Page 86 of Will to Run

“No,” I say, cutting him off again, more forcefully this time. Why won’t he shut up? “You don’t understand. I don’t know all that happened in your past, Cayson, but it must have been horrific for you to be jeopardizing your brother like this. That’s malicious… and cruel. And Jax can say that he was agreeing to get you off his back until he’s blue in the face, but I heard his response to you, and I’ll never be able to forget it. And that you would think so little of me, Cayson. God,” I throw the pitchfork on the ground in frustration because I don’t know what else to do. “You don’t owe me anything, but I liked you, and your kids, and I loved being taken into the fold of your family so much…” I pause because my voice feels really tight. “For you to say those things cut me so deep. The only thing that’s cut me deeper is Jaxon going along with it and calling me a bonus. So no. You don’t understand how much you and your brother have hurt me.”

I stop because if I keep going, I’m going to full-on ugly cry, and that is the last thing I want to do in front of Cayson.

“Della, please listen…”

“I don’t want to hear what you have to say,” my voice drops to a whisper. “Please just let me get back to work and finish these last couple of days in peace.”

After a silent standoff in which he opens and closes his mouth, trying to find words, he finally just nods. “I’m sorry, Della. So, so sorry.”

He hangs his head as he backs out of the stall and walks away in the same despondent way Jaxon did. I’m frozen in my spot, trying to shake the encounter. I don’t care what’s happened to him to make him this way, because it’s inexcusable.

42

JAXON

It’s been weeks since she heard my bullshit words, and every day feels like a fresh hell.

Della packed up and left the long-term rental within days of hearing the conversation. Apparently, both Hazel and Cayson knew. Hazel because Del told her, and Cayson because he happened to cross paths with her in the lodge on the morning she was leaving. She called him over to the reception desk so he could witness her handing the keys over and showed him the receipt that she paid in full. Then she took it a step further and tried to make the receptionist take her money for the luxury cabin she occupied when she first moved in, but the person didn’t know how to retroactively charge her card, so she took out all the cash in her wallet, about two hundred and fifty bucks, and tried to hand it to my brother. He wouldn’t take it, so after holding it to his chest a few seconds to push the issue, she let it fall to the ground. In any other situation, that would have made me laugh, but instead, it broke my fucking heart. I only heard about it through Everest, because Lord knows I’m not talking to Cayson.

I’ve crossed paths with her a few times, but she doesn’t even look my way. And I’ve still stopped by the barn every morning, just in case, but it seems she has written me off.

As I’m sitting on the arm of a chair on the lodge patio, I’m lost in my thoughts. Things feel so despondent that I looped my parents in for their take. As expected, my mother admonished both me and my brother, so now I’m living with that shame too.

I don’t hear the car crunching the gravel as it comes up the drive until it parks right in front of me. And it isn’t just any car, it’s some fancy Town Car. Shiny, black, and will have to be scrubbed for days to erase the clay dirt. The clientele we attract is wealthy, but most people know better than to bring a car like that here.

After it sits parked for an uncomfortable amount of time, the backdoor swings open, and a guy with dark hair and even darker sunglasses gets out. The air changes with the jerk-off vibes that radiate off this person. Of course, I have to be nice until I know what he wants; is he looking to drop six figures on a wedding here, or is he going to pitch a pathetic attempt to get us to sell our land? Both are plausible.

Leaning over to say something to the driver, he stands back up, buttons his jacket, and walks towards me with the stride of someone who usually gets what he wants.

“Hi there, I’m looking for someone who works here. Management or owner preferably,” he says with an smug arrogance that rubs me the wrong way.

“That’d be me,” I reply, not giving anything away.

“Great. I’m looking for my wife.”

“Your wife?” I question. Does this guy think he’s important enough for me to know him or his wife? Regardless, my mind starts racing to think about whether we’ve had any high-profile clientele. Thanks to Lanie, we’re seeing unprecedented occupation rates, so I can’t even begin to tell this guy if his wife is here.

“I’m not sure who you’re talking about. On any given day, we have a lot of guests here.”

“Her name is Elizabeth,” he snips back.

Ah, yes, I think to myself. That sure helps.

“Sorry, I’m not sure what to tell you. Even if we had an Elizabeth on the premises, you have to know I wouldn’t be able to give her information out.”

“Oh, she’s here,” he says with confidence. “My PI has put her in this location as recently as thirty-six hours ago. I will pay you for any information.”

PI? Pay me for information? Who the fuck is this guy?! More importantly, who the fuck is he looking for?

“I don’t need your money, buddy,” I say.

“Buddy,” he repeats the word mockingly, “I’ll get to my wife with or without your help. But you’re missing out on a payday if you know something that could expedite things. I want to get out of here as quickly as possible,” he fiddles with the button at the wrist of his suit jacket again. Something about the gesture grates against my spine.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Della and Hazel walking up the path, but when she sees the back of this guy, she dives behind a boulder to hide. I’m talking full out, parallel to the ground, scrambling dive. He looks behind him, tracking my eyes, but he only sees my sister, so looks back at me.

Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. Holy shit, this is Della’s ex-fiancé. He doesn’t have a wife; he’s talking about her and referring to her by her middle name.

Well, this just got a lot more interesting.