Page 27 of Make Me Whole
Chapter Fourteen
BRADLEY
It was stilldark out when I emerged from the cabin. The square of logwood was nothing like the cabins we rented out to guests. It was far enough from the main house to it provide complete seclusion and absolutely no distractions.
It was the place I escaped to when I needed solitude. Where I tried to sort through my emotions. If it was something more than a room and bathroom, I'd happily have spent all of my nights here.
Of course, the empty stretch of land between our ranch and the McMillian property–the land I owned–would be the perfect spot to build my own home, if I could find it in me to tell my father I didn't want to live in the main house with everyone else.
I closed the door behind me and made a note to check the hinges when it squawked in protest. Hands on my hips, I descended the tiny porch and headed toward the edge of the hill. Even though I couldn't see anything more than shadows, my mind's eye still provided a vivid image of how incredible it was to witness a sunrise from this very spot.
Nothing could compare to the splashes of yellow and orange that stained the sky or touches of pink that kissed the crowns of the imposing firs. Yes, this spot was where I found my peace every single time.
I'd happened upon this little cabin when I'd only been a teenager. I'd transitioned from being sad over my mother's departure to being furious. Not bothered with homework or even ranch work, I'd mounted Max and raced as far away as I could get without actually leaving.
I ran the heel of my palm over my chest, my mind drifting back to the reason I'd come out here last night.
Hailey.
Everything that had happened with her the day before had pushed me into a deeper state of confusion. The instant I felt her pulse tick against my fingers, I could feel my resolve slip more and more with every beat.
Even now, just thinking about her caused my own pulse to pick up speed. The anticipation of seeing her in an hour had an unfamiliar excitement zipping through me. I'd slipped away before dinner last night, hell bent on dissecting the foreign emotions I didn't understand.
Wanting to know everything about another person. Being willing to do just about anything to see her lips lift into a smile. All of that was new to me. For the first time in my life, I needed to see a woman's soul laid bare even more than I craved to see her naked body.
What I was going to do with these newfound feelings, was still a mystery.
I didn't have anything to offer a woman beyond the physical, of that much I was certain. But hell, if I didn't want to try.
Sticking my thumb and index finger into my mouth, I let out a sharp whistle. Not long after, Max appeared by my side. After a quick rub to his withers, we made our way back to the main house. When Max was secured in the training pen, I made my way to the kitchen to grab a coffee and quick breakfast before I met up with Hailey.
"You're up early," I said, in lieu of greeting when I found Mavis preparing the coffee pot.
"And you look like you're just getting in."
Grinning, I snatched the bread from the counter and popped two slices into the toaster. "I am. But not for the reason you think."
Mavis narrowed her eyes and gave me a look that said she didn't believe me. As I watched her retrieve a few ingredients from the fridge, I debated whether to ask her about Hailey.
"You have something on your mind?" she delivered her question without even looking at me.
I chuckled. "Mavis, you know me too well."
She hummed in agreement. After unloading her findings onto the island, she turned toward me. Eyebrows arched; she drummed her fingers against the smooth marble top. "Well? Out with it."
My gaze flicked to the entryway to ensure we were still alone before meeting Mavis' again. "I'm curious about Hailey."
Her fingers stilled and her usually soft features morphed into concern. "You're… curious?"
"Well, yeah." I scratched my chin. "She never talks about herself or her life back in Fairhill."
Mavis' eyes roamed over my face; her lips pressed into a thin line. A second later, she side-eyed the ingredients on the table before letting out a heavy sigh. "I'm sure if you ask, she'll tell you whatever you want to know."
She opened and closed her mouth a few times. It was crystal clear there was more she wanted to add. Digging my heels in, I folded my arms in front of me. "What is it, Mavis?"
I saw a whole heap of concern flash in her hazel eyes while she regarded me for a long second. Nervous tension licked its way down my spine when she took a deep breath through her nose. "Now I know your personal life is none of my business," she began. "But Haileyis." Her pointed stare had my boots filling with lead. "I'm not blind, I know how you treat women."
My heart dipped before it bottomed out on me. Oblivious, Mavis quickly held up her hands, "I'm not judging you. No one is. I simply can't have Hailey be one ofyour women."
