by Ward, Alice
“So come with me,” Matt suggested with a smile. “Put on something adorable and show him that you can be supportive.”
“But I’m not supportive,” I argued. “I can’t bare the idea of him getting hurt again.”
“You can’t expect James to give up something he loves so much,” Matt warned. “And it’s not fair to ask him to. How would you feel if he asked you to give up breaking horses? That’s dangerous work. But you love it, like he loves bull riding.”
I bit my lower lip as I considered his words. “Okay, you have a point,” I finally agreed. “I’ll go get ready. Pick me up on your way to Aztec.”
“Aw, with any luck this will be our first double date,” Matt grinned.
I smiled at him and then left the barn.
***
I went a little overboard on my rodeo outfit, but I wanted James to be proud to have me on his arm. I took a long shower and then dressed in a short denim skirt, cowboy boots, and a tight button-up top unfastened down the length of my cleavage. I spent an hour curling my hair and applying just the right amount of makeup. I finished just as Matt arrived to drive me to Aztec. He whistled when I opened the passenger door of his truck and climbed inside.
“You look amazing,” he told me. “James isn’t going to know what hit him.”
We spent the half hour ride speculating about what the night would hold. I was certain that telling James I was okay with the rodeos would be the final step in breaking through his walls. Matt’s expectations were much lower. He was just hoping for a goodnight kiss.
We arrived at the arena and I tried not to look too eager as we made our way to the ticket office. Matt paid for our admission as I searched the crowd for James.
“Did he say where to meet him?” I asked as we stepped past the booth.
“He said he’d be by the concess…” Matt stopped abruptly. His mouth dropped open and a look of horror spread across his face. “I’m so sorry, Willow,” he said as I followed his gaze. “Let’s just leave.”
James leaned against the concession stand with a tall, barely dressed brunette attached to his lips. The woman pulled away from him and James spotted us in the crowd. He didn’t look like a man caught doing something wrong. In fact, a sly grin spread across his face as he wrapped his arm around the buckle bunny.
“No,” I insisted to Matt. “You shouldn’t miss out on meeting the one gay cowboy in Durango just because James is a worthless ass. Give me your keys. I’ll come back and get you in a few hours.”
“Are you sure?” Matt asked, searching my eyes.
I nodded, fighting back tears. “I just want to be alone right now, Matt.”
“Okay…” he hesitated. “I’m sure I can get a ride home. I’ll call and let you know one way or the other.”
He handed me his keys and I left the arena without looking back.
***
Renee was at the house with Daddy so I spent the night in the thoroughbred barn, the only place I truly felt at home. I talked to Matt a couple of times, but ignored James’ many calls. I was too upset to sleep and after a restless night of cursing my own stupidity, I stepped outside to watch the sunrise. I stared off into the horizon, hoping that the new day would bring some sort of resolution to the previous night.
“I thought I’d find you here.”
I jumped at James’ voice. I turned and saw him a few feet away. I looked back to the sky, noticing his truck parked in the distance.
“It’s bad manners to sneak up on people,” I snapped. I didn’t know what else to say.
“I’m sorry, Willow,” he told me. “I wanted to talk to you and I thought you’d run if you saw me coming.”
“If I wanted to talk to you, I’d have answered my phone,” I told him sharply. “I’m surprised you’re up so early. Didn’t your girlfriend wear you out last night?”
“Katelyn isn’t my girlfriend,” he said patiently. “But neither are you, Willow. Look, I enjoyed our time together while I was staying here, but I never said we were in a relationship. I haven’t changed, Willow. I don’t know why you expected me to.”
“I guess all your talk of missing me and having feelings for me had me a little confused,” I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Don’t worry. I won’t make that mistake again. You can leave now. You should never have come in the first place.”
James looked down and moved loose dirt with the toe of his boot. “I came because I don’t want you to hate me. I felt like we were becoming friends. I didn’t know you expected some sort of commitment from me. I don’t want to lose what we have, even if it means we can’t sleep together anymore. I’d rather have your friendship than your body… and trust me. That says a lot.”
“I’m not interested in your friendship, or your body,” I insisted. “I’ll keep a smile on my face when we’re around other people. But right now, I just want you to go.”
He opened his mouth to argue again, but was interrupted when my phone rang. I looked down and saw Daddy’s number on the screen.
“Good morning, Daddy,” I answered. “I spent the night in the barn. I’m sorry I didn’t call you.”
James’s phone rang and he stepped into the barn to answer it.
“It’s okay, pumpkin, I figured you were with the horses. I was hoping you’d come up to the house for breakfast. There’s something I want to tell you.”
“Okay, I’ll be up in a minute,” I agreed. I was thankful for an excuse to get away from James. I ended the call and James stepped back outside.
“I’d love to stay and carry on this conversation,” I said sarcastically. “But I have to go home. Daddy wants to talk to me about something.”
“Uhh… Willow? I’ve been called to the house too. That was my mom. She asked me to come to breakfast.”
Shit… this can’t be good.
I stormed towards the house with James at my heels. I pushed open the front door, walked through the living room, and found Daddy and Renee holding hands at the kitchen table.
“Goodness, that was fast!” Renee said with a smile. “I thought you were still at home, sweetheart.”
“I was already on my way here,” James lied. “I wanted to talk to Cole about getting back to work.”
“You said you had something to talk to me about?” I asked Daddy impatiently. I crossed my arms over my chest, anxious to hear what was going on.
“Willow, James, please sit down,” Daddy directed.
We obeyed. I perched on the edge of my chair while James relaxed comfortably in his.
“Kids, you know that Renee and I have been spending a lot of time together,” Daddy continued. “I know we said we were going to take things slow, but we just can’t help ourselves. Renee and I are in love. Last night, I asked her to marry me and she agreed.”
They released hands and I spotted a huge diamond on Renee’s left ring finger.
“You’re getting married?” I asked, dumbfounded.
This can’t be happening… it’s just a dream, a terrible dream. Any minute, I’m going to wake up in the barn.
“We’re getting married!” Renee gushed.
I looked at James. His face was red and his jaw was clenched. I realized that he was just as upset by the news as I was.
“No offense kids, but this isn’t quite the reaction we were expecting,” Daddy said patiently. I looked at him and he raised a hopeful eyebrow.
“I’m sorry, Daddy. I was just taken by surprise. Of course I’m happy for you,” I lied. I stood up, moved around the table, and wrapped him in a hug. After a few moments, I released him and turned to Renee. “Welcome to the family,” I told her.
A single tear left her right eye. “Thank you so much, sweetheart.” Renee hugged me while James and Daddy shook hands.
“I promise to take good care of your mother,” Daddy told him.
“I’ll hold you too that, Cole,” James replied. He hugged his mother and then turned to me.
“Why don’t we give the lovebirds some time alo
ne to finish breakfast?” he suggested. I nodded and followed him into the living room.
My anger towards James had completely disappeared. All I could feel, all I could focus on, was the rage I felt that my dad was getting remarried.
“I don’t know how this happened,” I whispered as we collapsed on the couch.
James turned to me. His jaw was fixed and his eyes were determined. “I don’t care how it happened,” he said firmly. “I care about how we’re going to stop it.”
End of Part 1
To Be Continued in Part 2…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alice Ward is the author of the Bestselling New Adult series, RECKLESS.
Reading and Writing romance is her passion and she writes with her true heart.
Living in Miami, the beach is her favorite place to relax with her laptop and write her next spicy romance.
However, when she is not reading or writing romance, she also enjoys being with her beautiful family.
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
This book was a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 Alice Ward
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
