Page 43 of Entwined Hearts
She frowned, her face full of worry and looking like Mom. It only shattered my heart more. “About what? Weston?” A soft sob left me, and I nodded. “Oh, Savvy.”
She climbed over the railing and hugged me tight while I cried. “I think I still love him,” I wept. “But I’m so scared.”
“What are you scared of?”
“Everything.” It was the easiest explanation I could give. And the most true.
My sister wrapped her arm around my shoulder, guiding me to the porch steps. “I know how you feel, but you can’t let fear stop you from something that has the potential to be great.”
That was easy for her to say. She hadn’t laid awake, staring at her ceiling the last two nights, thinking of every horrible thing that could happen like I had.
“Beau doesn’t have a job that could kill him,” I reminded her. “Weston does.” I buried my face in my hands, remembering how distraught he looked when I collapsed in front of him.
“Have you talked to him about it?” I nodded. “What did he say?”
“Does it matter? I can’t ask him to give up riding for me. I’d hate myself for making him choose.”
“I don’t think you’d be making him choose, Savannah,” she said. “Helovesyou. It’s obvious to everyone just how much.”
I brushed her arm off my shoulder and wiped my cheeks. “You don’t get it. You don’t know him like I do. Riding is his life.”
“Maybe not, but I know him well enough, and I think he’d do anything to make you happy and have you in his life again.”
I looked over at Claire, and she gave me a gentle smile. “What if he did, and he ends up resenting me for it? Or what if he doesn’t and I lose him all over again?”
“Then we’ll figure it out, but don’t go borrowing trouble.”
I didn’t respond, just stared at the ground. It wasn’t borrowing trouble; it was bracing myself for the inevitable so that it didn’t hurt as much. But I knew if I said that, she wouldn’t understand. Her mind didn’t ruminate over things endlessly or immediately jump to the worst-case scenario like mine.
Claire stood, yanking me up with her. “Come on. We’re going to the diner.”
I frowned, pulling my arm out of her grasp. “I don’t have on any makeup.”
“Who cares? It’s just the diner, Savvy, not one of those fancy galas you go to.”
I guess she had a point. I grew up here. Everyone knew what I looked like, knew I didn’t have flawless skin, and that my hair wasn’t natural. “Fine.”
The diner was relatively slow with just a few patrons, but Louise and Gran were parked in their booth like usual. Gran was crocheting what looked like a baby blanket for Hattie while Louise scribbled in a journal.
“Looky here, Kelly,” Louise said, shutting the journal. “Two of your pretty girls.”
Gran looked up and grinned at us, her eyes crinkling. “Oh, hi, girls.” Claire sat down next to Gran while I slid into the booth next to Louise. “What are you two doing here?”
I glanced at Claire. “Savvy needs some advice.”
“About what?” Louise asked. “Don’t tell me you need advice about that fine specimen you were caught swapping spit with.”
“Oh my God,” I groaned, mortified. Claire laughed.
“You should’ve heard the things she’d say about Beau,” Claire said.
Louise smirked. “What? About bouncing a quarter off his ass?” Claire blushed.
“Louise!” Gran chided, shaking her head. “You’re embarrassing them.”
Louise shrugged a shoulder. “They’ll live.”
“What do you need advice about, sweet pea?” Gran asked, putting her crocheting away.
