Page 9 of Long Hard Fall

“Abbi.” Cash draped his arms over the stall gate to watch the exam. Hoof scrapes and horse grunts came from inside with Bunny muttering encouraging words. “I’ve got a long day. My horse is sick and we’re in the middle of harvest. Dillon has been in a combine for hours already and we need to work until sundown. I was supposed to be taking over for him now, but I’m here.”

She tried to keep her expression pleasant, but it probably teetered toward droll. “And are you really going to call?”

“I said I would.”

“How many girls have you told that to?”

Bunny snorted. Cash clamped his mouth shut.

“Exactly.” Abbi pushed her hair back. “Why don’t we plan a time to meet?” Her cheeks warmed. Would he think she had plans to hit on him again?

“My day tomorrow is exactly like today. Without a dead horse, I hope.”

The concern in his features was endearing. He was worried about Patsy Cline. Abbi hoped she recovered, but she couldn’t let Cash squirm out of talking to her.

“You gotta eat, Cash. Come on. I need to talk to you.” She got the sentence out before she choked back a sob. An unknown someone picked that time to ring her. Between her phone and her insistent tears, she had to leave. No answers today.

She mustered a smile despite her disappointment and was turning away to answer the call when Cash spoke.

Distress glimmered in his eyes and he looked away. “All right. Meet me out here for lunch tomorrow before I trade with Dillon.”

Nodding, afraid he’d change his mind, she nearly ran back to her car while digging her phone out.

Her parents were going to call her every damn day, weren’t they?

She checked the screen.

Even worse. Ellis. So not what she needed. Did she have to answer? She debated until right before her voicemail kicked in.

She answered in a bored voice, “Moore Sewage Treatment. How may I direct your call?”

Silence greeted her.

Finally, Ellis spoke. “You’re cracking jokes after the way we parted?”

“What do you want, Ellis?” She couldn’t muster the energy to be angry, but his authoritative attitude rankled. How had she not noticed it before?

“I’m checking to see how you’re doing.”

Not as simple a question as he probably thought. I got drunk last night and took the best-looking piece of ass home. I don’t remember much, but I know it was goooood. “I’m fine.”

“Have you found Reno Walker?”

Had she ever. “He’s going to talk to me later.”

“Maybe I should come up there.”

Distress choked off her mental No! Yesterday, she’d drunk too much because he hadn’t come with her. Now, him being here sounded like the worst idea in history. “Why? We’re not together anymore.”

“I care about you, Abigail.”

Abigail. So grown up. So proper. So how he wanted her.

“I’m fine, Ellis, but I have to go.”

He started speaking, but she made static sounds and hung up. How immature.

God that felt good.

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