Page 17 of Wildest Forever

Stepping onto the porch, I take a deep breath and push down the sadness that threatens to ruin my day.

I will not cry anymore.

I move forward before curling my hands around the wobbly fence post and look out at the land in front of me. It’s not much but it’s ours.

The snow tipped mountains in the distance look a lot prettier today and I’m not sure if it’s because I am only really noticing just how perfect everything is here.

Letting my head fall, I squeeze my eyes shut and my heart begins to race.

This is all I have known. It’s always only been me and pops.

My mom abandoned me on this very porch when I was a few months old.

She has never once returned. Not even made a phone call.

She chose her habit over me.

But yet, my pops never says anything bad about her. Still talks about her as if she is his whole world.

I know she’s not.

I’m his world.

But she was still his daughter.

I tried reaching out to her a few times via emails and letters but never heard anything back, and my dad? No idea where he was or who he was. My pops tells me it was some deadbeat she got with when she fell into her new lifestyle, but I block all of that out.

Pops was my family. Only him.

But now… well… it was only going to be me.

CHAPTER FOUR

PACEY

Iwas up early; sleep hadn't come easily. My mind was wracked with the what ifs and what could possibly go wrong. It also didn't help that the paperwork was arriving today. I wanted to make Gerry Wheeler happy, I didn't want him to have to worry about Morgan or Cottonwheel Ranch when he had so much more to focus on.

I had no idea what our timeline was, but I knew he wanted to move quickly.

I had debated telling my ma, but then I didn't want to put any more strain on her. She puts on this big show that she is okay, plastering a fake smile on a not so brave face, but I knew deep down that she was barely holding on.

Riggs and Aspen lived on Crooked Creek; Dixie, Tripp and Lainey were still at home but wanted to move out soon. Ma kept telling them they didn't have to, but with her only having a few months until she drops I don't think they want to burden ma with a toddleranda newborn.

Scrubbing my face, I push to my feet and drag my heavy legs to the bathroom, closing the door behind me before I am under the shower and trying to wash the tiredness from my soul.

It didn't work.

I am still groggy as hell and my shoulders hurt from how tense they are.

I wrap a towel around my waist start to pace across the hall when Dixie walks from their bedroom, long brown hair messy, Lainey clung to her hip and she gives me a small smile before a yawn presents itself.

“Morning Pacey,” her voice slightly muffled as she walks towards the stairs, and I find myself tightening my towel around my waist.

“Morning,” I grunt as I keep my head down and make a move for my room, closing the door behind me.

Sighing, I pace to my closet and drag out a gray tee and dirty denim jeans. I felt like today was going to be one of those days. I needed to go into the office, but I also needed to get this paperwork signed and work out what my next move was.

Morgan isn't going to want to move in here, so I am going to no doubt be moving across the town line and into Blossom Cove.

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