Page 60 of Sunshine

“Yes,” I nod. “More than okay.” It’s true—I feel lighter than I have in weeks. Years, even.

He stands and holds a hand out to help me get to my feet. The whole right side of my body is covered in mud and the sight of it sends me into another fit of laughter. But it dies when my eyes meet Wells’s.

“Why did you bring me here?” I ask.

Small droplets cluster in his thick lashes. But he doesn’t answer.

“Tell me,” I demand softly.

“Because,” he finally says. “Somebody needs to take care ofyou. And . . . I want it to be me. I told you that you should find somebody else to lean on because I’m not sure I know how to stop myself from wanting you the way I do—the way I always have. I don’t even think I fully comprehend howfuckedit is for me to say that to you, Layla.”

My mouth parts as the truth of his words crashes through me, but he continues before I can form a coherent thought. “Being around you is all I think about, and it’s the last thing I should be asking you to make room for right now. But dammit, I want to be the one to hold you when you cry. I want to be the one you fall apart with. I want to spend the entire day figuring out how I can make you smile, because when you do it’s like a drug, and I get so fuckinghighfrom it.”

Lightning flashes again as the full weight of his words sinks into my heart. The realization of how much Wellswants, of how much he must have held himself back for so many years, careful to protect his friendship with Jason. How he’s finally telling me here, in the only place he feels like he has any ownership.

I know Wells loves his family, but between Rhett and his father, there’s plenty of drama to be overshadowed by. And Brooks has kids now . . . I can’t help but wonder if there’s been room for Wells in any of it, for the things he wants and needs. I don’t think he’d have the heart to ask.

But he’s doing it now, with me.

I step toward him until our bodies are flush. And then I reach up on tiptoes and press my mouth to his.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR

THEN

The Mustangs make it into the playoffs to no one’s surprise—they’ve been undefeated all season long and Jason is playing at his best. When Thanksgiving rolls around, he pulls away from our relationship completely to focus on football. His dad hires a private trainer to work with him after an already ramped-up schedule of practices at school. Sundays are his only days off, and he’s usually so tired he sleeps it away, dead to the world. I’m lucky if I get a text back from him before dinnertime.

I distract myself by spending more and more time at the ranch. The Bennetts’ farrier, Hank, has taught me how to pick out the horses’ hooves during their morning grooming, and when Wells isn’t around (also because of practice) Kasey graciously takes me under his wing and lets me shadow him. I keep my visits mostly under wraps from my mother, but at the very least she always believes I’m here with Jason.

She doesn’t approve of me hanging around the Bennetts,but every time she expresses her concern over the rumors surrounding the family, I remind her that I can’t control who Jason chooses to be friends with, which seems to tamp down her judgment. I feel wrong for letting her believe I’m only friends with Wells because Jason is, even though I suppose it might be true. I’m not sure someone like him would want to be friends with someone like me in any other world. Still, regardless of how it happened, wearefriends—at least, I think we still are.

When a wild colt is delivered to the ranch, Kasey teaches me how to bottle-feed him. He was born out of season, which is pretty rare for mustangs, and when he couldn’t keep up with his herd, a local rancher from a few counties over stepped in to bring him here.

I go out to the ranch every morning before school to feed him knowing it’ll help the Bennetts, but also because I learn that I love the rush of caring for something so young and vulnerable. By the next weekend, Kasey shows me how to transition him to bucket-feeding by letting him nurse on my finger and guiding him to the milk in the bucket. When he starts to do it on his own, I’m filled with so much pride I could burst.

Kasey lets me name him, and I don’t hesitate to call him Lucky for ending up here with the Bennetts. I still don’t understand the town’s aversion to this family—aside from some occasional moodiness (it seems to run in the family), they’ve all been so kind in having me around. Mrs. Bennett is always quick to bring out a cool glass of lemonade, and while Brooks and Sawyer don’t really talk much, they still acknowledge me with a hello when they see me.

Rhett’s the only one who looks at me like I might be a toy to play with, but of all the Bennetts there’s no doubt he’s thewildest. More often than not he’s got a beer in his hand, and Brooks and Kasey are constantly on him about his lack of respect toward . . . well,anyone.

The only Bennett I’ve yet to meet is Wells’s father. I tried to ask about him once, but all he’d tell me was that his dad is sick and doesn’t leave the house very often. I could tell by the way his ears tinged pink that it wasn’t something he wanted to discuss further, so I dropped it. Sometimes I’m tempted to ask Jason what he knows, but then I worry that I’d be no better than anyone else in this town.

On the first Saturday of December, I eagerly watch Kasey and Wells turn Lucky out in the large corral with Lady. The hope is that by introducing Lucky to the older mare, her maternal instincts will take over and she’ll eventually help him learn to socialize with the other horses. It’s nerve-wracking, at first, to watch them cautiously approach each other. But when Lady gives Lucky an affectionate rub, I’m so happy it brings me to tears. It’s the first time I think it, thatthismight be what I want to do with my life.

“You okay?” Wells asks from inside the corral, noticing me wipe my eyes.

“Yeah,” I say, and I beam, clicking the shutter of the camera around my neck as I do my best to capture the moment.

The returning smile he throws is real, one of his rare natural ones, and I can’t help it when my eyes burn with more tears. Despite calling a truce for Jason’s sake a few months ago, Wells has kept his distance. I’m not sure of the reason and I’ve stopped trying to figure it out, but the smile he wears now is reassuring.

“What are you all up to today?”

I turn to find Melody walking up behindus. She’s wearing short black boots embroidered with what looks like bluebonnets that match her cobalt dress. She’s gorgeous, her curly blonde hair bouncing with each step she takes, but her face is pale and distant, and I’m reminded of having the same thought the first time I met her.

“Oh, hey,” Kasey says in greeting. “Just trying to help our new little orphan friend here.” He’s watching both horses carefully, looking for any signs of an issue, but Lucky follows behind Lady as she meanders around the confines of the corral.

Melody clicks her tongue. “Gosh, he’s cute.”

I smile, focusing back on her boots. “Did you make those, too?”

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