Chapter 6
Rowe
“Bye, Bill! Bye, Mom.”
I pull my mom into a hug and inhale the scent of patchouli that clings to her hair and skin. It is the most calming fragrance that I know and love.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” she says.
“It’s fine.” Once Luke left, she explained that after the foreclosure had become binding, he had offered to help by buying a few pieces of furniture.
I bet he had,I thought. But I didn’t tell her that.
My mom is such a free spirit that she generally thinks most people are out to do the right thing. Most people except Luke, that is.
There’s no point in blaming her for it. My relationship with Luke was over years ago, but boy, does that breakup still sting.
Especially since I see either him or Sally Ray every day, given that they live right across the road. It also doesn’t help that they have a super-popular unicorn farm that currently has an almost-full parking lot, while we have a dying piggycorn farm filled with rolling tumbleweeds.
Bill buzzes down the window of his truck. “You coming, Sabe?”
She twists toward him and waves. “Coming.” Then she claps my shoulders and studies me with a wobbly smile. “You sure about this? That you want to try to take this on?”
“Mom, by the time you get back, I’m going to have saved our home. I swear it.”
The look on her face suggests there’s no way I could do that. But I’m determined. The last thing Luke said really knotted my knickers. He wants more than just the furniture—he and Sally Ray want to claim the house for themselves.
The people who ripped my life apart are not allowed to have my home.
“Everything you need is in the office,” she says. “All the financials.”
“Thanks. Now, get out of here. Bill’s about to blow a gasket from waiting.”
Bill is ex–armed forces and likes his life to work on a very succinct schedule. He’s not at all like me and my messy existence.
I give Mom one more hug and watch as she gets into the truck and Bill backs out of the drive with the Airstream behind them. My arm hurts from waving by the time they’re on the road and out of sight, and tears prick my eyes.
I’m alone. For the first time in my entire life, I’m all alone. Literally, truly alone.
Tallulah pads up beside me and presses her pink snout into my leg.
“I know.” I sigh. “You’re out of food. Let’s go into town.”
“What do you mean, there’s no credit left,Ron?”
I drop my purse on the counter of Mystic Meadows Feed and Tack and glare at Ron, who, only two hours ago, helped Luke steal my furniture.
Even though there was money involved, yes, I consider it theft.
Ron’s gaze drops to his hands as he nervously organizes and reorganizes a box of various seeds.
“Ron?” I repeat. “What’s going on?”
He grimaces. “I’m sorry, Rowe, but your credit’s been cut off.”
“Cut off?” I yell.
Shoppers turn in my direction and I drop my voice. “Cut off?” I hiss. “What do you mean? We pay our bills.”
