“Are you okay?” I take her hand in mine, rubbing my thumb over her knuckles.
“No.” She shakes her head. “Not even close.”
“What can I do to help?” I pull her closer.
“I don’t know.” She picks a fraying thread in her jeans. “I was expecting another update to say they were still finalizing his assets, but not that it was done.”
“Do you know what you’re going to do?”
She turns to face me, a watery grimace on her face. “No. I’ve been worrying all day because I have to do what’s best for Poppy, and I just don’t know, Kade.”
This time, when the tears fall, I pull her into my arms. I find Poppy petting Lollipop, not really paying attention to us.
Good.
I don’t want her to see her mom lose it. All because of people that are supposed to love her and never did. I hate this for her. Hate that I can’t do anything to help, but have to let her make a decision that could affect all of us.
“It’s going to be okay, Pres. I know it.”
“I wish I had your faith.”
Pulling back, I wipe her tears away. “Whatever you decide, I’ll be here.”
“You will?”
“Yeah. Just, do what you think is best and I’ll be here for you. Both of you.”
I hope she doesn’t take the company. Because if Paul tries to take Poppy from her—from us—even if part of the time, I don’t know what we’ll do.
I’ve sunk all my money into the ranch. I don’t know how I could help pay a lawyer to fight Paul and all his money. All because the fucker wants her dad’s company.
And I get Presley’s hesitancy. I can’t imagine working at the diner is bringing in a lot of money, but to get the money from her father’s company? I doubt she’d want to take it over, but I don’t know what the logistics of it would be.
The only thing I know is I want to be here with Presley and Poppy. Be a family together. That need to tell her whenwe were riding is gone. Telling her now will only add to her stress, and I don’t want to do that to her.
“I wish we could fast forward to tomorrow and this is all in the past.”
“It’ll be okay. I know it will.”
Maybe if I keep telling myself that, it will happen.
Presley could have a good life for herself and Poppy. Not have to worry about money ever again. My money? It’s all tied up in the ranch. If the ranch does well, I’ll do well. But until that time, I’m in the red.
I have nothing to offer Presley.
Just like when I was in high school and her dad promised her to Paul.
Poppy is a ball of happiness as she bounds back over, her arms filled with flowers of all kinds. “A lot of them were dead, but I found the good ones.”
“They’re beautiful, baby,” Presley says, pulling her into her arms. “Everyone is going to love them.”
“Can I give Lollipop her carrot now so we can put them in the bag?”
“Sure.” I pass it over to her and watch as she gives her horse all the attention.
I don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow, but I know one thing.
I am going to fight like hell to keep this. My life is no longer in Seattle. It’s here with these two. And come hell or high water, it will be the three of us together.
