Business from farmers and homesteaders associated with the House of the Seven Prophets makes up a good quarter of my monthly revenues. Unable to touch me in the afterlife, they’ve found a way to destroy me in the current one.
Ten minutes later, the bell on the feed store door jingles, and I look up, watching Zane walk up to the counter carrying a takeout bag from the Silver Fork. I burst into tears as soon as I see him, which I know throws the reticent cowboy off guard. He rushes around the counter to give me a side hug and immediately dives into telling me that no matter what happens with Travis, the entire family will be behind me.
I’ve known Zane most of my life, but this is the longest conversation we’ve ever had. He’s truly a man of few words.
I feel overwhelmed, especially in the face of what went down minutes before with the elders. Between that and my conversation with Travis earlier, I can’t stop crying, and I feel bad for Zane.
I can tell by his tense face he doesn’t know what to do. But he does his best at muddling through congratulating me and making it clear his family will support me no matter what.
A sick feeling rises in my stomach.Does he know something about the way Travis is reacting to all of this that I don’t?
If I’ve learned anything from my conversation with Jess, though, it’s to stop jumping to conclusions. After all, I know Travis well enough to believe he’ll stick by me, even if the news caught him out ofleft field.
Zane’s kindness inspires intense guilt because of something I did to him and Birdie in the past. Now that I’ve found my voice, I have to confess. “I can’t thank you enough for your kindness. It really means a lot to me, especially after what my mom and I did to you.”
After a couple of tense questions from him, I explain how I helped my mother break he and Birdie up. While he tries to reassure me it’s water under the bridge, I can tell by the stricken look on his face he’s still in love with her.
It both shocks me and gives me hope for them. After all, I know my sister is far from over him, even though she delights in telling me how much she hates him.
Before he leaves, I order, “Ask her about the necklace she wears around her neck.”
He plays it off with a shrug, but I sincerely hope he will.
I never see Birdie without the necklace, although she keeps it tucked under her shirt and out of sight. It has a silver and turquoise promise ring on it that Zane gave to her when they were teens.
As I’m closing up the feed store at the end of the day, I get a call from Travis.
“Hello,” I answer breathlessly.
“God, it’s good to hear your voice.”
“Where are you, Trav?
“I just got back, and I need to see you, Faith. We need to talk, and I don’t want to do it over the phone. Should I come down to the feed store?”
“No, I’m locking up now. Let’s meet at your cabin.”
“Yes,” he replies with a need in his voice that matches the lump in my throat.
I know his fridge must be empty at this point. So I offer, “I’ll stop and grab something for dinner on the way.”
“Thank you, sugar. I’ve missed you so fucking much.”
His words lift a weight off my heart. “I’ve missed you, too.”
I pick up a to-go bag from the Silver Fork Diner. Even though Zane brought me food from the diner for lunch, I can’t get enough of the place.
I order barbecue, knowing it won’t be as good as what Travis and I had the night we went to the hot springs. But I hope it’ll remind him of good memories.
Chapter Sixteen
FAITH
Istand outside Travis’s cabin door, shaking and taking deep breaths before I knock. At first, there’s no answer. I knock again. This time, I hear footsteps thumping in my direction. When the door opens, he’s standing there in his Levi’s with his shirt off and his feet bare.
Without hesitation, I step inside the cabin, wrapping my arms around his naked torso and breathing in his soapy, fresh-out-of-the-shower scent. He buries his face in my hair, pulling me tightly into him. We stand in silence for I don’t know how long, but it’s exactly what both of us need.
Finally, we pull back from each other, speaking at the same time. We both stop, wiping our eyes.
