Page 13 (1/2)

"How people can do that to their own kid is beyond me People like that need to be arrested, or shot I’m sure we can find some ditches" He smiled under his massive mustache

"I swear I wanted to drive there and have a conversation with theun It about killed me; she’s the sweetest person you’ve ever met And she wouldn’t let Tyler turn them in Her mom’s a heartless bitch, and yet Cassidy still would never do anything against her"

Dad just shook his head and relaxed against the tree "Don’t give up on her, Gage You don’t feel this way for no reason What do you say we finish this post and call it a day? You need to explain to your ht have better advice than your oldherself sick orry"

I nodded "Sorry for putting y’all through this I honestly didn’t realize I was letting it show so ry and your mama and sisters areI h I h and s I just irl

We fixed the broken parts of the fence and were on our way back to the house within ten minutes We rode slowly back, and I told Dad ether with Tyler Not even halfway back to the house, irl were at the main house and for us to coirl was; there wasn’t anyone else they’d bring

"Gage, what’s wrong?"

I realized I’d stoppedin the direction of the house Looking up at him, I could only say one word "Cassidy" If Bear sprinted, we’d be back in about fifteen e!"

I couldn’t look back at my dad I heard his horse in a dead sprint behind us, and I knew he’d be pissed atoff like that, but she was here When we reached the house, I saw Tyler’s Jeep out front and stood there for al care of Bear and going to her

"She’ll still be in there in five h, you ment and jumped off my horse to walk hi off him, we sprayed him and my dad’s horse doith a hose and let them out into the field Dad put his hand on my shoulder to stop me, and I tried not to let hi to keep me from Cassidy

"Now, I have no doubt there’s a reason she was put in your life, and I know I told you to fight for her But fight smart, son Tyler’s like a brother to you; you don’t want to ruin that because of her And another thing: you running in there lookin’ like you do will probably scare her shitless"

I looked down atall day froht before we started back here, but it wasn’t like I was covered in bits of cow pies

"I wasn’t exaggerating when I said you looked like a zoo easy on seeing her again Take a deep breath, and walk in like a nor"

That was damn hard My hands were balled into fists so I wouldn’t reach out for her, and I couldn’t even see her yet I opened the door and walked through the living roohed and it speared me to the floor I took what felt like lanced over at Dad and he patted hter-in-law"

I punched his ar the corner into the kitchen And there she was As perfect and beautiful as ever "Cassidy," I breathed

She launched herself atinto e"

"I missed you too, darlin’" God, she had no idea how ht andnot to be obvious, I breathed her in and relaxed even hter, I was glad to feel even less of her ribs and shoulder blades She’d been slowly putting on soht, and while she had at least another ten pounds to go, she was looking healthier and more beautiful all the tio I tried not to let it sho ht back to his side Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Ji at lance at Dad and saw hi the sa, because it was the same as me How does she act like that toward e?"

"Yeah, Mama?" I still couldn’t take et cleaned up, you’ve been working all day"

"All right"

After a ain "That was code for ‘you smell and look all kinds of tore up,’ son Go take a shower"

Not that I take long showers anyway, but I don’t think I’ve ever taken a faster shower than I did just then I wanted to get back to Cassidy, had to get back to her I was stupid for thinking I could ever get over her; if anything, this time apart had shown me how impossible that would be I ran into the bedroo the towel around my hips

"Whoa, Ma, seriously?"

"Now, tell e"