Page 7 of Never Left You

“Boise? Maybe Rhett and I can take a trip to see you one day. It’s been a while.”

My eyebrows perked up. A night with friends? Sure. “Drinks one night? Hell, I’ll even come to The Steel.” I did love that dingy bar.

Lachlan gave me a curt chuckle. “Yeah, sure. I’ll make sure to tell Abi and Wyatt.”

Abi.

Abigail Acosta.

My heart lurched as I threw the towel, watching as it hit the small lotion bottles on the counter, even toppling over my medication bottle into the sink. Thank god the lid was on, or I’d have to stop by a pharmacy. Groaning, I grasped the little orange bottle in my hand, holding on to it tightly as I gave myself one last look as thoughts flooded my mind. Wyatt Hartwell loathed me.

Wyatt I could handle, but Abi?

I hadn’t seen Abi in almost five years. Abi was, well, she was the one person I didn’t know if I could see again. Given our history and the way my heart fluttered just from hearing her name—I wanted to—more than anything, but…

“Yeah, that sounds fan-fucking-tastic.” I mumbled, setting my meds back on the counter, moving to rearrange the mess the towel created.

“Nah, just Rhett and I. I was just joking.”

I swallowed, giving Lachlan a nod I knew he couldn’t see. He knew. He didn’t know the full extent of what thoughts flew through my brain whenever I heard her name—if I were being honest, neither did I, but he knew enough to let it go.

A few more exchanges helped move the topic, easing me back into my normal rhythm, and once we said goodbye, my mind went right back to work. Quinn and the rodeo.

Not on Abi, or my past.

Three

Abi

Iploppeddownonthe wicker chair on my brother’s deck, the soft pad hitting my joints and muscles in the perfect balance, the warm mug of tea sending comfort through my body. The sun had already made its way down over the mountains and the chill hit my skin. It had become a nightly ritual to watch it set from Rhett’s front porch, no matter what time of year. Even though I still had dinner to make and a kitchen to clean, Kyla and I always seemed to find calm here at the end—or close to the end—of every day.

I shifted, pulling my knees close to my chest as I fumbled with the blanket, curling myself into a tight ball. Hugging my legs, I gripped the mug with both hands, not even thinking of taking a sip, just enjoying the silence. That is until the front door swung open and hard boots hit the wood.

I turned and saw Kyla, her hair up in a messy ponytail, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

“Need some spirits?” she asked, tilting her own mug back and forth. “We have whiskey.”

“No, but my brother apparently thought you needed some?” I answered as I watched my friend sit next to me.

“He may have added a bit of whiskey to my drink.” She smirked.

“I still have dinner to make, and a kid to get to bed, and I think that said kid has homework.”

She hummed. “I can tackle homework if you want to tackle dinner?”

“Deal.” I cheered, moving my legs just enough to lift the tea to my lips. “No plans with Rhett tonight? Nodates?”

Kyla blushed and tilted her chin down.

My brother had married Kyla as a way to fend off her ex, but that didn’t stop love from taking shape. They decided to stay married once the ex was officially out of the picture, but they decided they would ‘date.’ After winning the NFR in Vegas last December, my brother took the year off from his event to focus on his wife. Rhett took Kyla out at least two times a week, and the other nights they simply spent whatever time they had left in their day together. She always took an hour or so out of that to spend the time with me though, and for that I was grateful.

Kyla was a godsend, coming to Hartwell Hills kind of as a fluke, but she ended up staying and loving it just as much as anyone else in the family. She blended in perfectly. Without her, Stetson would still complain when I told him he needed to readbefore going to bed. Without her, the kitchen would most likely sit dirty some nights. Without her, I would most likely lose my mind.

“Movie night,” she responded.

“Ah.” I smiled. “So, that’s why you got homework. You won’t be at dinner?”

She shook her head. “We’re ordering from June's.”

---