Page 66 of Wyatt & Weston
Relief fills me as a smile finds my lips and I shake my head. Then I reread what she said. My stomach drops. Shit! Was I some game to them? A bet like in one of those cheesy Rom-coms.
Me: You were taking bets?
Her reply is almost immediate.
Hadley: No, but I told them you’d be back. I should have bet on it.
Man, I miss her.
Me: I’m on the plane now. Sorry it’s short notice.
Hadley: Of course, I’ll be there. When does your flight land?
I look at the screen and see we’re still on track to land on time.
Me: Around 4 PM. Thank you so much.
Hadley: Don’t worry about it. I got you. See you soon!
Hadley: And Emma…I’m so fucking happy you’re back.
I don’t reply but I feel the same. I feel lighter, happier, more confident and I haven’t even seen Wyatt and Weston yet. At least I have a ride to the ranch. I could have taken a cab, but I didn’t want to leave everyone totally blind by my arrival. If Hadley is happy to have me back, I hope the others will too. Now, I just have to hope the twins accept my apology and we can be together. I have no plan other than that.
Sure enough,we touch down just a few minutes before four, the familiar jolt of landing bringing a wave of nerves. I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. Each step through the crowded terminal feels like I’m on autopilot. The noise andbustle around me fade into the background, overshadowed by the quiet resolve I feel inside.
My heart races as I spot Hadley. Her familiar face brings a wave of relief that threatens to overwhelm me. She pulls me into a tight hug, and I feel a sense of belonging that I haven’t felt in a long time.
“Hey, girl,” she says, her eyes sparkling. “Let’s get you home.”
I give her a real smile. “Home. I like the sound of that.”
Wrapping her arm around my shoulder, she grabs one of my bags and starts gabbing my ear off about everything that's happened around the ranch while I’ve been gone.
I feel like I’ve missed so much. But the two weeks with the twins show that a lot can happen in a small amount of time.
The drive back to the ranch has my stomach doing flips. What if they’re too mad to speak to me? What if since I didn’t respond to their calls or texts they’ve moved on? Oh God! What if they got over me by getting inside some other woman? I shouldn’t be jealous since I broke it off and left without a word but I am, and I see red.
I swear if they sank their cocks in some other chick in the weeks I’ve been gone I’m gonna be the next person who shoots someone. I don’t care if I’m irrational. You can’t leave a voice message telling me you love me, and then move on with someone else a few days later.
I need to stop over thinking the worst or I’m going to get myself all worked up before we even get there.
The trees blur past the window, and the open fields stretch out endlessly, a stark contrast to the prison-like walls of my old life. The familiar sights and sounds of the country surround me, and a sense of peace begins to settle over me. The smell of fresh hay and the distant mooing of cattle create a comforting sound. But as we get closer, the anxiety builds again, knotting in my stomach like a coiled spring.
Finally, I can't help but ask, “How have the twins been?”
Hadley glances at me, her expression serious. “Not gonna lie to you Em, it’s been pretty shitty. You leaving fucked them up real good, babe.”
Guilt twists in my stomach, and I look down at my hands. “I didn’t want to hurt them. That was the last thing I wanted to do. But my hands were tied. Greg would have tried to fuck all of our lives up just because he could,” I sigh, rubbing at my tired eyes. “Do you think they’ll forgive me?”
Hadley laughs, though there’s a note of sincerity in her voice. “Yeah, I have a good feeling they will. You might have to be a cockwarmer for a while.” She fakes a gag, making me laugh despite myself. “But they’re head over heels for you.”
As we pull up the long gravel road to the ranch, I feel like I’m going to be sick. I can do this. I can tell them all the things I should have said before.
We pull up to the house, and I take a deep breath, stepping out of the Jeep. The sun is setting, casting a golden glow over the fields, and I can hear the faint chirping of crickets starting. The ranch looks exactly as I remember, yet it feels like I'm seeing it with new eyes.
Each familiar detail—the weathered wood of the barn, the gentle sway of the tall grass—anchors me more firmly to this place I now think of as home.
Taking a deep breath, I walk up to the front door, my heart pounding in my chest. Just as I raise my hand to knock, the door swings open, and Bo stands there with a knowing smirk.
