Page 16 of Never Left You

And then she brought up Carolyn.

In my mind, she had to know about my divorce. She would have celebrated when Lachlan told her. Abi and Carolyn never got along. Abi put up with her because she was my wife. Carolyn put up with Abi because…well…she didn’t. Carolyn detested Abi, and she made it known. One drunken night with Carolyn, she told me all about her exes, and I shared secrets about mine—including the small fact that I may have hit on Abi the first time I met her. What was supposed to be a fun, enjoyable night with my wife, revealing things about our past, turned out to be the biggest wedge in our relationship, and slowly she began to pull me away from my friends. According to Carolyn, Abi was trying to take me from her, steal me away and get her completely out of the picture. No matter what I did to show Carolyn I loved her, nothing ever changed her mind. She did everything in her power to keep me away. Once our divorce was finalized, I had one person in my mind that could help me become who I was again. But, at that time, I figured it was too late, and that I had fucked up enough that I wouldn’t be able to make up for it.

Looks like my assumptions were right.

I knew it was going to be hard seeing her again. That it would open wounds I had tried so hard to stitch up and cover. A part of me was hoping it would be like any reunion. One where Abi wanted me here as much as I wanted to be here. I never thought it would be this hard.

But with a deep breath, I knew I had to let it go.

Once she left the kitchen, the silence became deafening. Lachlan took a deep breath, the rustling of his clothes becoming the only sound in the room. Once the front door closed, he let out a puff of air.

I looked over at him as he raised his eyebrows at me. “I can guarantee one of these sandwiches wasn’t for you.”

Pinching my brow I looked at the sandwiches that were laid out on the counter, and then the last few bites of mine that sat in my hand. I had the impulse to throw the rest away.

Kyla took a deep breath and turned to the cowboy attached to her hip. “I’m gonna go find Abi. It’s only noon, and she knows I’m going to pick Stetson up today.” She kissed Rhett’s cheek, giving me a quick nod. “Good to see you again, Mr. Callahan.”

“Please, call me Cash,” I corrected her.

“Good to see you again,Cash.Just…please don’t call me ‘little miss’ again.’” Kyla smiled, giving Rhett another quick kiss before she turned to leave.

I smirked, remembering the one time I used that nickname last year.

“When did you call my wifelittle miss?” Rhett asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Protective much?” Lachlan grumbled, stuffing the rest of his sandwich in his mouth.

“At the Days of 47 last year,” I replied.

Lachlan began to haphazardly piece the remaining lunch meat and cheese together, shoving a piece of cheese in his mouth as he worked. Rhett joined in eventually, stealing some lunch meat. I leaned on the counter and watched them, listening as Rhett defended his actions in keeping anyone from calling his wife ‘little miss.’

The front door burst open, and the sound of boots hitting the hardwood followed by the loud chatter of all the ranch hands, came bursting into the house, echoing off the walls. Rhett looked at me, tilting his chin towards the front of the room before taking the few steps out of the kitchen. Lachlan spoke to a few of the ranch hands, telling them whoever could figure out which sandwiches were made by us and actually eat them would get asmall bonus on their next check, before following Rhett and I to the entryway, grabbing our coats and stepping back into the chill air.

“Well.” I adjusted the hat on my head, twisting my torso to look back at the main house. “I didn’t recognize any of those workers. What happened to your staff?”

“Nick is still around, but mainly we get seasonal guys,” Lachlan replied, reaching into his pockets to pull out his gloves.

I looked around the ranch, finally taking it all in for the first time since I arrived. I noticed the dinks and dings in the stables, but now I saw the fences that needed to be fixed, the paint chipping on the main house and barn, and the beat up water troughs. I get it was the tail end of winter, but these were things that needed to be kept up on. Lachlan knew that. His life was this ranch, so why did it look like it was falling apart? Is this why they were renting out the stables and arena? Money to fix the place back up?

“Well, there’s Ryan too.” Rhett’s voice carried through the air. “He’s been here a few years.”

I shoved my hands in my coat pockets, barely listening to them talk. I could easily pick up some paint to repair the chips around the barn and mend the fences. These were things I could do while Quinn was in PT. Hell, I planned to stick around here anyway. May as well make myself useful.

Turning, I stopped when I spotted Abi.

She was moving fast. Kyla kept up next to her as she made her way to the gray Chevy, both women being followed by a small brown-and-white cow. Abi plopped her hat on her head and turned, walking backwards giving Kyla a smile. That smile, I remembered. I knew it still had to be there. I smirked just watching her, seeing her still happy underneath the anger she was sporting moments ago. Kyla raised her arms as Abi got intothe truck and started the engine. She shook her head as her truck left the drive.

“I guess Kyla isn’t getting Stetson today.” Rhett shrugged.

“Does your wife normally pick up Abi’s son?” I asked, taking my gaze from the scene back to Rhett and Lachlan.

I didn’t realize I had stopped to watch the women, completely ignoring the men I was following. My attention went from the ranch hands, to the ranch, to the blonde leaving in a matter of minutes.

“Normally.” Rhett added, “She’s been tutoring him this year. Abi needs the help.”

“With Stet or…”

“I wouldn’t call him Stet.” Lachlan pointed out, making his way back to the stables.

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