Page 9 of His True Mate
“I’m going to miss you too. I’ll write once I’m settled down somewhere.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah, I promise. I’m going to write a letter to my parents. Will you give it to them after I leave?”
She nodded but threw her arms around my neck.
“I love you, Win.”
“Love you, too, Max.”
It was settled, and excitement was already starting to set in. Feeling like a giant weight had lifted from my shoulders, I carefully prepared for what I knew I had to do. I couldn’t stand by another second and let my fate be assigned to me. I had to take control of my life, even if it meant leaving behind my family and the only home I’d ever known.
Clay
Chapter 3
“Which one of you farted?” I protested as I quickly rolled down the windows.
“Sorry man. That burrito I ate when we stopped just isn’t sitting well,” Brady admitted.
“Next time just ask to stop. Disgusting.”
Cruz started cracking up and I began to wonder just how I got stuck with these two morons on a road trip to Nebraska. Were a few extra head of dairy cows really worth this?
“Lighten up, man,” Cruz said. “It’s not like he’s doing it on purpose. At least I don’t think he is.”
I groaned as Brady snorted.
“Oops, sorry,” Brady sniggered as I rolled the window back down.
“Warn before you shit in this car again. Dude, it’s a rental. I’m probably going to get charged extra for the unpleasant aroma left behind at this rate.”
“I swear I’m not doing it on purpose.”
“Just pull over at the next rest area,” Cruz suggested.
“I hope I can hold it that long,” Brady confessed.
I sighed, already wishing I was back home watching my shows in peace and quiet.
Thomas had gotten me into this mess, and I’d see that he pays when I return.
I didn’t want to go, and I didn’t understand why Ruby hadn’t made this trip instead. She always handled this sort of thing. I didn’t even have a clue what I was doing here. Sure, I’d bid locally before in some small auctions, but this was supposed to be a huge one and I didn’t know if I was cut out for the job. Plus, I had no clue why Brady and Cruz were tagging along.
“Why exactly are you two coming along?” I finally broke down and asked with a huff.
Cruz shrugged. “Austin and Emmett are worried about you. They couldn’t make it themselves so they convinced Thomas that we should go in their places. You know, make sure you don’t stay cooped up in your hotel room and actually get out and have a good time.”
I groaned. “I should have known those assholes were behind this,” I mumbled.
“They think you forgot what having fun means. You’re like a little grumpy old man these days.”
“I am not. But I do work hard and have a tight schedule to keep. The dairy depends on it,” I protested.
“But there’s more to life than that barn, Clay.”
I didn’t need anything more. Why couldn’t they all just understand that or at the very least back off and let me live my life as I saw fit? I was happy and that’s all that should matter to them.
