Page 29 of Long Hard Fall

She nodded. “I’ve really grown up.” She almost winced at the bitterness in her voice.

A sexy smile curved his lips. “The other night was you all grown up?”

That earned him a dirty look. “Ha-ha. No, it was more like a temporary regression.”

A moment of hurt crossed his face.

“Not that I regret it,” she added hastily. “I just regret the drinks I had before you joined me.”

His sharp gaze pinned her, but she couldn’t read his expression. When he looked away and the heat of his speculation left her, she wanted to jump over the saddle and get it back.

“Remember how to turn Mandrell?” he asked. “We’d better get back.”

After they swung the horses around—and hers had noticeably picked up her pace now that home was in sight—he asked, “So what does a grown-up Abbi usually do?”

She snorted a laugh. “Boring shit.” She swept her hand around them. “This is the most exciting thing I’ve done in years. God, I feel like I’ve been in prison since I graduated and got a job.”

“I still say you can find work you’re passionate about.”

“Maybe.” Not without Ellis’s contribution to the bills. Now she had to pay for her own roof over her head. “But after Perry’s funeral, I saw how important it was I don’t heap additional stress onto my parents. I can’t bring myself to disrupt what peace they’ve found.” But at the same time, she refused to go back to the world where Ellis and Mom and Dad ran her life. No one was making decisions for her from now on. Yes, the way she’d acted in college had been immature, but not out of the ordinary for a young college woman, certainly not enough for her to sign over control of her life and the decisions she made. When Perry’s life insurance paid her tuition, she couldn’t throw her education away by being a precocious girl.

Coming here had been her first act as a grown-ass woman, albeit a few years too late. She couldn’t go back and be the girl who never rippled the waters after this. But she’d better call Mom when she got back. They’d be mollified as long as she touched base, and it was worth being lectured that Ellis had her best interests in mind and she should listen to him.

Ignoring his texts was more power than she’d had over her life lately.

Cemented into her newfound identity, she didn’t retreat into her mind for the rest of the ride. Instead, she asked more about his sister.

“She’s in nursing school, taking after Mom. Well, she’s planning on nursing. She has to get into the program, and I don’t know if her grades will make the cut.”

“What’s her backup plan?”

He let out a gusty sigh. “I doubt she has one.”

Yep, worried brother. She adjusted her position in the saddle. As exhilarating as horseback riding was, her nether region wasn’t used to it. Cash could probably ride for days.

His house came into sight and he muttered, “What now.”

Chapter 9

Cash ground his teeth together as he stared at his sister’s car. Abbi came to town and all hell broke loose with his family. He was caught between devoting his time to her and just using her to distance himself from the drama. But it seemed everyone was migrating to his house.

“Whose car is that?” Abbi was starting to shift and adjust in her seat. An hour and a half of riding was enough for her back end, as he’d expected.

“Sissy’s.” Hannah might hate that nickname, but she’d only been ten when he’d left home, so she’d stayed Sissy. “Might as well meet more of my family since you’ve gotten the rundown of our drama.”

Hannah must’ve gotten the news from Dad if she’d rushed down here so fast. Mom had probably left town in the last couple of hours. Hopefully his sister wasn’t crumbling under the news of the divorce. He liked to think she’d been spared from the contention in their parents’ marriage.

He led them through the gate and back into the pasture the horses spent the majority of their time in.

“I wish it were under better circumstances.” Abbi’s brow furrowed as she steered Mandrell, who would follow Patsy Cline anywhere, but it gave Abbi some good practice.

Cash agreed, but just like he couldn’t change how he was born, he wouldn’t waste time wishing things were different. Just roll with the punches like he always did.

He stopped their horses outside of the barn so they could store the tack and give the horses a quick brush. Abbi groaned as she dismounted and mimicked him as he unbuckled gear. He handed her a brush. They took more time than needed grooming their horses.

“I thought I’d find you out here.” His sister’s tortured voice resonated through the barn. “Oh… I didn’t know you had company.”

Instantly, Sissy perked up, her tears forgotten. He watched her approach over Patsy Cline’s back. Sissy’s gaze was riveted on Abbi as she pushed her long, brown hair behind her ears.

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