Page 98 of Ride the Sky

Her mouth falls open, closes, opens again. “Yes,” she says, dropping her eyes. “That was all.”

She’s lying. The tightness around her mouth says it all. But I let it go. I want to keep moving forward, not back. Even if my heart feels like it’s been put through a shredder.

“My turn,” Fallon snaps. “Why’d you really give up the rodeo?”

“For you.”

She flinches, swears. “I fucking knew it.” Her expression is sad, conflicted. “But, Wyatt, why—”

I hold her gaze. “It didn’t matter if you weren’t there.”

She steals the bottle of whiskey from the hot tub edge, drinks heavily. Finished, she hands it to me. I take a swig then set it down.

“My turn.”

“Something else,” she says softly, turning her face away. Her eyes shimmer. “No more Aiden. Please.”

I press my lips together. I don’t like it. She needs to get it out, not bottle it up.

Still, because I’m a goddamn sucker, I back off.

I have my next truth locked and loaded. “Tell me why you hate me.” Thanks to the whiskey, she has a loose tongue, and I fully intend to take advantage.

That pink flush staining her cheeks, Fallon vigorously shakes her head. The ends of her caramel hair trail the water.

“Tell me,” I demand, gripping her chin and forcing her gaze to mine. “So I can make it right.”

“I doubt it,” she says, but her lower lip trembles.

“Please, Trouble.” I cup her face, and her eyes close.

I can see that stubborn war waging in her head. Self-preservation kicking in. Stone walls erecting.

“I heard you,” she whispers.

My heart skips a beat. Close. So close to learning about this grudge.

I tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “Heard me what?”

“I heard you say it.” She licks her lips. Her voice strengthens, trembles. “I heard what you said.”

Silence. The only sound the ripple of the water.

Chest hitching, she continues. “You were standing around with a group of cowboys. I was at the ranch cleaning the stalls and I heard you.” She inhales, lets it rip. “You called me a cowbarbie who wouldn’t last the summer. You said the only reason you were giving me lessons was because of Stede. You said…” Her eyes flash. “You said you bet Stede wishes he had a son instead.”

All I can do is gape at her. Can’t even refute it.

“You said it,” she accuses, tone defiant. Hurt.

“Fuck. I—Fallon…I—I’m sorry.”

I don’t remember saying it, but it sounds like something I would have said at the time. Especially in front of a group ofcowboys. Back then, at twenty-two, I had an ego, a smart mouth, not a care in the world about who I hurt.

But that was then, and this is fucking now.

I tear a hand through my hair. “Hell, I wasn’t thinking when I said that, Fallon. I was new in town, I was showing off like an asshole, but I never meant what I said. I fucking promise,” I rasp, fighting for words. Hating myself.

How long has she agonized over my words? She’s been holding on to this, and I had no idea how much it spurred her on, consumed her. Fuck, it eats at me. To know she’s hurt this much, for so long, because of something I said. I didn’t want to be that type of trainer,thatguy. I tried my best, but fuck, it wasn’t good enough.

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