“No—and that’s why it hurts. And just for the record, Donnie Bell really wasn’t a player. At least, he didn’t start out as one.” Somehow, that had made his screwing her over in front of everyone at Bronco High all the worse.
Really, Donniewasthe worst. He’d hurt her so deeply, cut her right to the core. Because she had loved him with her whole young, naive heart and soul.
A Bronco Valley native who lived down the street from her growing up, Donnie Bell was the love of Van’s life—or so she honestly believed at the time. They were BFFs from early childhood. At thirteen, Van realized she loved him as more than a friend. They shared their first kiss that year, in eighth grade. In ninth grade, they declared their undying love for each other. He asked her to marry him sophomore year. She said yes and he slipped a sterling silver promise ring on her trembling finger. They planned a simple ceremony for right after they graduated from Bronco High.
Handsome and kind, Donnie was all hers. He’d always been all hers. At sixteen, she’d believed in his love absolutely. Donnie Bell would be true until death.
But as he grew up, Donnie’s body filled out with muscle, and his smooth face became square-jawed and manly. More than just handsome by then, he was a real heartthrob.
Donnie not only proposed to Van sophomore year, he also joined the football team. He became a Friday night hero. Still, he had eyes only for Van.
Until senior year.
By then, more than one of the rich girls from Bronco Heights had set her sights on him. Donnie ignored those girls—at first.
But Maura Flannigan wouldn’t give up. She was pretty and popular, and her dad had plenty of money. She went after Donnie with single-minded, unwavering determination. In the end, Donnie let her catch him.
He shattered Van’s trust as well as her heart and her love for her hometown. By the time he and Maura and her posse of popular girls were through with her, Van couldn’t wait to get out. When she left for college, she’d felt nothing but gladness to be moving on, leaving Bronco behind for good.
Callie brushed her shoulder, a fond touch. “I get it. I do. But after Donnie, you didn’t give up, did you? You kept trying.”
Oh yes, she had. Through David and Chaz and Trevor.
Callie spun pasta on her fork. “I mean it. You can’t give up now. You need to give love a fighting chance.” She ate the bite of pasta before concluding, “That’s what life’s all about.”
“Ugh.”
“That sound?” Callie put on a reproachful glare. “That sound is not the least encouraging.”
Van and Callie had spent more than one evening sharing grisly tales of life in the trenches, romance-wise. What Van hadn’t said a word about to her summer roomie–turned–BFF was what had transpired on TNTNH. “I have a confession...”
“I love those.” Callie picked up the wine and refilled their glasses. “Continue.”
Van told her friend everything—about TNTNH as well as all that had gone down by Bushwhacker Creek earlier that evening.
When she finished, Callie said, “You wild thing, you. There we all were at New Year’s, hanging out at Happy Hearts eating vegetarian finger food, toasting Evan and Daphne and their forever love, while you were at Wild Willa’s hooking up with Jameson John.” She offered a high five and they slapped palms. “Way to go, Cruise. That’s how you ring in the New Year, if you hear what I’m sayin’.”
“You’re right. It was wonderful. And he and I both agreed it was just that one night.”
“Please. He likes you. You like him. Step outside your comfort zone and give the man a chance.”
“A chance? Didn’t I just explain that I offered to be with him for the summer and he turned me down?”
“Because you said you want to sneak around.”
“Yes, well, I said I wanted to keep it private, but whatever. He said no. So it’s over without ever really even getting started. No way he’s going to be coming around looking to try again.”
“And yet here you are, missing him already. Because you really like him. And when you really like someone, you reach out and try again. I’ll say it one more time. Give the man a chance.”
Charity breezed in the door at one the next afternoon looking absolutely beautiful, wearing her usual glowing smile. “It’s gorgeous out today. The perfect Independence Day—and, Vanessa, you look fabulous. I like that shirt as much as the one yesterday.”
“Thank you.” Van tried to ignore the elephant missing from the room. But she couldn’t quite do it. “Where’s Jameson?”
Charity set her makeup kit on the table. “Oh, one of the fences went down out at the Double J, and a couple of steers got out. He’ll deal with that and be along later.”
“I see. Well, I hope it all, um, works out.”
Charity shrugged. “It’s a ranch. Fences are bound to go down now and then.”
