The distance he’s put between us.
How could I have been so foolish?
I reach out, fingers trembling, and peel the sticky note off the desk.
I’m not worthy of Kellan.
I’ve known this all along.
He knew it too.
KELLAN
The cow was a stubborn heifer, but we finally got her back in the pen just as the sun dipped behind the peaks.
My arms ache, my boots are caked in mud, and all I can think about was getting back to Greer.
Maybe I can run her a bath tonight and relieve her of the stress she’s felt throughout the day. Then, I can lose myself inher again, like I’ve been doing every night since she had the audacity to exit the bedroom with barely any clothes on.
I can’t keep going like this much longer. Wanting her so badly, yet keeping her at a distance. It would be selfish of me to tell her how I feel—how much I love her—so I keep it to myself, praying that she’ll take the damn test so I can scream it from the side of the goddamn mountain.
Her car isn’t at the clinic. She usually sticks around to head back when I do, but maybe studying made her tired.
I head to my office to close up shop.
That’s when I see it.
The yellow sticky note on the seat of my chair. Words I’d scrawled weeks ago when my ex left that voicemail.
My phone’s already in my hand, thumb hovering over Greer’s contact, but I stop myself. If she read that, she’s not going to pick up. She’s going to run.
She’s probably already gone.
I rush home, praying that maybe her old beater got a flat tire.
My prayer goes unanswered. All that’s left of her is the faint vanilla scent of her shampoo and a note that says,“Thanks for all the help, but it’s time I make it on my own.”
Gerry squawks, sitting on the tee-shirt of mine she’d wore to bed last night as if knowing she’s not coming back.
My phone buzzes. I look down and see it’s Rus.
I bring the phone to my ear and hit ACCEPT.
“Hello?”
“Hey, I just wanted to thank you for hosting my sis while she figured things out.” He sighs. “I have to say, what you’ve done for her is nothing short of a miracle. If there’s anything you ever need, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone.”
Apparently, Greer must not have told him about us or why she left. And now, he thinks I’m some kind of hero.
“Rus, I’m not the man you think I am?—”
“Like hell you aren’t. I’ll admit, I was hurt by you ghosting everyone. But you were there when I needed you—a true brother to me and my baby sis.”
“Yeah, about that. You’re not going to like what I have to say, and you might decide you want to kill me. But hear me out…”
9
GREER
