know you haven’t made any appointments.
She’ll run X-rays to make sure the bone healed properly.
Next time you break something, remind me to kick your butt.
Hurry up and get over here, Delaney’s growing crabbier by the minute, and she’s the only one with patience for kids,” Rachel grumbled.
“Tara and Kara have them decorating cookies. Great, just what we need, sugar-fueled kids…”
“I’m on my way,” she said before she disconnected.
“How does it feel to turn twenty-seven and you’re already dying to crawl in bed?
I thought the exact same thing. Riley Stewart, you’re one hot mess.
You can’t love a man who walks away at the first sign of a problem.
You’ll get your act together, put Tara in a real school, and let her finish high school.
Then, you can have a life,” she said, staring at her image in the mirror.
Picking up her hat, she made her way across the yard to the cafeteria. She fumbled with the doors and finally made her way inside.
“Surprise,” everyone yelled, scaring the living daylights out of her.
The cowboys, her friends, and the survivors she helped filled the room, decorated with balloons, graffiti, and cupcakes.
“Oh, my gosh,” she exclaimed, while Tara ran up to her, giving her a hug.
“They wanted to surprise you. See, they love having us here,” Tara whispered, driving her point home.
“Did you tell everyone about my birthday?” she asked, ignoring Tara’s comment.
“Nope. Garrett told them. Of course, Rebecca, Delaney, and Rachel knew, but one of the greenhorns said, Garrett told the cowboys at the bunkhouse.”
Riley walked toward the crowd, painting a bright smile on her face as everyone greeted her.
Rebecca and Rachel led her to a table while Tara made her a plate full of barbecue from the restaurant Garrett took her to after the horse show.
Her stomach twisted in knots as she thought about the man. She forced herself to forget.
“Did we surprise you? Never mind, don’t answer. The way you’ve walked like a zombie through the past week, of course, we did,” Rachel deadpanned.
“Let’s talk about your birthday present,” Rebecca said excitedly. “We’re taking you to Corpus Christ for some shopping.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she insisted, feeling guilty.
“We want to do it. How does next weekend sound? Rachel knows a spa where we can spend the day on Friday, have dinner, and then go shopping on Saturday,” Rebecca gushed. “Amy volunteered to watch Tara. Before you ask, she’ll come here.”
“I’ll talk to her this Saturday when we help her out at the farm stand,” Riley said, picking at the delicious food. Garrett ordered all her favorites, and she got a glimpse of the birthday cake as she walked past. The memory flashed in her mind.
Garrett wrestled the TV remote from her hands. “Nope, I’m not watching another episode of cake decorating. There’s nothing better than chocolate. Who cares how it’s decorated?” he exclaimed and rolled his eyes.
“Chocolate?” she gagged. “There are so many other flavors to try. Every year we taste a different one. If we didn’t have much money, I’d buy Tara a cupcake and put a candle in it.
In years when I saved enough money, I’d bake a cake.
If I found a library, I researched different cake flavors and came up with a different one. ”
“Why? Don’t you have a favorite?” he asked.
“No. My mom said life has a ton of flavors and until you’ve tried them all, you can’t say with absolute certainty it’s your favorite.”
“Your mom seemed like a very wise woman,” he teased. ‘What will you try this year?”
“I’ve always wanted to try a hummingbird cake,” she confessed. “I found the recipe online, and I’m saving it for a special birthday.”
The one on the table resembled the picture she saved all this time, making her heart skip a beat. He remembered every little detail, but he didn’t believe in her.
Two hours later, Riley said goodbye to the last of her guests, and they shooed her out of the building, not letting her help with the cleanup.
Annabelle waved her over, and she went over to the clinic to have the cast removed.
Annabelle X-rayed them, checked the images, and then sent them to the radiologist. When she received confirmation Riley’s bones healed, she cut off the cast. “Don’t lift right away or engage in any other vigorous activities,” Annabelle advised.
“I printed out more instructions, and because I’ve heard of your avoidance of doctors, I included a list of exercises to do twice a day to help regain your strength,” Annabelle said, giving her a stern glance.
“If you run into any problems, feel free to drop by my cabin. My fiancé, Ragu, returned home. His team will spin up any day, and this will keep me from worrying about him.”
“Will he be gone long?” she asked.
“We never know. But every day seems longer when you can’t talk to them or see them to know they’re all right,” Annabelle murmured. “I’m hoping this mission won’t take long. We’re planning our wedding soon.”
“Congratulations,” Riley said before rising and testing out her arm. “Thanks for taking the cast off. It does feel lighter.”
“Remember, no strenuous activity. I know you’re helping around the ranch but be very choosy about what you do for the next few weeks.”
“I will,” she promised before leaving. Her mind drifted to Garrett.
She wondered why he made her birthday special after she made it clear she needed space.
Riley admitted to herself she enjoyed the company and the food, but she missed Garrett.
She sighed as she took the steps up her porch carefully, when someone moved from the shadows.
She nearly screamed until she recognized his huge form.
“You scared me half to death,” she admonished, digging for her key.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you. Brutus has acted ornery the last few days, and I thought I might’ve missed you,” Garrett explained as he came onto the porch and took the paperwork from her hands as she opened the door.
Riley allowed him inside, and he set the paperwork on the coffee table.
“How does it feel without the cast?” he asked, scanning the room.
“It’s fine. What’s wrong with Brutus? Did you change his diet? Has he hurt himself? It can be a sign of pain somewhere,” she suggested thoughtfully.
“I’ve kept him at the other barn, and I think he misses Storm. They’ve grown attached over the last few weeks,” he said quietly. “Did you have a nice birthday?”
“Yes, I did. Why did you set everything up? I don’t understand you. You say, I played some game with you to earn free gifts and money, and then you help throw me a party, but you didn’t even attend,” she said, gazing at him.
“I didn’t want to ruin your day,” he explained.
“Then why are you here?” she said before she managed to stop herself.
Garrett stepped forward and seemed to struggle with himself as he dug inside his jacket pocket. “I saw this in town and bought it before I opened my big mouth,” he said, holding out a white box tied with a purple bow.
Slowly taking it from him, she carefully untied the ribbon and opened the box to see a silver bracelet with turquoise designed delicately together like two ribbons twisting together. It was the most beautiful thing anyone ever gave her.
“It matches my mom’s necklace,” she murmured, realizing why he bought it.
“I know you share it with Tara, but I thought this might replace it when she wears it,” he told her uncomfortably.
Riley sighed and handed it back. “It’s lovely.
Under normal circumstances, this would be a perfect gift.
If I accept it right now, it feels more like I’m getting paid off.
I don’t know how much money you have or why it seemed important to Kenny, but it never mattered to me.
I considered you a kind person who felt bad about almost killing me with his truck.
You offered us safety when we needed it. ”
“It’s a birthday present. It has no strings attached, Riley. It only reminded me of you, and I want you to have it,” he said gently.
“No,” she whispered.
“You’re the most exasperating woman I’ve ever met,” Garrett said under his breath. “I’m not trying to buy you or your affection. What will it take for you to understand I made a mistake and I’m sorry?”
Riley’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know.
You hurt me. I spent all afternoon out of my comfort zone as the women instructed me about makeup, how to wear my hair, and put me in clothes with a string up my ass crack to teach me how to seduce you.
Before you arrived, I felt beautiful and hopeful for the first time in forever.
In five minutes, you stole all of it from me and ordered me from your home.
I don’t know if I’ll ever trust you again.
Will you always think I’m after your money, or because I say I like something, I want you to buy it? ”
Running his hands through his hair, Garrett cursed again, “Have you ever said anything you didn’t mean out of anger? I realize you haven’t had much reason to trust people, but will you drop people from your life because they make a mistake?”
“Only those who I gave my heart to, and they crushed it to pieces,” she snapped. “My dad accuses Tara of ruining his life and our family. You did it thinking I ruined yours. I can’t live like that anymore.”
Garrett stared at her, and before she knew it, he held her in his arms. Their lips crushed together, and their tongues sought out the connection she longed for and missed every night when she went to bed.
His hands gently rubbed her back and moved lower to her behind as he pressed her against his rock-hard cock.
“Damn it, I miss you, Riley. It’s like I can’t breathe without you,” he confessed, making her pull away from him.
“Do you think I’m immune to it? I may not have much experience with men, but I know what you’re feeling right now. It’s not love. It’s lust. You want the connection I miss, too, but I can’t afford to make a mistake. I have my sister think about and—”
“What about your life? Will you ever decide without weighing the pros and cons? You’re scared to live your own life or allow Tara to have one because you don’t want to get hurt again, as your dad treated you. I made a mistake, and I’m here apologizing.”
“With an expensive bracelet in tow to express how much you care. I’ll wear it for a few weeks, and you’ll accuse me of using you. I gave myself to you, Garrett. At the time, you called it a special gift, and then you accused me of selling myself. It’s not a decision. It’s protection.”
Garrett gazed at her with a wounded expression. She knew exactly how he felt because she hurt too. Didn’t he see how painful his words cut?
Taking the box, he turned around and left, quietly shutting the door.
Riley leaned over, picking up the silky purple bow, realizing he wrapped his gift with her favorite color.
Why didn’t he wrap her heart with his love and protect it like the pretty box he brought the bracelet in?
Riley wiped away the tears and returned to her room.
She didn’t want Tara to see her upset after she went to great lengths to make Riley happy on her birthday.
Jared, Kara’s dad, offered to walk Tara to the cabin before they returned home.
She desperately wished Tara, and she found one of their own.
Garrett gave her a glimpse of a contented life, love acting as a safety net, and she finally discovered the hole.
They needed to leave Embers before she caved in and forgave him.
After all, her heart still sat shattered on his cabin floor, and she never wanted to love again.