Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“Hey, Maddie.”
I scoot to the end of the bed and read it again.
“Hey, Rhett.” I type it out and then hit delete until I’m starting with a new slate and then start typing again. “Hey,” I respond back to him.
My eyes are glued to the phone, and when the bubbles pop up, letting me know he’s typing something, I hold my breath until his text appears.
“I’m going to bring the snowmobile over tomorrow.”
I run my hand over my face. He usually texts Elliott about these things. As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time he texted me about anything. I grit my teeth and start typing. “Okay. Elliott’s home. I’ll let him know.”
As soon as I hit send, I turn my phone off and set it on the nightstand. I’ve buried myself in work this week, and I know some of the plants will call in the evening, but I can’t handle anything right now. Not while my heart is literally breaking in two.
CHAPTER 12
RHETT
She never responded to my text, asking if we could talk.
As I pull onto their ranch, I park the snowmobile beside the other one and make my way into the barn. Matt is working in one of the stalls, and I lean over the ledge. “Hey Matt.” I really want to ask him about Maddie, but I ask, “Elliott around?”
The man straightens. “Yeah, he got home yesterday. I think he’s up at the house. He told me if I saw you to send you up there.”
Fuck. I grit my teeth. “Okay. Thanks again for checking on my ranch while I was up in the north pasture.”
He nods. “Sure. No problem.”
I walk out of the barn and take my time walking to the main house. I’m preparing myself to see Maddie again. There’s no way I’m going to be able to hide my feelings for her, and I’ve decided I’m not going to try. I knock on the door and then push it open. “Elliott,” I call out.
“I’m in the office.”
I come in and stomp the snow off my feet before making my way to the office—the place where Maddie spends most of her time during the day. I knock on the open door. “Hey.”
I search the room, but there’s no sign of Maddie. Disappointment settles in just as Elliott raises from his chair. “Come on in.”
I walk into the office, and instead of the congenial look I usually get from him, he’s frowning. I widen my stance and cross my arms over my chest. If he wants to hit me, I won’t stop him. I’m sure I deserve it.
He’s glowering at me, and I nod my head. “Go ahead, give it to me.”
He puts his hands on his hips. “What the fuck did you do to my sister?”
I take a deep breath, and my heart starts to race. “I know. I don’t blame you for being pissed at me. Cuss me out, hit me, do whatever you got to do.”
He comes around the desk and stops in front of me. “I’ll ask you again, Rhett. What the fuck did you do to my sister?”
Fuck, how do I even begin? “I know. You have every right to be mad at me. I’m telling you… Let me have it. Nothing you can do will hurt near as bad as losing Maddie.”
He pauses, and then it seems he deflates a little. “So you admit it? You’re the reason that my sister is leaving?”
I jerk my head up. “Leaving? What the fuck are you talking about? Where is she going?”
Elliott starts to pace back and forth across the office. “All I know is I got home yesterday, checked on my ranch, and then my sister drops the bombshell that she wants to travel for a few months. That she wants to leave the only home she’s ever known.”
I hate the words even as I say them. “She’s young. She should see the world.”
He scoffs. “Do you know my sister at all? She hates to travel. She has always said she’d never leave here.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “So you can understand why I’m upset that I get home and all of a sudden she’s talking about leaving.”
“She deserves to be—”
Elliott walks to me and shoves me in the shoulder. “She deserves to be loved. That’s what she deserved, and I was stupid enough to think that you and her would fall in love, and you would keep her close to home. What the hell did you do? She’s heartbroken, Rhett.”
Knowing Maddie is sad guts me. “What do you mean, she’s heartbroken?”
“She’s fuckin’ sad, you asshole. I told you how she felt about you and what? You decide to take advantage of that?”
Guilt rushes me, but I’m shaking my head. “It wasn’t like that.” I run my hand through my hair and decide to just lay it all on the line. “I love her, Elliott. I love your sister.”