Page 4 of Hometown Girl

“Of course, Mom.” She laughed the question off.

“When was the last time you felt genuine happiness?”

Beth’s mind spun, trying to recall a moment of pure joy. How sad that she came up empty. “My work makes me happy. I like knowing I’m carrying on the Whitaker name.”

“In a job you’ve never loved.”

“Where’s this coming from, Mom?”

Her mother gave a soft shrug. “I guess I have a new perspective is all. A new lease on life. And I don’t like seeing you this way.”

“What way? I’m fine. I have responsibilities here.”I have to make up for the things I ruined. I owe that to him.“Don’t you want Dad’s legacy to go on?”

“Not at the expense of your happiness.”

“I’m fine. I just—”

“You’re not happy. And you haven’t been for a long time. The life you used to dream of—it’s not the one you’re living. And that concerns me.”

Beth looked away. Her mom didn’t get it. Things changed. People, plans, dreams—they all changed. Once upon a time, Beth had dreamed of art school and paint-covered hands. A healthy dose of reality had changed her. What was to say that hadn’t happened again?

“Don’t use my health as a reason to stay here, Beth. Not if this isn’t what you love.”

Beth sighed. “I can’t imagine leaving you now, Mom. I don’t care what Dr.Berry says, you’re not strong enough.”

Her mother’s smile waned. “I appreciate that, and I appreciate you helping me, but I’m getting stronger now. It’s time for me to get on with my life.” She stilled a moment. “And time for you to get on with yours.”

Her mom squeezed her hand, then turned toward the car door.

“Here, let me—”

“No, Beth.” Lilian stared at her own hand on the door handle. “I need to start doing things for myself again.”

Beth watched as her mother opened the door gingerly, still in pain. But she didn’t jump in to help. Instead, she sat in the car while her mom inched her way out, closed the door and then walked toward the house, a smile lighting her face.

A smile that was less optimistic and more triumphant.

A smile that told Beth that while she’d been trying to help her mom recover, what she’d actually done was get in the way.

Her mother’s words hung in the stale air of Beth’s closed-up Audi. Her mother didn’t understand. Beth had tried to be genuinely happy once, and it hadn’t panned out. And now, the only thing on her mind was making amends for the things she’d done.

Happiness wasn’t in the cards.

Chapter Two

“My horse won’t go faster.”

The whine seeped under Drew Barlow’s skin. He’d led a lot of trail rides, and he could usually tolerate the complaining, but if this kid dug his heels into Juniper’s sides one more time ...

“The horse isn’t supposed to go faster, kid,” Drew said. “She’s trained to stay behind mine.”

“This is boring.”

Drew blew out a stream of hot air. He took in a fresh breath and cast his eyes toward the Rockies. There. That was the reason he stayed on at the dude ranch every year. That and the seclusion of the off months.

“Are we almost done? My horse is broken.”

Lucky for the kid, theywerealmost done. Otherwise, Drew might’ve swatted Juniper on the backside and sent her off to show him how not-boring horseback riding could be.

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