Page 100 of Never Left You

“We were going to sign the deed today…right?”

He smiled. “I have it right here.” He raised the stack of papers held together by a clip, and his smile grew. “I just need to call our lawyer, and give Lachlan and your brothers a call—”

“Can we possibly…wait to sign it for another week or two? I know you and mom want to head out but there’s no rush…right?”

“Well, not technically. We just want to make sure all our ducks are in a row before we officially retire.” He dropped the stack of papers and leaned against his chair, his eyes narrowing at me. Dad knew me. He knew me well. He was trying to read my mind, and his gears were turning.

“I just…” I took a deep breath. “Cash invited me to go to a few rodeos with him and Quinn and well…he makes me feel…” Lowering my gaze away from my dad, I exhaled. “I…I want to enjoy this time, so…”

My dad gave a soft smile, understanding showing in his eyes. “We can push it until you get back. How does that sound?”

I smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”

“How is Cash?” He asked, folding his arms over his chest.

“He’s good…great actually. I think he’s going to stay on as a permanent trainer here, once he brings on more clients of course.”

He hummed. “That's just fine, I actually like having the guy here.”

I tightened my lips and gave him a curt nod. “I like having him around. He was always a breath of fresh air. It’s good to have him back.”

“I really…really like having him here.”

Thirty

Cash

Stetsonhoistedhimselfupon the fence, locking his boots on the railing. He’d followed Lachlan and I out onto the land after he got home from school, and once the conversation turned to Abi leaving with me this coming weekend, Stetson got quiet. Once we got back to the ranch, and he still hadn’t uttered a word, Lachlan raised his eyebrows at me, and left me alone with the little dude. Stetson didn’t speak until Lachlan was out of ear shot, and then he folded his arms against his chest, leaned against the railing, and turned to me.

“When are you leaving?” he asked, his voice as low as it could go for a seven-year-old.

“Thursday,” I answered, making sure Nova was tied up to the post before leaning against the gate next to Stetson.

“And mom’s going? Like for sure, for sure mom’s going.” His head nodded each time he said ‘for sure.’

I narrowed my gaze at him, offering a small smile. “Yes. She told me she’d talk to your aunt and uncle to see if you could hang with them for the weekend.”

He gave me a curt nod. My heart was kind of breaking here. A part of me screamed to invite him along, to make it a family affair, but the louder part of me desperately wanted time with Abi. The time we spent together these last couple weeks had been nothing short of life changing. She made my body light up when I was around her, every single emotion flooding my veins. The way my heart was drawn to her, wanting to spill every little thing about me, about my life, my past. I wanted to be known by her, and I knew she felt the same way. She was breaking down her walls more and more, and the time alone could be a good thing for us. I felt like I could be myself around her. There was a man Iusedto be and the man Iwantedto be, and with her I was more like the man I wanted to be more than ever before. With her…I was better.

There wasn’t any morepretending to be cockyorfake smileswhen she was around. With myself—or her. She had gotten really good at hiding her pain, but Abi was flourishing. I could see it, and if I could, I bet everyone else could, too. Including her son.

“Okay, let’s be real here, man to man.” I gently punched Stetson in the shoulder, his small body moving with the soft impact.

“Man to man?” he parroted, squaring his shoulders.

“Man to man. Do you remember the other night when we had that rodeo?”

“And you kissed Mommy. And then you took Mommy on a date.”

“Yep, it’s no secret that I really like your mommy.”

“And she really likes you. She told me.”

I raised an eyebrow. “She did?”

He pursed his lips and nodded quickly, loosing up his body to grab ahold of the railing he sat on. “She told me I shouldn’t call you Uncle Cash anymore; she said now that you guys are kissing it’s kinda weird.”

“When did she tell you that?”

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