I stumble back toward my SUV as my head spins with fear and frustration and confusion. I didn’t realize going on the trip would upset Katie this much, and I don’t understand why she won’t let me help at all. Even if just with the lawsuit. What the hell is that about, anyway? Katie’s the best damn vet I’ve ever seen. Who would ever want to sue her? And Al, on top of it all… no one’s said a word about that to me. I’ve only seen him a fewtimes since I’ve been back, and he looks frail, but not like he’s deteriorating.
If things are that bad, why hasn’t anyone told me? Do they all just think I don’t care?
I drive back to the ranch with tears in my eyes and a floaty, uncomfortable sensation of loss in my chest. I’ve never worried about belonging somewhere before, but now that I’m home, all I can think about is how I don’t seem to belong here.
I trudge into the house after I park, hoping Jenny isn’t in the kitchen. I can’t handle another lecture right now.
It’s not Jenny that greets me when I walk in the house, but Mary. Her friendly smile wobbles when she sees the despair on my face, and she frowns in concern.
“Did you go see Katie?” I nod. “She told you, then?”
“About the lawsuit and Al and how bad I fucked up by leaving?” I ask hollowly. “Yeah. She did.”
Mary hums in response, thoughtful, but not judging. There’s something else. She’s hiding something.
“Why don’t you sit down, Wayne?” she asks, pulling a chair out at the table. “I think there might be some things you don’t quite understand about Katie.”
I resist the urge to laugh. I feel like I don’t understandanythingright now. I take the seat she pulled out for me and drop down into it, boneless and overwhelmed.
“Have you ever been in a serious relationship before, Wayne?” Mary asks.
“No.” I don’t even have to think about it. The closest I’ve ever gotten was with Vicky, and that hardly counts. “I’ve never wanted to.”
“But you do now.” I nod again, not able to come up with words. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything the way I want Katie. Certainly nothing that wasn’t being offered to me on a silver platter.
Mary sighs. She touches my shoulder. “You’re going to have to prove that to her. She’s not just going to take your word for it.”
Hearing that out loud makes me feel like a total asshole, but I know that she’s right. I’ve been giving Katie nothing but pretty words and broken promises, and if I want anything more than that, I need to buck up and act like a man.
I need to apologize—properlyapologize—and show her that I’m not playing games anymore.
It’s time to put playboy Wayne Riggs to rest, or I’m not going to get anywhere in life. Especially now that I’m realizing there’s more to life than getting laid and having fun.
“You’re right.” My voice is quiet and thready, but there’s an undercurrent of steel that makes me feel a little less hopeless. “I… thank you, Mary.”
She smiles at me, looking much older and wiser than I feel. I still sense that she’s not telling me something, but I don’t think asking will get me an answer.
“Anytime, Wayne,” she says. “Just promise you’ll take care of her.”
“I promise.”
This is a promise I’m not going to break.
KATIE
Iwould’ve hoped that after slamming the door on Wayne that I really would never see him again. Frankly, he is the absolute last person I want to see these days. But as the days go on, life has a funny way of not listening to me. Because no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to shake him.
It doesn’t help matters that I’m on the ranch almost every day, so he’s kind of hard to avoid. He consistently walks into the office back by the barns with two cups of coffee in his hands and a little pastry bag between his teeth. It’s more charming than it has any right to be, especially when he smiles around the bag, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He sets one of the coffees down on the desk and slides it toward me before pulling the bag from between his teeth.
“I got you a hazelnut latte,” he says. “They were out of chocolate croissants, so I picked up some banana bread.”
It’s not an apology for disappearing for two weeks, but it’s a pretty strong start. I’m tempted to be petty, but I know I was over-emotional yesterday when he showed up at my apartment. It was bad timing, to say the least. If he wants to explain himselfnow that I’m not sobbing and panicking about my whole life falling apart, maybe I should give him a shot? Maybe.
“Thanks,” I say, keeping my voice measured. “I woke up late and didn’t have a chance to make coffee this morning.”
He looks proud of himself and a little relieved. I hide my grin behind my coffee.
“Are you busy?”
