“That’s not a flaw, Sage. It’s a reaction ingrained into you because of the consequences that happen when you don’t. But you never have to hesitate around me. Lay it all out, the good, the bad. All of it. You want to get mad at me? Get mad. You want to cry? Sob like there’s no tomorrow. But, baby, never hold it in. Not with me.”
The words were what she needed to hear, and what I needed to say.
“I’ve been in your shoes, maybe not verbatim, but with thinking that I had to think before I reacted, to filter myself to appease someone else. We don’t have to do that, not with each other,” I told her.
“Your ex?” she asked, bringing it up for the first time.
I nodded. “You and I are both soft people, Sage, but there’s nothing wrong with being soft. The world tries to make it seem like we have to be hard, have our guard up at all times, but that’s not right. It shouldn’t be. I’m just happy you’re alright, and that he’s gone for good.”
“Me, too,” she agreed. “Already, it feels nice not having to look over my shoulder or worry that he might show up.”
My hands rested on her hips. “I’ll be looking over your shoulder for you. No more doing it alone.”
Her lips lifted in a slight smile. “No more doing it alone,” she repeated.
I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I love you.”
“For a million years,” she murmured.
I had my girls, the house, the job.
It was all I had ever wanted.
Happiness presented itself to me in the form of these two women, and I wouldn’t have asked for it any other way.
41
Callan
The bay stood quietly where he was tied to the fence. I did my best to stick a sparkly pink bow on his back, but it wasn’t staying very well, so anytime he shifted, it slid right off.
I called to Brandy where she was in the round pen working on desensitizing a colt.
“What’s up?” she called back.
“Got a minute?”
Her spurs clanged as she walked across the pen, proceeding to hop the fence and come over to me. She looked at the bow. “Trouble?”
“How do I make this thing stick to him?” She had to have some kind of idea.
“One sec,” she said before disappearing into the barn. A minute later, she came out with a tube. “Plaiting wax.”
“What?”
“You know, to keep the plaits secure.”
I stared at her blankly.
She sighed before stepping in front of me to lay a glob of it on the horse's back, then pressed the bow into the gooey substance. “There. It’ll stick.”
“Thanks.” Looking closer, I eyed the bow, and as the horse shifted to his other leg, it didn’t slide off.
“Mhm,” she mumbled, disappearing into the barn with the tube to put it away.
I’d picked the horse up the following Thursday after the fair as scheduled. I’d spent every day with Sage since the incident. Today was the first day we were away from each other for longer than a few minutes. She’d been updated a few days ago that Jason was being transferred back to the Oregon State Penitentiary, where he’d be charged for violating probation, breaking a restraining order, and attempting assault. His friend, Derek, would be going right along with him for all sorts of charges I couldn’t keep track of.
It wouldn’t keep them locked away for forever, but it was a start.
I turned to the sound of tires coming up the driveway, but instead of Sage’s SUV appearing, it was Beckham’s truck.
Leaving the horse tied to the fence, I made my way over to Beckham as he shifted into park and turned off the engine.
“Long time no see,” I said as he got out.
He pulled his duffel bag out of the back seat, then closed the rear door.
“Need any help?” I offered.
He shook his head. “This is it.”
I eyed the bag. “That’s all your belongings?” If he was taking a break from the rodeo circuit, I expected him to have a lot more than that.
“Yep,” he clipped as he passed me, aiming for the house. “Got some stuff in a storage unit, but as for clothes, this is it.”
“Are you doing okay?” I asked, not bothering to follow after him. I had to be out here when Sage and Avery arrived.
He paused, looking over his shoulder at me. “Just want to visit my family, Cal. Don’t look too far into it.”
