“It’s about your father,” the same officer said. “We regret to inform you that your father has passed away in the early hours of this morning.”
She tried to pay attention to their explanation. Something about him jumping from a bridge . . . witnesses . . . dead . . . dead . . . had he been acting different . . . dead . . . dead . . . was he on medication?
She thought she answered as well as she could.
But there was really just one thought in her mind.
Free.
She was finally free.
1
Present day
Haven, Texas
Freedom tasted like ambrosia.
It almost made her dizzy with joy.
For the first time in her life there was no one telling her what to do. What to wear. Who to be friends with. What to eat and drink.
Who to marry.
She sucked in a deep breath at that thought. She no longer had to live in terror about what scheme her father was going to come up with next.
Maybe she should feel bad that she wasn’t more upset about his death. But it was like she’d been locked away without light or sound and now she was suddenly free.
Part of her still couldn’t believe that he’d jumped. That he’d killed himself. But there were two witnesses. Plus, the cops had later found a suicide note that he’d left in his office.
She guessed she hadn’t been paying close enough attention to notice that he was spiralling.
Arabella tightened her hands around the steering wheel as she drove toward Haven. She’d gotten caught up with saying goodbye to Pop-Pop and hadn’t left Austin until close to three. It was only a three hour drive so she could still make it before dark.
But she’d had to let the rental agent who was meeting her at her new house know that she’d be late.
She hadn’t sounded too impressed.
Let it go.
You can’t please everyone. You offered to get a hotel room and meet her in the morning.
The other woman hadn’t wanted to do that, either.
Arabella wished Pop-Pop was coming with her, but he’d wanted to stay in Austin.
With his two girlfriends.
So she was headed to Haven alone. Thankfully, after selling her father’s cars and jewelry plus the credit she’d built up, she had enough money to pay for Pop-Pop’s nursing home for the next two years.
Pop-Pop had given her plenty of advice before she’d left.
Be brave. Be fierce. And make sure you find a sexy cowboy to ride.
Don’t settle for the first man that comes along. Play the field.
Sometimes she worried about her grandfather. Ride a cowboy? Really?
