Page 80 of The Wedding Ranch
“Well, word around town is that you went horseback riding with Ryder. Is that true?”
“Oh?” The question caught her completely off guard. “Well, yes. We’ve gotten together a couple of times since he rescued me at the fair. Did you see his truck here?”
“I still can’t believe he stepped foot in this neighborhood. He swore he never would.”
“How did you hear about the horseback riding?” She was certain no one had seen them, and she hadn’t told anyone besides Pam.
“Dalton Mill is a small town. Everyone knows everything. I don’t really know how, but it’s just the way it is.”
“When do I get to be in the loop on all of that?”
“I guess when everyone considers you one of us,” Tinsley said, shrugging it off as common knowledge. “I already do, by the way.”
“Well, thank you. It would have been nice to know about Ryder’s wife before I asked. I didn’t realize he’d been widowed. I felt terrible for asking.”
“Oh yeah. Isn’t it sad?” Her eyes darted as if wondering herself. “I should’ve told you. I guess it’s old news, everyone kind of knows, and I didn’t really think about it. Oh gosh. Sorry. It really tore him to pieces. People say he used to be so different. I didn’t know him before it happened. I was still so young, but Mom says he was such a great guy before that happened.”
“Seems like a great guy now.”
Tinsley’s brow arched. “Most of the time he’s grumpy. They say he used to be warm and open, a wonderful father and husband. He turned inward after he lost them. People thought it would be temporary, you know, that he’d snap out of it at some point, but he’s been on autopilot for a long time now.”
“That sounds terribly lonely.”
“He keeps to himself and his sister and her kids. His familyis everything to him. I don’t think it helped when his folks sold out and left town to see the country.”
“Couldn’t have made it any easier.”
“This is just me speculating, but I think he carried a lot of guilt. I heard he was supposed to have driven his wife to Raleigh, but he’d been racing against the rain to get the hay up. His wife didn’t want to put the trip off, so she decided to drive herself.”
“That would be hard to shake.”
“It was some guy high on drugs and alcohol who hit them. They say his blood alcohol level was so high it was a wonder he could even press the accelerator. Drunk, high, whatever it was—those who believe addiction only hurts the addict aren’t seeing the whole picture.”
“You’re so right.” Lorri’s jaw ached. She’d mourned the strangers Jeff killed while under the influence, knowing there was a family somewhere that would never be the same. Just talking about the situation made her ache with guilt too. The what-ifs that may have changed that situation always assaulting her. “My brother was an addict. It’s a terrible thing. It hurts so many other people and I don’t know if he ever understood that.” In her brother’s case it wasn’t so much the illness as it was his bad choices that had torn her family apart. Like dominoes, once they started falling, they took everything in their path down.
Lorri continued, “Ryder told me a little about the accident the other night. He didn’t give me details though. No wonder it’s so hard for him to talk about.”
Tinsley’s brows lifted. “I’m surprised he told you anything at all. He must really trust you.”
She realized they had built a significant bond in the time they’d spent together. Genuine trust. “We’ve become good friends. He’s a good guy. Funny.”He makes me laugh.“He’s easy to be around.”
“Good. You could use some fun. Seems like the only person you spend your time with is this guy, and he’s not human.”
Mister barked.
“I’m not saying that’s bad,” Tinsley said. “Boy, he’s so sensitive.”
“I promised him a ride later, so I better get this walk over with. You want to come along with us?”
“No. I’ve got some stuff I have to do. Thanks for lending me Mister for the walk though. I was hoping you’d say yes.”
“He’ll love it. Thank you for asking me to help.”
Tinsley raised her hand in a wave and began jogging in place. “Can’t wait to see what you come up with.”
Lorri watched her run off, ponytail bouncing from the back of her ball cap. “How about that, Mister. You’re going to be a star.”
He picked up the pace, apparently liking the sound of that.
