Page 58 of The Maverick’s Legacy

Jesse turned his head, dazed. Oscar stood next to him, his hands clenching and unclenching by his sides.

“I…” Jesse didn’t know what to do. His head felt like it was made of cotton. The noises around him became muffled.

“We’ve got you, champ,” Grayson said. He and JenniLynn quickly escorted Oscar out of the arena, but not before giving his brother a concerned look.

The only thing that registered in Jesse’s muddled brain was that Oscar was safe.

He turned back in time to see them load Carly into the back of the ambulance.

It was just like before, when he watched them load MaryBeth into one. They’d closed the door on him then too, blocking the last view he’d had of her alive.

He’d lost the love of his life that day. Never in a million years did he ever think that he’d be lucky enough to find a love that great again.

But he had.

And history was repeating itself. As the ambulance lights lit up and took Carly away from him, all Jesse could do was stand there and stare.

Chapter Twenty-One

Carly was supposed to be resting. Instead, she was staring out of her living room window, hurt and anger warring inside her. She was on day three of recovering from a concussion, sprained wrist, and overall bruising that happened when a thousand-pound horse landed on you. Thankfully, Nieve had rolled off her quicker than he fell, but she was left feeling like a punching bag.

She could deal with that. She’d had worse falls before. What she could not deal with was Jesse Abernathy going silent on her. Again!

He’d texted her a few times to make sure she was okay, but she hadn’t spoken to him or seen the man. Considering the direction she thought their relationship was going, she figured he would have at least visited her in the hospital when they’d kept her overnight or that he would have stopped by her house since.

But nothing.

She’d tried calling him a few times, but she always got redirected to voicemail.

Carly tried to be understanding. She had a vague memory of Oscar being there when she’d gotten injured. He’d been upset, and Jesse would have had to calm him down before he overstimulated.

That was three days ago though.

“Honey, you should be lying down,” her mom said.

Between her parents, Remi, and Amy, Carly should have been fine with not seeing Jesse. They’d made sure she lacked for nothing from company to food. But as much as she loved her family, they weren’t the ones she needed to see right now. She needed to see her boyfriend and give him a piece of her mind.

Tomorrow. The doctor said you can drive tomorrow.

“I’m fine,” Carly insisted. She turned to face her mom and sister who were currently visiting her. “I’m seriously okay. I love and appreciate you both so much. But I think what I need is some alone time. I’m not in any danger at this point, and it’ll be good for me to have a second to think.”

Amy’s eyebrow raised. “And what are you thinking about?”

Carly let out a sigh. She turned to face the window again, staring sightlessly at the woods bordering her property. “I’m thinking I should have taken up Dex on his proposal and hightailed it back to the circuit.”

She could see Amy and her mom exchange glances in the window’s reflection.

“You’re reconsidering?” Amy asked cautiously.

Carly briefly closed her eyes. As much as she wanted to say yes, she knew there was no way she was going to leave Tenacity anytime soon. She wasn’t a quitter, and she wanted to see her dream come true. She was also going to chew out Jesse and tell him that he needed to choose. Her and better communication skills, or nothing at all.

Because Carly was done with him going AWOL and giving her the silent treatment.

“No,” Carly finally answered. “I’m not leaving Tenacity. If this recent injury has taught me anything, it’s that I’m getting too old to be doing this.”

“You’re thirty.” Her mom said it lightly, but there was relief in her voice. “You’re hardly over the hill.”

Carly shook her head. “I know, but my life goals aren’t the same anymore. I want to start my horse-riding school, Suzie-Q’s Healing Hooves.”