Page 49 of Love, Hate, Love

“I think she’s broken.” She crossed and uncrossed her arms.

“What do you mean?” I came around the desk, heading to the door. “Did she fall? She knows better than to ride at night.” I didn’t see Leah out in the field.

“No. Her body is okay. I think it’s more of a mind thing.”

I swung back from the door I’d been about to run out of. “What do you mean?”

“I was talking to her and tears were running down her cheeks. She said she was fine, maybe even good. I can’t remember exactly, because all I could think was that she didn’t seem like the crying type, and yet they just kept coming.”

“Are you sure she was crying?” Leah didn’t cry. I’d seen her break her leg when she was twelve and she hadn’t cried.

“Yeah, they were just running out of her eyes like she didn’t have any control of them.”

“Where is she?”

“In her cabin.”

I didn’t wait for more information before I took off in that direction.

Chapter23

Leah

I was lying in bed,trying to figure out how to stop the current meltdown that was occurring. Once the tears had started, they seemed impossible to stop. Not only that, they were coming faster and harder.

Of course that was when another knock would come. This one didn’t wait for a greeting before the door flew open.

Kade’s eyes landed on me. “What are you doing?” he asked, his voice soft.

For the first time since I’d known him, he sounded more unsettled than I was.

“I’m crying!” No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop. He’d have to point that out.

If he thought I was crying now and it threw him, he better hang on, because a fresh wave hit me, hard, shaking my whole body. I didn’t care anymore. I was going to cry all night if I wanted, or even if I didn’t want.

“Leah.” He said my name like he was in physical pain.

Missy appeared as a blur through my tears.

“See? She’s broken. You probably broke her. She’s my friend, so you better fix her,” Missy said, nearly screaming.

Kade jerked at the sound of her voice, as if he hadn’t realized she’d entered. “Ididn’tbreak her. She’s tough and she’s not broken,” he said.

“Look at her. She’sbroken,” Missy said, pointing at me.

“Well, she’s definitely not right,” Elijah said, also walking into my shed. “I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt that it wasn’t you, but you definitely didn’t help things.”

Missy was heading toward me, but Kade cut her off. “You can both go. I’ll handle this.”

Missy looked over his shoulder at me. For some reason the concern in her eyes lit off an even harsher round of sobs.

“Out,” Kade yelled.

“You better fix her!” Missy glared at him before she turned and left.

“Yeah, this isn’t good,” Elijah said, sounding as if he were lecturing Kade before walking out behind Missy.

“Just get out,” Kade said, then shut and locked the door after them before drawing the shade on the window.

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