Page 59 of Never Left You

“Okay, I give up. Wrong about what?” A corner of his lips raised in a smirk.

I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “You’re not weak. After seeing you on that horse, seeing you here…you’re the strongest person in this arena.”

Eighteen

Cash

You’renotweak…

You’re not weak…

You’re. Not. Weak.

You’re…weak…

“You’re so weak, Cash, I can’t believe this is what’s happened…I can’t believe I married you…”

I shot up, sweat dripping from my brow as Abi’s voice turned into Carolyn’s. Abi’s words stuck in my brain for the remainder of the week, from the moment she said them, right up until she gave me a soft hug goodnight.You’re not weak. So why my brainhad decided to twist them into the last thing Carolyn truly said to me before she asked for a divorce was beyond me.

Carolyn was the reason I called myself weak. She was the reason I knew I would never amount to anything again.

And she didn’t deserve a second of my thoughts.

I rubbed my palm down my face, a long sigh leaving my lungs as I took in the room around me. The dresser with the flat screen TV was in front of me, a small red light in the corner. The desk near the window where my computer and sketch book sat, illuminated by the moon from outside. Twisting, I tapped my phone alive, seeing just how late—or early—it really was.

I hadn’t had a nightmare like that in a long time. Starting out with something I was drawn to, something I wanted to be enveloped in. Abi. And ending with that horrible twist of something I wanted nothing more than to get away from. Carolyn.

Flinging the covers off my waist, I climbed out of bed, the cool air hitting my bare chest. I flicked on the light on the desk, seeing my sketch book open on a messy drawing of Nova. Flipping the page, I turned to see the sketch of the mountain range, Luna and Nova mid gallop and finally, Abi and Luna laying in the field, and the other haphazard drawings I managed to get from my head on the paper. I hadn’t drawn in a long time, and finding the outlet now had become a comfort. I flipped to an empty page and grabbed the pencil that was next to it, pulling out the leather chair and bringing pencil to paper.

An hour later, I had the ranch sketched up, complete with the wooden post sign. Even in messy pencil scratch, this is one I would frame one day. I dropped the pencil to study to sketch, taking it all in. That’s where I wanted to be at this exact moment. There. Hartwell Hills Ranch.

With purpose, I went for my phone, bringing the screen to life. Thumbing through until I found Lachlan’s name, I typed out a text.

Me

You awake?

I knew he was. It was just past four. He was up and ready for the day by now.

But no text came through.

He must be sleeping still.

Me

I’m gonna head to the ranch early if you don’t mind. Can’t sleep…see you for coffee in the main house?

Closing my eyes, I breathed in deep when the first image that came to my mind was…

Abi.

Her smile.

Her laugh as a horse would nudge her as she mucked the stall.

Her arms slipping around my waist.

Her soft voice as she said the words,You’re not weak.

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