“You’re upright,” I whispered.
“I am now.” She huffed, loud and frustrated. “He still has a lot of power over me.” She lifted her bandaged fingers as the proof. “It’s my own fault, I guess.”
I reared back, incredulous. “How is that your fault?”
“Well, I ignored my parents’ warnings about him. I married him in an act of rebellion. And when I saw the red flags, I pretended they didn’t exist. Do I need to go on?”
I didn’t reply.
She drew her shoulders back, groping for strength. “So now I live with the consequences.”
I waved to the whole of her. “You sure this is living?”
Her eyes snapped to mine and our gazes tangled as her voice rasped, “I hope so. Because it’s the best I can do.”
“I’m sorry, Hollie.” The words sounded lame. I swallowed my need to ask a million questions, opting to silence my curiosity to protect her peace. “How can I be a good friend to you right now?”
She gave a bitter chuckle. “Just be my friend. Nothing more.”
“I can do that.”
“Will you be at breakfast tomorrow?”
Dread shot through my body at the idea of leaving her alone for the weekend while I hit the road. Tag called a friend of his—Rudy Rivers—to help Harlan with the horses over the weekend, thank goodness, but Hollie would be running the bed and breakfast on her own. Nothing about that set right with me. She needed support.
“I’ll be there. I don’t have to leave for the rodeo until about ten or so.”
“Okay. I’ll see you in the morning then.”
I watched her walk through the barnyard, noting how the moonlight illuminated her white shirt and how her baggy pajama bottoms swished between her legs as she walked. Halfway to the big house, she lifted her hands to her face, probably wiping tears away again. Belatedly, I realized I lied to her.
I could never be just her friend.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Hollie
Nineteen years old
“Hollie, this is sketchy as hell.”
I laughed and shoved Garrett’s shoulder as if that was ridiculous, but my insides tingled with apprehension. I had debated showing him this place at all. If I was being honest with myself, I didn’t really want to, but I’d sneaked here so many times that he was starting to ask questions.
Where were you? Who were you with? Why were you gone so long?
When I tried to explain that I liked dancing behind the bowling alley, he thought I was lying. He even went as far as accusing me for sneaking around with Lee.Lee Pope—the kid from my troupe I hadn’t seen since I graduated high school.When he said that, I made the mistake of laughing, which blew the conversation out of proportion. It was so ridiculous that I had no choice but to bring him here and prove myself.
But the frown on his face as we pulled around to the back made my stomach pitch. He shook his head as he followed the side of thebuilding. “I really hope this is some kind of joke. You can’t seriously dance back here.”
“Why not? It’s just as good a spot as any.”
“Because there’s drug addicts right in that neighborhood.” He pointed through the windshield to the line of houses beyond. “You’re going to get raped back here.”
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “Come on, Garrett. I’ve been here dozens of times and I’ve never seen anyone else. It’s perfectly safe.”
He huffed as he threw the car into park. He shoved open his door then slammed it closed. The last shreds of hope I had vanished. Was he already upset with me?
I stood halfway out of the car. “You didn’t point the headlights in the right direction.”
