Page 7 of Tough Love

Ah, sorry, Dad, have to be in Montana in four days. I’m leaving this afternoon. Only need to load the Cherokee up with my few boxes and I’m off.

Well, you drive safe, and remember, if those cowboys don’t appreciate you, you can always come home. Joe will always take you back.

Joe is my dad’s best buddy from college. So, I guess you could say he is more like an uncle to me. And he rode me hard when I first started. Six of us started, and only four of us stuck it out. The pressure is intense in a prestigious clinic like this. Horses are worth thousands; their owners are not always easy to deal with. But it was worth every mistake, every heartache, every handful of days that I stayed awake for too long to make sure my patients had continuity of care.

Will do, Dad. Love you both. Kiss Mom for me, will you?

Ten four.

With a sigh, I close my eyes briefly. Everything is lighter. Almost as if the closing of one chapter and the beginning of the new one I am about to embark on is so right. Down-to-my-bones right. Something in my soul knows that in Montana, in the mountains, in that rugged wilderness, I am going to find myself. Prove my mettle. Excited is an understatement.

“Adds, you’re done! You’re free!” Joe’s excitement almost matches mine as he strides back down the corridor toward me.

I chuckle and push off the wall. He slings an arm over my shoulders. “Fancy a drink to celebrate?”

Everyone wants to celebrate. It’s nice.

“Sorry, long drive, and I leave this afternoon.”

“Bummer, well”—he removes his arm and turns to face me—“you know, if things don’t work out in Hicksville, we will take you back with open arms.”

“Thanks Joe, but hopefully, it will be what I need.”

Another thing I am hoping to get out of moving halfway across the country—distance from Adam. The one person who I am happy to be leaving behind. Ex-boyfriend, classmate, and utter douchebag. Well, at least that’s what I tell myself when he tries to crawl back. Every time, I cave and let him back in. It never lasts—he always finds a new way to hurt me. Honestly, I have no idea why I let him, but a face like that is hard to say no to. And he’s familiar, comfortable. Not to mention the British accent...

And so not happening again.

Like ever.

Thousands of miles should be enough to let me move on. Here’s hoping. I make my way to the staff room and spin the dial on my locker. It opens, and photos of my parents flutter. I pull out my tote bag and pluck them from the metal door, smiling at the sweet face of my best friend, Ruby.

I will miss her. So much. But Rubes promises to visit. She is always traveling with her job, anyway, as an events coordinator working with high-end companies, new and established resorts, and travel destinations. I tap out a message to her.

Hey Rubes, I’m heading west this afternoon. I’ll call you when I get there.

My phone pings a second later.

Yes, please do, drive safe. Promise to visit you out in cowboy country asap!

I will hold you to that, Ruby Robbins!

Tapping out my goodbyes, I shove the rest of my belongings into my tote and shut the locker. All that is left to do is hand in my key card and say my goodbyes.

When the last box is piled into the trunk of my Cherokee, I take one last sweep around the small apartment that has housed me for the last eight years. I never thought I would ever miss this space, but seeing it void of the things that made it my home, I feel a little sad. Not dwelling, I shut the door and head back to the car. Time to bust these city limits.

I turn the keys over and start the car. The Bluetooth connects. “Siri, play Montana playlist.”

The twang of the country music playlist Joe compiled for me floods the car. I chuckle a little at the foreign sound, but after an hour, I am humming along to some of the tunes. They’re actually not too bad.

Lewistown is my destination. And if these songs are worth their salt, the place should feel like home the moment I step footon Montana dirt. But I won’t hold my breath. As long as I have a job vetting horses and am miles away from Adam, everything else I can figure out as I go. Settling in for the long drive, I swear my singing gets better with every mile.

Four days later, the welcome sign for Lewistown comes into view. I pull over at the first gas station and pull up the address for my apartment. I punch the deets into the phone and let the GPS lady guide me home. GPS Gwen. No secrets here ...

Gwen and I are on a first-name basis after the last four days and one never-ending road trip. We’re besties now. I snort a laugh at my own ridiculousness. Rolling through the quiet streets of Lewistown, I get a sense of what it’s like to live a slower-paced life. And I’m pleasantly surprised by the absence of honking horns, miles of bumper-to-bumper cars, and crossings packed with people.

It’s so calm. I can’t help the smile that grows over my face. When Gwen finally says “You have reached your destination,” I’m inclined to believe her.

“Gwen, you may be right.”

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