I took a few steps toward her, wanting to pull her into my arms and soothe all the hurt she was feeling, but she backed away from me.
My heart dropped. “Skip.”
“I can’t. I-I need to go somewhere.”
Panic settled in my stomach. Where? Where was she going to go?
I reached for her arm. “What about the threats? It’s not safe.”
The whole reason we were here was so I could protect her. Was I already failing at that?
She pulled back, shaking her head. “I just need a minute alone to clear my head. I’ll come right back.”
I hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
Maybe it was because of some unhealthy attachment I had to her. Maybe it was because I was being selfish, but I didn’t want her to go. I wanted to work this out, fix things. At least come to an understanding and move past the secrets, past these little miscommunications that had been plaguing us over the last decade.
Please don’t go.
Don’t leave me here again.
I’d bleed myself dry for you if you would just stay.
But I didn’t say any of those things. Instead, the words, “Please don’t run away again,” fell from my lips, soft as a whisper.
She sighed. “I’m not going to run away. I promise.”
“Pinky swear?” I extended my hand, pinky sticking out.
She linked her pinky finger with mine, bringing her hand up to her mouth to lock it in before murmuring, “Pinky swear.”
I placed my hand over hers, squeezing three times. “I’m not leaving. I’ll be right here when you’re ready to come back, okay? I promise. I’ll be right here for you, always.”
She nodded, squeezing my hand in response.
“I love you.”
She didn’t say it back.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
sierra
Throwing my hands in my pockets, I walked down the hill toward the parking lot Hayden’s pickup was in. All I needed was a couple minutes to clear my head, to get the image of that day out of my system, and then I could go back. We could talk about it. I’d be ready this time.
I’d face it head-on instead of running away again.
I had to. For our future.
I’d fight for him this time because Hayden was it. In every imagination of my future, every single version of me, whether I was living in Montana or competing in rodeo or not, Hayden had a place in it.
Yes, I’d decided. I would hold my head up high, and I’d go back to him. I’d swallow my pride and do whatever it took to make it right. I’d get down on my knees and beg if that’s what it took.
I loved him.
Ilovedhim.
I nodded to myself over and over again, like I was giving myself an internal pep talk, which I sort of was.
