Page 49 of Wrangling Hearts
Mount flinched. A barely there twitch of his lip, but it was there. I didn’t give him a chance to respond beyond that and slammed the door shut so hard the frame shook.
Once in my truck, I let out a long, shaky breath. And then I beat the shit out of my steering wheel, screaming until my voice broke and my throat ached. It was cathartic, healing, and felt so damn good to let go of all the shit I carried because of my father.
I left Circle M and drove aimlessly for hours, trying to think of what to say to Joseph. Everything I came up with felt insincere, relying on weak excuses for why it wasn’t a good idea for him to partner with me; I didn’t know horses, I didn’t understand the business, I didn’t have the connections. But there was only one true excuse, one reason, I could’ve given him for why I’d give up an opportunity like this. The only thing that had felt real in my life right now: love.
And it was the only reason I’d give him, and if he tore into me the way Mount did, then so be it.
So when Anna answered her door, her smile fell. “What happened?”
I stormed past her into her living room, the anger hitting me all over again, like salt in a wound. “You gotta go to my house and get Mount out. Today. Now.”
“Oh God. Why? What did he do?”
I sat on the couch, my elbows on my knees, with my hands steepled against my mouth. “I can’t be around him. I can’t take it anymore. The shit he said—God, I could fuckin’ kill him.”
Anna sat on the coffee table in front of me, and I took her hand in mine. “Just…please, Anna, I’m begging you. I’ll never ask you for another thing in my life if you just get that man out of my house. I don’t care where he goes. I just need him gone and out of my life.”
Her eyes searched mine, looking so confused and worried. But then she nodded, wrapping her other hand around mine. “Okay. Just tell me what happened, so I know what I’m walking into.”
“Where’s Joseph?”
She called for him, and with every step he got closer, my heart sank lower and lower. He would be devastated at best, and at worst, I’d end up with a black eye.
“There he is,” he beamed, and then he rounded the couch, and his smile fell. “What happened?” It was eerie how much alike they had become after a decade of being together.
“There’s something I gotta talk to you about.”
His eyes darted all over me. “What happened with the partnership?”
“Nothing…yet. I knew I needed to come talk to you first, but I can’t do it. I’m so sorry, Joseph. I know how much time and energy you’ve put into this, and I feel like utter shit for doin’ this to you, but I can’t go through with it. It’s not right.”
He placed his hands on his hips, face stern. Not hostile, but definitely defensive. “Why the hell not?”
“Because he’s in love with Claire,” Anna said without looking away from me, her eyes tearful, but not with sadness. “Aren’t you?”
My lips pulled into a thin line, and I nodded. “Yeah, I am. And I can’t take this away from her.” I looked up at Joseph. “I’m so sorry. I never planned for this to happen. It just kinda slapped me in the face.”
He let out an amused huff, smirking. “That’s how love usually works. Although I’ll say I saw this coming a mile away, so I’m not exactly surprised we’re here. Disappointed but not surprised.”
“Me neither,” Anna giggled. “Beau’s in loooooove,” she sang, waving my hands around, and I fought a smile. “Just make sure to thank me at the wedding, okay?”
I rolled my eyes. That was if I ever heard from Claire again. She might never forgive me for not answering her calls and texts; at the very least I’d catch shit for it.
“You’re doing the right thing, brother,” Joseph said sincerely, patting my shoulder. “It sucks, but it’ll work out how it’s supposed to.”
“Have you told her yet? Do you think she feels the same?”
“No. The first person I told was Mount, who then said I had been played and some other things that may or may not have had me throwin’ shit.”
She smirked. “I’ll send you my cleaning fee.” She looked over her shoulder at Joseph. “Oh, by the way, Daddy’s moving in today.”
He scratched the back of his head, grimacing. “Greaaaat. I’msoexcited.”
I let out a long sigh, running my hands along my thighs. “I guess it’s time I call Cavendish.”
“You sure you want to go through with this? It can’t be undone,” Joseph said.
“Yeah. I’d never forgive myself if I continued on when my heart wasn’t in it. That’s not fair to you—or Claire.”
