Chapter 30
Markus is officially gone. Words I thought I’d never hear. Although I still don’t want to know the gritty details, Kit promised me he’d never return, and I believed him.
He would do anything to keep me safe, and ignorance is bliss, or so they say. If I didn’t know what happened, I couldn’t feel guilty about it. And Markus did not deserve an ounce of guilt from me.
Whatever Kit did to him, he deserved it.
When I wake the next morning, I can still feel the tremors of the past rolling through me, lingering in the bruises and scars he left on my skin.
Reminders that I’m not sure will ever fade.
Maybe when the divorce papers are final, the fact that he’s gone will feel more real, or maybe it will just take time to heal—time to forget all the harm and pain he caused.
The night Kit tended to my wounds, I felt a wave of relief wash over me, knowing I could trust him with the deepest parts of me.
The way he gently washed blood off my face and gave me an ice pack for my bruises.
The way he fed into my marshmallow addiction while he cooked a healthy dinner for us.
Ending the night with his big, strong arms wrapped around me.
I’d fallen in love with him all over again.
But saying the words… well, that’s going to take time.
Kit is up early the next morning, getting ready to head into town, for what I’m not sure, but he claims it’s a big surprise. Except surprises aren’t really my thing. “Kit, I’m not a fan of surprises.”
“You’ll like this one,” he smiles, pulling me in for a soft kiss. “I’ll be back in a few hours. Tell your brother I said hi, and that I can’t wait to meet him.”
Calling Jaxson is a task I’ve been avoiding for weeks. Even now, I’m stressing about it as Kit makes his way to his truck in the snow. There’s so much that he doesn’t know. Heck, he still thinks Kit’s name is Kyle. And he isn’t going to be happy with me when he finds out I lied to him.
“You sure you don’t want to switch places?” I call out as he opens the driver’s door.
He laughs. “You’ll be fine, Tequila. I love you.”
My cheeks burn bright. “I—” But the words won’t come out, stuck in my fear and past trauma. “I expect you back at a reasonable hour for our date, Cowboy.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he smirks, hopping in his big silver truck.
Watching him drive away makes my gut twist with worry and unease, but perhaps it’s just nerves for my phone call.
Foxie and Bandit join me on the couch as I dial Jaxson’s number. My furry emotional support team. Jax picks up on the first ring, thinking something is wrong, but I’m happy to say that things are finally going right in my life. I open up about my relationship with Kit, rectifying his real name.
At first, he’s hesitant and concerned about the kind of man he is, but after I tell him how Kit protected me from Markus, he changes his tune very quickly.
The bitterness turns to newfound appreciation.
In all honesty, I think my brother and Kit would get along quite well. I can’t wait for them to meet someday. If Jaxson could ever get some time off work, that is. Something he’s still not hopeful for.
Strong gusts of wind blow snow flurries across the fields as I ride in on Sugar, ready to start the workday.
Besides the chill, it’s quite peaceful, giving me time to sort through my messy thoughts.
The whole Markus fiasco, filing for divorce, finally opening up to Jaxson, Kit being a complete cowboy dream…
and then there’s Averie, who decided to go to Nashville for Christmas instead of spending it together.
Leaving a bitter taste in my mouth when I think about why she left.
At least he wasn’t physically hurting her, or so she told me, but mental abuse can be worse in so many ways. Still, I miss her. I miss our girl dates and the easy friendship we shared.
Sadie:
Kit has some kind of big surprise for me tonight. I’m not sure how I feel about it.
Averie:
Surprises can be fun.
Sadie:
I don’t like surprises.
Averie:
Maybe he’s become addicted to marshmallows and doesn’t know how to break it to you.
Kit doesn’t covet sugar the way I do.
Which is good for the relationship, honestly. There’s more marshmallows for me, and Kit’s perfect rock-hard abs would remain intact.
Averie:
Or maybe he’s ready to say, “I love you” for a third time. ;)
Sadie:
Yeah… he just did.
Averie:
Damn. Did you say it back?
Sadie:
I’ve decided I’m not worried about the surprise anymore.
She knows exactly why I struggle to say those three words. A conversation we had at Harlow Mansion in front of the roaring fireplace.
Averie:
I love you! I’m sure you’ll like the surprise.
Except patience isn’t one of my core traits. I sigh, letting out a deep breath of tension. Texting her isn’t quite enough to fill the void between us, but I’m thankful to have her in my life in any capacity. That she’s only a quick text away when I need someone to talk to.
As the rest of the day goes on, I’m reminded of just how many friends I have here at Lone Pine Ranch. Nearly everyone today has said hello, asking how I am, which brings me to assume that they all know about Markus. Or the fact that his marks are still on my skin.
I flick my grooming brush over Sugar’s thick golden fur, like the fur of a woolly mammoth, removing traces of dirt, when a cheerful voice calls out to me.
“Sadie!” Candace exclaims with glee. “How are you?” Her auburn eyebrows pinch with concern.
A question I’ve heard a thousand times today. “I’m—I’m good,” I settle on with a smile.
She nods, stepping closer with a look of mischief on her face. “So, are you coming to the party tonight?”
“Party?” Well, that’s the first I’ve heard of it.
“Oh!” Candace lights up, realizing I’m clueless.
“We’re throwing a Christmas party.” Her long red hair flows in the harsh breeze, caressing her emerald green puffer vest that matches her eyes.
“Sort of a Lone Pine tradition. And this year, Blake is dressing up as sexy Santa,” she winks at me, nudging my shoulder.
The image forming in my mind makes me chuckle. “Well, that does sound fun, but I have a date with Kit tonight.” A date where I’ll find out about the surprise he has for me.
Besides, surprise or not, there’s nothing else I’d rather do than go on a date with him. Especially when I already know it will end with his naked body writhing beneath mine. And how does a girl pass up an opportunity like that?
“Figures,” she rolls her eyes. “You two are inseparable.”
“One day, you’ll understand,” I chuckle.
She lets out a deep sigh. “Yeah, maybe…” Her gaze drifts towards the main barn.
I turn to her, dropping the brush in the grooming bucket beside me. “Is there a reason you’re single, Candace?” A question I didn’t get to ask the last time we had this conversation. “I can only imagine how many cowboys would be interested in you.”
She laughs. “Most everyone treats me like a kid.”
Button nose, full pink lips and freckled cheeks, wild and vibrant red hair. Candace could pass for an eighteen-year-old by looks alone. But with a little help, I see the woman beneath her just dying to break out.
Dying to break free.
Candace sucks in a sharp breath, eyes frozen on something near the main barn. When I follow her gaze to Blake and notice the way her breath hitches, the way she fiddles with the ends of her long hair, longingly staring at him, I’ve never felt more compelled to help her.
“Ah, I see,” I grin at her.
Her face is cherry red in an instant. “What? What do you see?”
“Blake is an excellent choice,” I confirm. “The best.”
Her eyes widen. “What—what are you talking about?” She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, trying to deflect.
My smile resembles that of a feral raccoon. “I think you know exactly what I’m suggesting,” I wink.
“He’s fourteen years older than me,” she counters. Must be something she’s thought about often for such a quick calculation.
She totally has a crush on Blake. “That’s kind of hot, Candace.”
“Really?” She fiddles with a long strand of her hair. “You don’t think it’s… weird that I think about tangling boots with him?”
“What?” I burst out laughing, holding my side to keep from falling over. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed this hard.
“See, I told you it’s weird,” she defends, face reddening as she crosses her arms tightly in front of her.
“No, no, it’s not,” I gain control of myself, tapping her arm in reassurance. “But tangling boots?”
“…Isn’t that what it’s called?”
“Oh, Candace.” It just occurred to me how young and na?ve she truly is. I know that Blake is thirty-seven, so by that count, she has to be twenty-three.
And twenty-three is old enough to know better. What kind of friends are Leah and Kinley if this is the information she was given?
I step in closer to her, keeping my voice low. “Haven’t you ever… had experiences?”
Her face pales. She struggles to meet my eyes. “No.”
No? I’m absolutely dumb struck.
“Is that… bad?” she asks.
Well, thank God she has me. Fortunately, this is something I could educate her in since no one else is volunteering. “We need to hang out. Often.”
She smiles at that, biting her lip. “So, the party?” She tries again with a hopeful look across her face.
Damn, I really wish I could. “Candace, I’m—”
“Hey, Candace,” Blake greets her, suddenly beside me.
Her eyes widen, trying to speak. But the only word that comes out coherently is his name. Everything else sounds like gibberish. I place a hand on her arm to bring her back before she has a meltdown.
“Keep me posted about the party tonight, and take lots of pictures,” I wink, hoping she gets my drift.
She nods, blushing before she scurries away, boots shuffling in the gravel. Blake takes the bridle and bit out of his horse’s mouth, replacing it with a rope halter before tying him to the T-post.
“Is it something I said?” Blake asks.
Fuck, if only he knew. I’m tempted to tell him, but it isn’t my secret to tell. And Candace is nowhere near ready for any kind of relationship with Blake. A new and fun project that I’ve assigned to myself.