The Cowboy and His Best Friend

by Kaci Rose

  “Sage and I’ve been working things out. We’ve been talking every night, and we’re in a good place. A better place than when we were eighteen. We aren’t hiding us from anyone anymore.” I pause. They are watch me, so I take a deep breath.

  “I love her. I have for as long as I can remember. I think I fell in love when I first saw her in the barn when we were six. I think I realized it when we sat on my front porch after she saved my life when we were fourteen, and I knew I’d never let her go when I sat by her hospital bed after she saved Mac’s life when we were sixteen. She’s it for me, and I want to ask her to marry me.”

  There, I’ve said it. I look at Mom first, and I see tears in her eyes. I look at Dad, and he seems… proud. Without a word, Dad walks over to the hidden safe in the bookcase. He pulls out a small box and closes the safe before sitting back down.

  “After Sage came to us, I watched her bio mother and every move she made. I didn’t trust her. She sold off anything of value, trying to hold onto the property. She sold a bunch of jewelry, and I picked this up.” He hands me the box, and I open it.

  It’s an antique wedding and engagement ring and a matching men’s wedding ring. The engagement ring is stunning, and I know I’ve seen it before. It’s a platinum, which I know Sage loves, with a large diamond in the center and three smaller diamonds on either side in a swirl design.

  I look up at Dad, and I can tell he sees the question in my eyes.

  “This was Sage’s grandmother’s wedding set and her grandfather’s wedding band.”

  I take a deep breath. Sage loved her grandparents. They died when she was eight, only a few months apart from each other in a nursing home a few towns over. Mom and Dad took Blaze, Sage, and me many times to see them on the weekends. Then we would go out for lunch and ice cream or catch a movie. That’s why the ring looks familiar.

  Tears well up in my eyes. “Thank you.” My voice is husky with emotion.

  “We’ve seen how you two are together. We’ve watched, and I can tell how much you love each other. Honestly, the day you showed up at church with her, I knew this day was coming. You treat her right. Marriage isn’t easy. There will be hard times but don’t give up, and don’t walk away. She kicks you out? Sleep on the couch in your room. Put as little space between you as possible. We’re always here if you need advice, but I’m so happy for you both,” Dad says and then stands to hug me.

  Mom hugs me next, but then she pulls back to look me in the eyes, keeping her hands on my shoulders.

  “That day Sage went to your house and… everything happened. When I showed up and saw you two huddled on the front porch together, I knew. I knew in my heart then you two were meant to be. I love you both. You share a bond no one else does, but you will have to work on it every day.” She leans in and hugs me again.

  “Now, any special plans on this proposal?” she asks.

  “Not yet. I talked to Blaze first, but I still need to talk to the guys and Megan and Riley. I think I want to do something that includes all of them.”

  “I have an idea, if you’re interested,” Mom says with a twinkle in her eyes. Dad and I laugh.

  We make plans over some sweet tea and fresh banana bread before I head out to find the guys.

  CHAPTER 15

  Colt

  After my time making plans with Mom, I head out to find Jason before he heads to the bar. I catch him in the kitchen and take him to the barn office and close the door. When I tell him my plan to propose to Sage, he’s all excited and wants to know what he can do to help. I tell him I will let him know.

  Next, I track down Mac in the barn. He’s just as excited as I am.

  “About damn time, man,” he says. “Ever since I’ve known you two, I knew you two belonged together. I like seeing you both happy.”

  Now the girls. I had planned to wait until tomorrow to talk to them, but I know Blaze hates keeping things from Riley. It’s how I feel at the thought of keeping something from Sage. So, I figure I’ll do it today and cut him some slack.

  Megan is at the hair salon she owns in town, and I don’t have time to meet her before dinner. I decide to do a video call with her. Bonus is I can skip the strong hair salon smell.

  “Hey Colt, what’s wrong?” she answers the call.

  “Nothing. Can you go somewhere private? I don’t need the town gossips in on this.” She laughs and heads to the back room.

  “Okay, I’m in the storage room, but I can’t promise they don’t have their ears to the door out there.”

  I sigh. “I want to ask Sage to marry me.”

  She has no emotion on her face. “Okay….?”

  “How do you feel about it?”

  “Oh Colt, you don’t need my permission. I love how happy you two are. What kind of sister and friend would I be to stand in the way of that?”

  I smile. “Thanks, Megan. Mom and I have an idea for a proposal. Will you help?”

  “Of course!”

  “Okay. Head to Mom’s when you get out of work. I still need to talk to Riley.”

  “Okay. Later, Colt.”

  “Later, Megs.”

  I hang up and look out the office window. Sage and Riley are working a horse out in the pen. How do I get Riley away from Sage without raising suspicions?

  Blaze.

  I head to the barn on the east side of the property and step into Blaze’s barn office.

  Me: Hey, I need to get Riley away from Sage. Can you ask her to meet you in your barn office?

  Blaze: But I’m not there.

  Me: No, I am. This way I can talk to her. Sage won’t think twice about you asking her to come here.

  A good minute goes by like he’s thinking about it.

  Me: Or else I will have to wait until tomorrow to talk to her.

  Blaze: Fine.

  Fifteen minutes later, Riley walks in.

  “Oh, sorry. I was looking for Blaze.”

  “Actually, I asked him to text you. I wanted to talk to you but didn’t want Sage to know.”

  She narrows her eyes at me.

  “And why would that be?”

  I smile. “I want to ask her to marry me.”

  Her face lights up, jumping up and down.

  “Oh my God! Really?! Oh, finally. I can’t wait!”

  “Listen, it needs to be kept a secret. Mom and I came up with the epic proposal she deserves, and I need your help.”

  “Of course! What do you need?”

  “After dinner, will you ask Blaze to go for a walk with you and then head over to Mom’s and get the details from her?”

  “You got it!”

  We chat for a few more minutes. Then she heads back to help Sage. I can’t keep the smile off my face.

  Deciding I can’t stay away from Sage anymore, I finally track her down. What I find stops me dead in my tracks.

  CHAPTER 16

  Sage

  My mind races as I pack my bag in my room. I don’t hear anyone come into the room until I hear Colt’s voice.

  “You have to be fucking kidding me.”

  I spin around, and all I see is anger on his face.

  “Colt, listen…” I start, but he interrupts me.

  “Were you even going to say goodbye this time? I’m shocked you’re even leaving in daylight. Why not wait until night and leave another note?”

  I close my eyes. I know how this looks, but it’s not what he thinks. I take a deep breath. My instinct is to yell and let him think what he wants, but I know that will cause more hurt than anything. This isn’t about him and me, and I need him to know that.

  I calmly walk over to him and place my hand on his shoulders.

  “Colt, look at me.” I wait until his eyes meet mine. “I’m not leaving you.”

  “Then why the hell are you packing, Sage?!”

  “Colt, take a deep breath and let me talk. I will tell you.”

  He pulls away from me and sits on the couch on the far side of my room. He rests his elbows on his knees and put
s his head in his hands, running his hands through his hair.

  I kneel on the floor in front of him and place my hands on his arms.

  “My friend Abby just called. Her parents were in a car crash, and they didn’t make it.” I watch him look up, and his eyes meet mine. “She’s an only child and has no other family. She was raised in a strict church and has expressed to me a few times that she doesn’t want to be part of that church. She fears what the church might do now that she’s alone. She was in tears, begging me to help her. So, that’s what I’m doing. I’m going to help her bury her parents and get out of town. More than likely, I’ll bring her here until she figures out her next steps.”

  He takes a deep breath and rests his forehead against mine, taking my face in his hands.

  “I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions. When do you leave?”

  I take his face in my hands. “It’s okay, Colt. I know what it must have looked like walking in here. I get it. I’m packing and heading straight there. I’m going to drive through the night.”

  “Where does she live?”

  “Tennessee, Memphis area.”

  “How long will you be gone?”

  “I honestly don’t know. A week maybe? But Colt…” I pull my head away from his and find his eyes. “I am coming back as soon as possible.”

  I can tell he’s wary of this. We don’t have good memories of me leaving town, and that’s my fault. This isn’t like last time.

  I lean in and kiss him softly. “Come with me,” I whisper against his lips.

  “I can’t… the ranch,” he whispers back, sounding choked up. He knots his hands in my hair and pulls me to him for a hard, passionate kiss. His tongue finds mine and tangles, fighting for dominance.

  When he pulls back, we’re both breathless.

  “We will talk every night,” he says.

  “And text all day. Video calls when I can. Colt, let me see your phone.” He doesn’t hesitate and hands it to me. I download an app and connect it. After a few minutes, I hand it to him.

  “What’s this?”

  “This allows you to track me and see where I am. I’m not running from you, I swear it. I hope this gives you peace of mind.”

  He gives me a half smile. “Promise you’ll hurry home to me?”

  “I swear as fast as I possibly can. I need to finish packing. Will you call everyone and let them know please?”

  He nods and pulls out his phone again while I finish packing. Not sure what I’ll need, I reach to the back of the closet and pull out the black dress I wanted to burn the last time I had to see it.

  ✽✽✽

  Seven Years Ago

  The clock on my car says one a.m. It feels wrong sneaking out of town in the middle of the night, but I can’t face everyone to say goodbye. I know Colt wouldn’t have let me go. He would demand answers I don’t have.

  At the thought of Colt, my heart squeezes. He’s my best friend, my everything. So, why am I running? My sperm donor was my egg donor’s everything, and he was an abusive asshole.

  That’s not Colt though. I know that, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the power to hurt me in other ways.

  Thanks for Visiting Rock Springs. Y’all Come Back Now!

  The sign mocks me. Rock Springs has been my home my whole life. I love Mom and Dad. They took me in when I had no one. Then there are my brothers and Megan. I will miss them, but I’ll be back for Megan’s graduation next year at the latest. I think I just need a few weeks or so to get my head on straight and think.

  I need to clear my head before I face Colt again. Come on, no one meets their soulmate at age six, right?

  Right?

  Do I believe in soulmates? I think so. How can I not? If what I feel with Colt isn’t soulmates, then I don’t know what it is. My heart hurts more with each mile between me and Rock Springs. Between me and Colt.

  I can’t think about all this, so I crank up the music and drive.

  Welcome to Arkansas!

  I stop at the rest stop and look at the map. I can be in Memphis by morning. I always wanted to see Graceland. I smile and point my car east.

  My heart may be broken, but my soul is finding peace on the open road, fulfilling my bucket list.

  As I near Memphis, my phone goes off. Everyone is up and must have found my note. I can answer them all when I get in.

  As I enter town, I see signs for a cute bed and breakfast, and I pull in, hoping they have a room.

  Grace is up and making breakfast. I tell her I had been driving all night, and she ushers me right up to my room. She tells me to come down whenever I am ready. She will save me some food.

  I get in and settle on my bed. I’ve missed calls from everyone but Colt. No texts either. I send out a group text.

  Me: I’m fine. I just pulled into a B&B for a few days. Call when I get some sleep.

  Then I close my eyes, praying I can sleep, and the nightmares will stay away now that there’s space between me and that place.

  CHAPTER 17

  Sage

  Thanks for Visiting Rock Springs. Y’all Come Back Now!

  Leaving town this time is just as hard; knowing I’m leaving on good terms helps a little.

  To calm my heart, I used the Bluetooth and call Colt.

  “Hey baby. Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, just passed the leaving Rock Springs sign and had some flashbacks. I just needed to hear your voice. Remind myself this isn’t like last time.”

  “Well, I’m always a phone call away, and I’ll be here waiting when you get back. Just try to make it sooner rather than later.”

  I laugh.

  “I just passed the city limits, and I’m wanting to turn around. I can promise there will be nothing stopping me from getting back to you.”

  “Tell me about Abby.”

  I smile. “The night I left, I drove all night, and my first stop was Memphis. I pulled in at daybreak and stopped at this cute little B&B. The lady who checked me in was Grace, Abby’s mom. Her parents ran the B&B. I had planned to stay a few nights to see Graceland and explore a bit. Because of them, I stayed a month. Their housekeeper was on maternity leave, so I filled the spot and got my room and meals for free.”

  “You took many odd jobs on the road.” I can hear the smile in Colt’s voice.

  “I wanted to save my money, so anytime I could work for my room, I took it. It’s how I made so many friends. Abby is a sweet girl and an only child. Her parents have no family, so the B&B falls to her. But the church her family belonged to has super-strict rules. They don’t think she can own the property without being married. From what I’ve learned, they will try to force her to marry. She wants out. Her parents were letting her find someone out of the church to marry. They would never force her, but the church will.”

  “Sage, is it going to be safe for you there?”

  “I have a conceal and carry permit in Tennessee, and I brought my gun. It won’t get that far, Colt. The church is used to a submissive woman. I scare them, and they don’t want anything to do with me. Once I’m there, we will take care of everything, then pack her up and bring her home so she can plan her next steps on her own.”

  “What about the B&B?”

  “Abby doesn’t want to run it. It was her mom’s dream, but she isn’t interested. They have a few standing offers on it, so we’ll look at closing it. Her parents were older and had everything set up to make this easy on Abby.”

  “What does Abby want to do?”

  “She wants to be a midwife, and the church approved because she could be the church midwife. That’s not what she wants. She wants out of the church and those rules, but she’s still very conservative. I don’t think she’ll want to live on her own.”

  “Well, you know everyone will welcome her here.”

  “Yeah, and I’d love for her to stay, but I don’t think she’ll be happy here. She isn’t a country girl. She likes people for the most part. I’ve been racking my brain. I know a family in Arkansa
s. They’re a larger family and conservative like her, but they aren’t strict. Their church is a good one. Once she gets settled, I’m thinking of taking her up there to see how they fit. Maybe she could stay with them. She’d be happier, I think.”

  There’s a pause in the conversation before Colt speaks again.

  “I miss you already, Sage.”

  “I miss you too, Colt. I plan to drive straight through. Can we video chat when I get in? It will be late though.”

  “Call me any time. I’ll always answer. I always want to hear your voice and see you. I love you, Sage. You be careful.”

  “I love you too. And I promise I will.”

  When we hang up, I crank up the music and try to enjoy the drive on the open road as I used to all those years ago

  ✽✽✽

  I pull into the B&B around six a.m. and just take it all in. The memories of the first time I walked through that door, the fun and laughter that filled its walls, and the pain of walking away when I did.

  I climb the steps to the large wraparound porch of the white 1850s home. That was the start of my journey all those years ago.

  Before I even get the chance to get to the door, Abby meets me with a huge hug she and her mamma are famous for. It feels like home even though I haven’t been here in years.

  “Sage, I’m so glad you’re here. I didn’t know who else to call.”

  I hug her back just as tight. “Well, I’m here, and we’ll get through this. I think time is a factor. The quicker we can take care of everything and get you back to the ranch, the better. You can mourn there, okay?”

  She nods. “I’ve been so scared, I haven’t had time to mourn.”

  “We need to look at their will and what legal rights we have. The biggest thing will be to get this place sold. You sure you still want to do that?”

  “I love this place, but yes, I have no interest in running it. The couple I want to sell too had their honeymoon here and have returned once or twice a year. They love the place as much as my mom did. More than I do. They’ll be here tomorrow.”