Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Miranda
State of Mind
The crunch of the rocks along the path to the barn was like music to Miranda’s ears.
They’d only been living on Dixon ranch for two weeks and she already felt like she’d found the exact place she was meant to be.
Although she still ached for Renn and wished he somehow could fit into this version of her life too.
“Andy, did you hear from Renn?” Jeremy asked running up to her on the path toward the heart of the ranch where there were several barns, stables, and a rec area for all the kids of the staff to meet up.
“No, why?” She stopped and faced her brother who may actually love living at the Dixon ranch even more than her.
“He called me this morning and said he had tickets to his game waiting for us at the VIP window. The entire Hart family is going, and we get to sit in the box for family and friends.”
“Wow, that sounds amazing. When is that game?”
Jeremy huffed. “Like I have explained at least a dozen times the NFL games are almost always on Sundays, and this is a home game, so kickoff is at one o’clock. Today.”
She pretended to be thinking about her schedule when really she knew there was no way she could go to his game.
Not because she didn’t want to but because it sounded like absolute torture.
How was she going to watch him on the big screens and on the field knowing he wasn’t hers?
And if the media got a picture of her, it would only stir up more press that she’d have to watch him deny.
The urge to cry was so strong she turned and started walking down the sidewalk so Jeremy wouldn’t see her blinking back the tears.
“We’re going, right? You have the day off on Sundays?” Jer asked, easily catching up to her stride.
“Yeah of course. I’ll take you, and if I can’t stay for the entire game, I’m sure Wes or one of the Harts could drop you off on their way outta town.”
“Not stay? You can’t miss the big game.”
“I’m just starting out here, and we have a lot riding on me doing well. Plus, you know I never know what the horses are going to decide they need.”
“Alright but you won’t be able to miss every game. He said we had season passes.”
“I just need to make sure I’ve carved out my place here.”
“Fine, but we need to leave here by eleven to get into the city and get in the box before kickoff,” Jeremy said with so much enthusiasm she couldn’t possibly deny him.
“Okay meet me at the truck at eleven,” and gave him a big hug.
She watched as he joined several other kids head into the rec center area.
There was a real community for the staff on one of the largest horse ranches in the state, and so far, everyone was loving it.
Even Sara seemed to be enjoying the change of scenery, their new one-level house, and her new nurses.
Everything was working out, and she just had to accept the fact that she’d fallen in love with a man who wasn’t ready for all her baggage.
But the further she got away from the girl she was in Sandy Point the better.
Maybe in another year or two she’d feel stable in her position at Dixon and have enough of her own BB pedigree to worry about having a personal life again.
But this time she wasn’t going to fall for any famous football players.
In the barn there was a radio playing in one of the stalls where a groomer was working to braid one of Dixon’s many horses.
And of course, the radio show host was talking about football—she couldn’t get away from it even with her own ban on looking at any media.
But when she heard Renn’s voice in an interview she froze outside the stall.
“What’s been the worst part about your recent thrust into fame and the spotlight?” the radio host asked him.
“Honestly it’s been the lack of privacy.”
“I bet it’s not bad for your dating life though, right?” the newscaster said.
“Actually, I think fame is probably the worst thing for a person’s personal life. For example, I have a girl but she didn’t sign up for all this negative attention. It’s strange to suddenly have so many people talking about your relationship and past.”
“So, the stories about you and that famous singer are true?”
“No, no, I had a girl before I signed my contract and I’m just hoping she can deal with this aspect of the job, because I’m not giving her up.”
“Well will this mystery girl be at your big game on Sunday?”
“I hope so. It’s up to her to decide if she wants to put our relationship in the spotlight, but it’s not going to change how I feel about her either way.”
“Sounds like you’re in love,” the radio host said but then it cut away to a commercial.
“Oh, one hundred percent.”
Was he talking about her? Did he still have feelings for her and want to make this public?
Maybe all this time he’d been waiting on her to fight for him.
She’d thought she was being the bigger person by giving him his freedom but maybe he didn’t realize how much she’d fallen for him.
Maybe Shelby was right and she’d only pushed him away because she was scared he would reject her, that he wouldn’t choose her in the end.
But it sure sounded like he was choosing her now and he needed her to choose him too.
She just needed to be brave and trust that Renn was different from the other people who had rejected her in her life. And believe she was good enough.