Page 34 of The Cowboy and His Beauty
I've been doing anything and everything to keep my mind off Sky. I work from sunup until sundown, and sometimes beyond. I organize things that don't need to be organized, clean things that don't need to be cleaned, and ride fences I know are perfectly fine, but none of it helps.
I didn't fight for Sky when last time. But it's not too late to go after her. It can't be. I never thought I was good enough for her, but she thinks I am, and that’s enough, so long as she still wants me. I will fight for us. I won't let her down again.
I step into the house, unsure of my next move. I know she’s in Rock Springs with Sarah, and when Mac was here, we exchanged phone numbers. So I decide to reach out to him.
"Hello." He answers the phone with no emotion in his voice.
"I know that Sky’s there, and I know I screwed up, but I need to make this right. I want to come down and do this in person," I tell him honestly.
It's quiet on the other end of the phone for so long that I look to make sure the phone hasn't been disconnected or Cal hasn't hung up on me.
"My wife will probably kill me, but I want nothing more than to see Sky happy. She's done so much for my wife over the years, and was there for her when I couldn't be. She's on her way back to Walker Lake now to talk to her parents. She should be there within the next couple of hours, depending on how many stops she makes."
"Thank you. I promise I'm going to make this right."
"I hope you do, and the four of us will have to get together here in Rock Springs so I can reciprocate the ranch tour."
"I'd like that."
"That better not be who I think it is," Sarah says in the background.
"No, baby. It's not who you think it is," Mac replies.
"I'll let you go so you don't get into trouble. I hope to see you soon," I tell him with a smile.
"Talk to you later, man."
My plan originally was to go to Rock Springs and beg for Sky’s forgiveness, but if she's going to be here at Walker Lake, I need a new plan. Also, if she's heading to talk to her parents, is it a good thing or a bad thing? I have to hope it's a good thing.
My next move is to call Ben.
"Hey, man. Everything okay?" he answers.
Of course, he's going to think something's wrong. I never call him just because. I need to do better on that.
"Yeah, but I'm wondering if I can get your help with something."
"Anything," he says.
I explain the situation with Sky, what had happened way back then, what’s going on now, and how she's on her way to talk to her parents as we speak.
"Wow. When you screw up, you really screw up, don't you?" Ben says, and he has a point.
"That's not helping," I grumble.
"Not trying to help, just speaking the truth." I can hear the smile in his voice.
"Listen, I have a farfetched plan, but I'm going to need your help because I don't think she's going to want to see or talk to me right now."
"Okay, hit me with it."
I go over the plan I came up with minutes ago and Ben throws in a few suggestions. We work out the details, and I feel pretty confident by the time we end our call.
I'm already feeling better. It doesn't escape me, all the people Sky has brought into my life since she's been back.
When I returned to town, no one wanted to talk to me. Ben did, but even he kept his distance.
Thanks to Sky, I have people I can count on, and people I can call to ask for help.
