Page 133 of Ride the Sky

Living with Wyatt constantly boils down to wanting to tear each other’s clothes off or fighting with each other until we tear each other’s clothes off.

“Honestly, the pros and cons of living with Wyatt are both his mouth.” A wicked smile tips my lips. “He does things in the—”

“Fallon, no,” Reese squeals, trying to cover Ruby’s ears. “Ruby’s too pure to know this.”

We all share a giggle.

“Living with Wyatt is fun,” I muse, feeling the effects of the whiskey. We all are. Ruby and Reese are puddles on the couch. “It’s weird to say, but it’s true.”

Whether we’re in the fields or the kitchen, life with Wyatt is easy. The world doesn’t seem as heavy. Worries fade. He’s there when I want to talk or rage. It feels so normal, so us, doing our life together. Waking up, saying goodbye, and then coming home to one another.

Wyatt’s silver-blue eyes flash in my mind. His boisterous laugh. His gentle way with animals.

He’s a good man. A cowboy. He’s given me everything this summer. Including him.

He told me I deserve him. In reply, I told him I wanted him. And I do, but…does that make us a thing? Does that mean something more than just sex?

Soon, it will be September. PT will be over. And that means we’re over. We divorce. Move on.

But it doesn’t ring true in my heart. In fact, it hurts to think about leaving Wyatt. I told Dakota I can’t live with him, but really, what if I can’t live without him?

“What about your grudge?” Dakota asks, intercepting my rambling train of thought.

Ruby’s and Reese’s curious eyes fall on me. My sister’s the only one who knows the entire story.

“Oh that.” I shrug a casual shoulder. “It’s over.”

Her eyes widen then narrow. “You little sneak. How did I not know about this?” She swirls a finger. “Spill it. Now.”

I tell my friends and sister about our night in the hot tub. The long ago grudge. The confessions. The apologies.

“Wow,” Dakota finishes, looking as stunned as I did that night.

Ruby’s bright voice is dreamy, delighted. “What if…all these years, you never really hated him?” She gasps and looks to Reese and Dakota. “What if you—”

Panicked, I clap a hand across her mouth, cutting her off. “Don’t say it.”

There have been so many secrets, so many emotions between me and Wyatt. Sex. Marriage. Tattoos. Lust. Disdain. Hate.

There’s only emotion left.

The one emotion that turns my heart into a gooey puddle. The one emotion I’ve tried to atom bomb into oblivion.

I think of the letter I left him, and my stomach bottoms out. The most vulnerable I’ve ever been in my life. Thank Christ he never found it. I’d never live it down.

Reese hoots and finishes my drink. “I hate to say it, Fallon, but I think that man fucked that grudge right out of you.”

I give her a shove, and she falls over onto Ruby. They hold on to each other, giggling and gasping for air.

We order one more round of drinks and then all stumble outside. Beneath the bright neon sign, Dakota pulls me into a hug. “Take you home?”

I pull back. “Wyatt’s on his way.”

She twinges the end of my braid. Her dark eyes are happy and hopeful. “Come over tomorrow? Play with Duke and Lainie.”

I smile. “Love to.”

I wave as Dakota’s Jeep spits gravel as it turns onto the highway leading to Runaway Ranch. My heart, my soul, feels lighter than they have in a long time.

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