Page 33 of The Cowboy and His Beauty
I follow the trail. I've only been out this way a few times, and I've always had Sarah or someone else with me to guide the way, so I pray I'm going the correct way. I pay attention to the trail and landmarks and before I know it, the little country church pops up from the tree line.
They call it the ranch church, and while it's kept up beautifully, they no longer use it every week. It was the church that started here on the ranch generations ago and is now mostly used for weddings and occasional funerals.
I step inside, expecting to have the place to myself. I’m shocked to see someone sitting at the front, her long, dark brown hair falling down her back.
Megan turns around and greets me with a smile. She's Mac's sister. She owns the beauty salon in town and her husband is the town vet.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone else would be here," I tell her.
"It's okay. I felt like I should be here today. I told my husband that I was pregnant in that pew right over there. We also did some very un-church-like things there." She laughs, and even from here, I can see her cheeks are bright red.
"Well, it wouldn't be a good church if there wasn't some hanky panky in the back pews," I joke.
"I can go and let you have the place to yourself," she says as she stands.
"No need for that. I was just out enjoying the ranch, letting my thoughts get the best of me," I tell her as I sit next to her.
"I've been there. I get the feeling you're here because of a guy. If you don't want to talk, it's okay. But Sarah has already called a girl's night tonight. There will be tacos and margaritas, and you can talk about it and get our opinions or not. Either way, it's the best kind of therapy you can ask for."
Megan pats me on the shoulder, stands, and walks out. After the last few days, I could use some therapy.
Later that night, we're all gathered in the main house. By all, I mean Sarah's sisters-in-law, her friends and loosely related family, including Mac's mom, and Megan's husband's mother. All in all, there are about fifteen of us, lots of different tacos, plenty of margaritas, and for dessert, Margarita cupcakes. These ladies sure know how to do girls' night.
Once everyone has food and drinks, we take our place in the main living room where plenty of chairs have been brought in. There’s a massive couch, several beanbags on the floor, and everyone is squished in together.
I eat as I listen to the town gossip and try to remember who's who and put faces to certain names.
"You know Mrs. Willow went out to Vegas again this year. She was in the beauty shop yesterday telling us about her trip. She only told us a little and said certain things have to remain in Vegas," Megan says.
"Mrs. Willow is Anna Mae and Jesse's grandma," Sara whispers to me.
"Did she try to tell you the story of how she could have become some man's sugar baby but turned him down because that's not her thing?" Anna Mae asks.
"Yes!" Megan laughs.
"She tells me that story every time she goes to Vegas. I don't believe it, especially since this time she went with her new husband." Anna Mae laughs.
The conversation goes on for a little while longer, and in one of the lulls, I decide to get their opinion.
I jump in and tell them the story of Dash and Corey. Our date at the diner, my dinner with my parents, and finally what I found out from the last dinner with my parents, all the way until I ended up here.
"I think the people you should really be upset with are your parents. At that age, it's so easy to be manipulated, and your parents took advantage of that," Lilly says. She's a friend of the family.
"I think we already know the answer to this question. We could hear it in the way you talked about him, but maybe you haven't admitted it to yourself. How do you feel about Dash? Is he worth fighting for?" Sage asks.
She's right. I've been so focused on “how dare they do this to me?” that I never stopped to think. I never stopped to realize that I never fell out of love with Dash. To this day, I am still in love with him.
"You should talk to your parents, but you've got to fight for him, sweetheart," Mac's mom says. I've always liked her. She is great for advice but is also willing to step back and let you make your own mistakes, which I know probably isn't easy for a mother.
The rest of the girls’ night is a blur as I think and make plans. I'm not letting someone else decide my future this time. I'm not going to let someone else manipulate those around me to get what they want.
No, this time I'm going to get what I want.
Chapter 21
Dash
I spend the next few days trying to go on about my day as if nothing has happened. I'm pretty sure all the ranch hands are scared of me and give me a wide berth.
