Page 83 of Falling for the Cowgirl
She looked to Brody, and his eyes said he knew something she didn’t.
Her sights shifted to the sheet again, and her heart thudded a strangely uneven beat. What did all this mean? Clearly, Jericho wanted her to stay. That meant he intended to return to her after he delivered Otis to prison, didn’t it?
“Jericho sent me a message.” Flynn’s voice dropped low, and Ivy’s stomach dropped with it. “He said as long as we agree to letting you have your own place, he’ll keep away.”
“What?” The ache in her chest swelled.
Flynn removed another paper from his pocket and handed it to her.
She unfolded it and saw that Jericho’s neat handwriting took up two brief lines:We all agree she’ll be safest if she’s nowhere near me. Let her have the land for her own ranch, and I promise I won’t come back.
Chapter
26
Jericho didn’t want her. Ivy crumpled his note, tossed it to the floor, then slumped against the mattress, the air squeezing from her lungs just as if she’d been thrown from her mount and grassed.
She oughta be thankful she had the deed to the land. And she oughta be thankful her brothers wouldn’t be able to oppose her starting her own place. She’d known they’d give her a heap of trouble once she told them her plans, but she’d decided not to think about it until she actually had the land.
And now she did. Somehow Jericho had found a way to purchase it for her. Maybe he’d used part of the gold they’d found after all? Whatever the case, he’d sent her a message that was mighty loud. In fact, it was deafening.
He didn’t want her chasing after him to Chicago. He wanted her to live here. And he wasn’t aiming to come back. Ever. He’d made a promise he wouldn’t.
He’d chosen his work over her. She knew that wasn’t anentirely fair accusation. He was doing something mighty fine with his hunting of criminals. But still ... it hurt.
Flynn nodded at the deed on the bed beside her. “Can’t say I’m real thrilled with the idea of you goin’ off and havin’ your own place.”
Ivy wanted to argue with Flynn, tell him she’d be fine, that she’d already plotted out how to make a go of raising sheep. But the words stuck in her throat.
Brody stared at the floor, his shoulders slumped like he’d been whupped. She hoped he felt bad for chasing Jericho off. And she hoped Flynn did too. But deep down, she suspected that even if her brothers hadn’t shot at Jericho, he would have gone anyway.
When he’d come back to Colorado, he’d been trying to steer clear of her, just like Flynn said. But she’d gone and thrown herself at him like she usually did.
She closed her eyes to hold back a sudden sting of tears. Jericho had never wanted to stay, never wanted to be with her. She’d been the one pushing for it, pushing him to change his plans so they could be together.
“Mighty sorry, Ivy.” Brody’s soft comment rammed into her like the sharp horns of a bull.
The pressure unleashed the gates so that her tears started to flow. She rolled over on her side until she was facing away from her brothers so they wouldn’t see her crying. It had always been this way with Jericho—her wanting him more than he’d ever wanted her. And this time, even though Jericho had admitted he wanted her, it still hadn’t been enough.
Hot trails trickled down her cheeks. She tried not to sniffle, but one came out anyway.
“Shoot, Ivy,” Flynn said gently. “I always liked Jericho, but you’ve gotta see this is for the best.”
The tears only flowed faster. “I don’t wanna talk about it anymore.”
Silence fell over the room.
She just longed to be left alone so she could cry without anyone seeing or hearing her. “I’m tired. Reckon I could use some privacy so I can sleep a spell.”
The silence dragged out a few more heartbeats before footsteps crossed the room and the door opened and closed. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was there before burying her face into a pillow. The sobs welled up so forcefully, her chest felt on fire.
Oh, Jericho. Why? Why did you have to leave? Why couldn’t you care enough to try to make things work?
Her pillow captured her sobs and the tears. But it couldn’t contain the pain that pressed for release. One that went deep inside. One that had festered long before she’d met Jericho. One that had started after her ma had married Rusty. Even though Ma had done it to save the farm, Ivy had always resented her for the decision. Rusty had demanded Ma’s attention and affection all for himself, so she’d had none left for anyone else. Maybe Ma hadn’t meant to reject Ivy, but she’d done it anyway. She’d rejected Ivy for Rusty.
Her brothers hadn’t meant to push her to the sideline, but it had happened when they’d gotten busy with their own lives and families. Now Jericho had tossed her aside too. She’d offered herself and her future to him, but he’d thrown her love away without even a good-bye.
Her sobs into the pillow only swelled, but she hugged it tight to muffle the sound. Jericho hadn’t said good-bye.Even if her brothers had prevented him from it, he could’ve figured out a way to see her one last time.
