Fuck.
Pain knifes into my chest knowing she’s hurting and I can’t do anything about it.
Yet her gaze narrows when she looks at me.
One of these days she’ll know.
“Yea, honey?” He pulls his cowboy hat down from the shelf and sets it over his ears.
“Can you tell him to do the shower that we talked about?” She blinks at me with a furrow in her forehead.
“Good to see you again, Sophia.” I try to keep my tone level even if I’m itching to move to her.
Shit. It’s so hard knowing that she’s the one who I’ve been longing for, but I’m trapped in this game.
Her nose wrinkles. “Too soon.” Whipping around, she disappears back into her room.
I hear Mason let out a sigh, then he motions me to follow him outside.
Matching his pace crossing the yard, I’m thankful for his brisk strides to distract me.
“Babies are easier,” he grumbles, but shows off a grin when he glances at me. “She broke her leg a couple of years ago pretty badly, so she wanted to make sure that there wasn’t a tub this time, just one of those walk-in units so she doesn’t have to step in and out.”
“That sounds awful.” I vaguely remember hearing something about one of the barrel racers crashing in Missoula.
I didn’t realize it was her.
Hell, she’s tough as nails.
“It was. Shattered her femur,” he grunts as he climbs the porch. “She was laid up for months. That’s when Lori came down to help out.”
“Your wife?” I didn’t expect that twist.
He nods. “Yep. Now we have two boys with a third on the way.” Leading me towards the devastated wing of the building, he pauses. “This is why I needed the extra room built, we may have more.”
“Ah, that makes sense. Extra ranch hands?” I chuckle as I pull out my notebook.
His laugh echoes against the bare walls of the hall. “You have kids?”
If I did everything right, I will.
“Not yet. Soon I hope.” I’m not sure what he’d say if he knew who I’m wanting to be the mother.
“They’re the best thing in the world.” His voice softens. “Have as many as you can.”
I glance down at my phone.
RacingQueen: Can we be like them? Like the couples in the stories? Find comfort in each other and raise a family?
I type my reply, then repeat the same words for Mason.
“I plan on it.”
The pebble
Sophia
“You can’t be serious?”I grumble, adding another spoonful of sugar to my coffee out of frustration.
