Page 31 of Frosty the Farmhand
HARLAN
Winston calls not long after the lunch I’d worked through because I still couldn’t stomach the thought of eating. The drive has my jaw clenching, an ominous cloud following me as I walk up the steps toward the house and knock on the door.
Opening it with a flourish, Winston leads me inside, either not noticing I’m practically crawling out of my skin or ignoring it.
“Have a seat if you’d like.”
“I’ll stand, sir.” His eyes narrow, but I won’t be sitting when he fires me for being with his nephew.
For having Reid on his knees for me in the barn.
For falling in love with him even though I tried like hell not to.
“Back to sir, huh?” I dip my head and wait for the final blow. “I’ll get Elora on your case; she’s good like that.”
The comment catches me off guard, and I can’t make sense of it. Winston’s face is amused and full of sympathy when I finally have the courage to lift my gaze.
“I was hoping you’d be interested in working with Onyx. Reid said he’d been sweet on you, and it’d mean an awful lot to have you help us get him settled.”
I blink at him, my brows furrowing. “You want me to work with Onyx?” The words are slow like molasses as I force them out, my brain still stuck on the loop that this conversation would be same as the one back in Wyoming.
He wants me to stay?
“Sure,” he says, leaning back and resting his hands over his mostly flat stomach. “Horse has been through a lot, and we want to help him in whatever way we can.” He nods toward me. “Right now, that sounds like you.”
“All right…” I say slowly, still not completely sure what I’m agreeing to as panic starts squeezing the air from my lungs.
“Good.” Winston sits forward, shuffling files around his desk until he finds the folder he’s looking for and hands me the paper from inside.
My eyes scan the words one time.
And then again.
“This is a job offer.”
“It is indeed.”
My knees feel weak, and I feel no shame about dropping into the chair beside me as I let this entire morning flit through my brain.
The texts.
Leaving Reid in my bed.
Seeing him at the tree farm.
Breaking his heart and mine.
All for nothing.
Holy fuck.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“Anything you want to talk about, son?”
“I thought—” I swallow hard, the words getting lodged in my throat as I think about the way Reid had looked at me. The dejection and heartbreak and knowing in that moment I’d never be the same.
Because I had him.
