Page 39 of An Ex Affair

I slid down onto a flat rock and took in the river in front of me. The tall trees that dotted the property. The dirt that held a tinge of red from the clay in this area. It all looked the same as when I was a child, but so much had changed in my life. Dad was no longer here and everyone else seemed to take Colson’s side. Everyone said there were no sides to take in a divorce, but they were all liars. Everyone took a side, and from where I was standing, they were all on Colson’s. I stayed right there on the rock until my butt went numb from sitting so long.

The crunch of leaves had me looking up. Hayes was approaching slowly, his tail whipping up a dead leaf here and there as his paws picked over the dirt. He looked happy to see me, maybe the only one around these parts. He plopped down right next to me on the rock, his head on my knee. I dug my fingers into his fur and found comfort in petting him.

“I think you’re supposed to be loyal to Colson,” I told him. Yep, I was talking out loud to a dog now.

He answered by putting his paw on my leg.

“Okay, but don’t be surprised if he’s mad you’re my friend now,” I warned him. Tears burned the back of my eyes. “You might be my only friend, Hayes.”

He let out a whine that was truly pathetic. Almost as pathetic as my confession.

“I know. Only I can change that, right?” He whined again, which I took as a yes. “So, where do I start?”

He didn’t answer me on that one. I could go crawling back to Hollywood, but the thought of that made my insides revolt. I could stay here, but that would mean facing Colson and the damage I caused in the past. I knew just saying sorry wasn’t going to be enough. I’d done real harm, and Colson and I had some things to discuss. In the meantime, I needed to builda life. I knew what made me happy: renovating houses. So if Hollywood was out, the next best thing would be to work on home renovations right here in Blueball.

I pulled out my phone. Hayes rolled to his side to look at me. He licked my hand like he was urging me to do it.

“Okay, okay. You convinced me.”

Me: Hey, Em! I had time to think things through. Job offer still stands?

She answered right away.

Emmerleigh: Yes, ma’am! If you’re in, I could use your expertise immediately.

Me: Count me in.

Emmerleigh: See you tomorrow at the house on the cliff?

Me: I’ll be there!

I put my phone back in my pocket and ruffled Hayes’s fur. “Looks like I have a job, buddy!”

There was no champagne to pop like when I got the deal withFlip or Fail, but it was an even sweeter celebration. Hayes and I sat by the river in the shade and chatted for almost an hour. When I felt like I had a direction in mind and a loose plan for how to construct the second half of my life, we got up and went to the main house to help Pip and Savannah fix Mama’s kitchen. Instead of complaining that she never left the house, I planned to build her the most state-of-the-art kitchen anyone in Blueball had ever seen so she never was forced to leave.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Colson

“I swearto God I’ll look up how to make goat cheese, you hillbilly.”

I held my finger out to Cleveland in warning. We were locked in a death-stare battle after he’d rammed my thigh once already this afternoon. Cleveland’s tongue flapped in the air like an ornery child before disappearing again, like he did it just to piss me off. Pretty much everything this stupid goat did pissed me off. Here I was, feeding the animals for Mom, and this one had to give me a bruise for my troubles.

I was already in a bad mood from Tully sneaking out of my bed this morning like I was some kind of dirty secret. I’d spent the day splitting logs just to have something to do with my anger. Mom had run out of the house, hollering about being late for her sewing club. She asked me to feed the animals right as she hopped in her car and left. I didn’t have a chance to say no before I was eating her dust.

Thistle leaned into my leg like a cat rubbing herself alongside me. She was the polar opposite of her penmate. If I sat down,she’d sit right on my lap and beg for some scratches behind her ears. Bessie shifted closer on the other side of the fence, wanting a front-row seat to the drama. I’d already worked my charm on her this morning and milked her. It was just a bonus that Warrick couldn’t get near her when I could. Little brothers always wanted to beat their big bullies—I mean, brothers.

My phone rang loudly from my back pocket, startling all of us. Cleveland jumped in the air and then fell to his side, legs locked stiff like the dead. Bessie mooed and shifted away from the fence. I barely dodged getting a load of fertilizer on my boots as Thistle startled.

I grabbed the call from my little brother and backed out of the pen, keeping a close eye on Cleveland until the gate was locked shut behind me. He moved fast for a goat, and I’d put nothing past him.

“Hey, Boon.”

“’Sup, man. What are you up to?”

I rolled my eyes as the chickens all started running for me. They knew they were next for their feeding time. Mom thought all these critters were cute. I thought they were mostly a nuisance. Hayes was all the pet I needed.

“Feeding these damn animals for our mother. You know, the woman you ignore?”

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