“I appreciate that—and nice redirect, by the way. Which means it’s gotta be woman trouble,” she continued, nodding like I’d confirmed it by not answering and changing the subject. Not that she was wrong. “Spill it.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine,” I said, starting to stand up.
“Sit,” she ordered. “Speak.” Ford looked up at her like the commands were for him.
I plopped down. “Shannon Cafferty.”
They were the only two words I could get out.
“Oof, there’s some history there. You used to crush on her back when you worked for her parents, right?”
“Yeah, and I guess it was mutual, it just took us all of these years to finally admit it.”
“Then what’s the problem, other than you taking off for parts unknown?” She gestured to the boxes strewn around the room.
“Honestly, I don’t feel like getting into it. Let’s just say I screwed it up.” I paused to think about our fight. “We both did, in a way.” But me more than her.
“So, it’sfinitofor good? All hope is lost?”
I shrugged. “Feels that way to me. With your in with the ranchers and them knowing we’re siblings, I’m sure the gossip about what happened will get around to you eventually.” I scrubbed my head in irritation. “Let’s just say that we’re at a serious impasse and I don’t know how to get around it, so…”
“Oh, now I’m intrigued.” She held up her hand to cut me off when I started to tell her that I was done talking about it. “Come on, Dec. You’re going to give up that easily? Just do what it takes to make it right.”
“I can’t,” I answered, crossing my arms over my chest. “I fucked up her chance at buying a mare that she really wanted. Now the damn thing is sold to someone else, and there’s nothing I can do.”
“Wait, hold on, you broke up over ahorse?”
I squirmed. “It’s a little more than that.”
Dahlia stared at me. “Okay, you clearly don’t feel like getting into it, but I can tell this is eating you up. There’s got to be something you can do. That is, if Shannon really meant something to you.”
She said it so that it sounded like she was taunting me. Dahlia arched an eyebrow and waited for me to take the bait.
“Well?” she pushed. “Is it worth figuring shit out to get her back?”
My heart answered before I could even find the words, lurching in my chest at the thought of working things out with Shannon, filling me with hope that my brain tried to smother. No. It just wasn’t possible.
Or was it?
When things were working between us theyworked. I’d never been happier than I’d been when I was with her. It made sense that the horse she wanted was named Sunshine because that’s the way she made me feel when we were together: like we were basking in warm rays.
“Yeah, I think it’s worth it. I thinkshe’sworth it,” I said quietly. “I just don’t know how to fix it.”
“Then it’s a good thing that you’re the smartest guy I know. You’ll figure it out, and if you don’t, I’ll be ready to help when you call. Got it?”
I smiled at my sister. “Got it.”
As depressed as I was about the state of everything, I realized that I had a lifeline in my sister. It made me feel slightly betterabout taking off until I remembered everything I’d be leaving behind.
THIRTY-NINE
SHANNON
Zoe, Fiona, and I were gathered in the kitchen, checking out the photos from Zoe’s engagement party and downing a few bottles of wine. Usually, the room would’ve been alive with laughter, but my glum mood seemed to be impacting the others. Zoe and Fiona did their best to try to keep the mood light, though, and after two glasses, the wine started to take the edge off.
“Did you see how ridiculously cute you and Eli look in this photo?”
Zoe slid her laptop around on the kitchen table so Fiona and I could look at the picture. She and Eli were holding hands and had their heads back and eyes closed, singing something at the top of their lungs.
