“I fell back in-love with him,” my admission comes at a cost, the lump forming once again in my throat.
Colter shakes his head in disbelief. “We all knew as soon as he eventually walked back into thistown, that you were going to fall back in love with him, sis’.” This time he takes his hat off, places it on my desk and wipes his brow.
A tear slides down my cheek, escaping after I willed it silently to myself not to. “I guess I’m a bit predictable, huh?” I ask, wiping the stray tear away.
Colter laughs hard at my admission for my own stupidity when it has always come down to Maverick Bennett. “No, Mabes, you both are. I saw it in his face, especially when he let me socker punch him twice.” And now I’m laughing.
“Forgot you done that.” I admit.
That was the night he came home, the night where he came to the bar and sung on the stage with Jake, even then trying to tell me that he still loves me, but I was in too much shock to see it then; so, I left and my brother hit him, twice.
“Couldn’t let him rock up without getting one in,” he smirks at me. My brother might be hardheaded and extremely stubborn, but if he loves you; he’ll protect you with his life.
“You know I love you right,” I wink at him, and I see his eyes roll. “Yeah, I know, Mabes.”
Colter finishes his drink, stands from his seat and takes my whiskey bottle, placing it back into my mini fridge like it never left. He stomps backover to me, takes his Cowboy hat and nestles it fittingly back onto his head, again like it never left.
Reaching the door, Colter turns his head and looks back at me. “Whatever you decide to do, Mabes, forgive him or don’t; I’ll always have your back.” and without even an opportunity to respond, my brother stomps out the door wrestling with his wranglers and heads down the path leading towards the main house.
I turn my chair back towards my desk, my legs nestled back in the gap, emails still hovering over my head, but I don’t see them. All I see is Mavericks horrified face as he explained to me,finally,why he left.
Can I forgive him? Can I move past this?
Is he right for me? For Ellie?
For all of us back in Springfield, or is it better if he leaves again?
Only God himself knows,cause I sure as shit don’t, well not anymore.
Thirty-nine
Maverick
Reaching down, taking hold of the string barely keeping the hay bale together, with all my might I sling the heavy barrel over my shoulder and walk back towards the barn, haybale included.
Stallion sees me first, and his head violently moves up at down at the small thought of food coming towards him.
“Yeah, yeah, I know y’all hungry.” I look towards the beast as I reach his stall.
Barn duty has been gruelling work, hard on your back and even more so on your spirit. Barn duty isalways the worst form of punishment when it comes to anyone who grew up around these parts, much rather be sat on a horse’s back than killing your own shovelling horse shit.
One upside towards this shitty punishment, that I know I rightly deserve, me and Stallion have come to a better understanding of each other.
Understanding that he’s the boss and I’m certainly his bitch.
Stallion continues to nod his head up and down. “Easy boy,” I do my best to try and calm him to get closer to him. “If you’re that hungry, you need to let me put your food in.” Etching closer to his stall, haybale next to me, I keep one eye on the wild horse. Stallion neighs loudly in my ear as I get close enough to throw his food over the stall door.
“Good boy.” I nod at him in appreciation. I don’t know the horses story, or why he is this way, but knowing his love for Mabel, enough for him to touch her was good enough in my books.
“Taken to talking to the horses now, have we, Mav’?” Colters voice echo’s throughout the barn, and I stop in my tracks.
Fuck.
I pull in a deep breath, turning on my heels to face the direction of the man who’s top of my current hate list.
“Boss, what can I do for you?” I say, deciding the best route for this is to treat him exactly what he is to me right now; my boss.
Colter shakes his head before walking towards me on the concrete floor, passing the horses in the stables, only stopping to give Dash a nose rub. “I thought I told you not to call me that?” he asks, finally reaching me, only mere centimetres away.
