Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 102079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Sarah and I left the gray truck in Springfield at my uncle’s place while we spent the rest of July and all of August traveling to rodeos. Sometimes, I had a place to leave Anakin for the night so we could get a motel, and other times we camped under the stars with him at the fairgrounds. It didn’t matter where we were as long as I had her in my arms.
While she struggled with her faith, I never felt more blessed. Had my parents not made their mistakes, I would have headed for Nashville or L.A. after high school. I wouldn’t have returned to sit in the back of the church on Easter to fall in love.
Rodeoing with Sarah in the stands made life exponentially brighter. Before the gate opened and Anakin took off after the calf, I always found my Sunday Morning in the stands. She’d blow me a kiss, but she never watched me tie-up the calf.
And for some reason, that made me love her more.
My girl was a lover, a dreamer, and a nurturer. The second we got to our motel or set up our tent, she called me her sexy cowboy and ripped off my clothes. After making love for hours, she played her guitar, wearing nothing but my cowboy hat.
“Now that Matt’s settled at college, your mom and I are moving,” Dad broke the silence. “So if you want to buy me out instead—”
“I don’t.” I rubbed my temples. “Just sell everything.”
“I thought you loved this ranch as much as I did? It’s been in our family for generations. I’d really love it if you’d buy me out and run it.”
“Listen, if that ranch was ever my dream, it’s not now.” I glanced over my shoulder at Sarah’s hair across my pillow, her soft lips parted and long lashes resting on her tan cheek. The bedsheet lay at her waist, and her dark red nipples begged me to tease them with my tongue. “Sarah wants to live in Nashville.”
“But what do you want?”
I shook my head, rubbing the tension from my neck. “Don’t you think it’s a little late to be asking me this? But I suppose better late than never. So, if you really want to know, I want to spend the rest of my life with this woman. I want to watch her put her feet on my dash while jotting down lyrics to songs on fast food bags. I want to fall asleep to her playing the guitar. I want to get drunk on the outpouring of love from crowds of people when they hear her sing. And I want to die in her eyes while she smiles at me every time I look at her.”
“Son …”
“Don’t do this. You don’t have to. If you and Mom have worked through your stuff and Matty’s happy, then I don’t care to hold a grudge. I’m just tired of being part of it. I’m tired of the secrets. If you’ve come clean to everyone else, then please don’t try to make things right with me. Just sell it all, give me what’s mine, and let it go.”
“What about forgiveness? If your mom can forgive me, can you? Do you think Matt can forgive me?”
“I’m not Matt. And for me, it’s not about forgiveness; it’s about acceptance. And that takes time. You have to give me time.”
“Time,” he echoed. “And Sarah’s family?”
“She calls home when she knows her dad is at the church.”
“I’ve talked to him. If she would just come home, I think he’s ready to make amends, ready to give her another chance.”
I chuckled. “Another chance at what? Being the daughter he wants her to be?”
“She’s eighteen.”
“Yeah, well, so was Danielle. At least Sarah’s not getting knocked up by a married man.”
“Babe,” Sarah said with a raspy voice as she touched my back.
“I gotta go. Sell the land.” I hung up the phone and lay beside her, pulling her into my arms.
“Who were you talking to?” She nuzzled her face in my neck.
“My dad.”
“You were talking about Danielle?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I kissed her head.
“I’m not worried about it. I just want you to tell me why you were talking about her.”
“Are you sure you want to talk?” I snaked my hand between her naked legs.
“Isaac, don’t do that.” She wiggled away from me and sat with her legs crossed and the sheet held over her chest. “Tell me.”
I rolled to my back and folded my hands on my chest while staring at the ceiling. “We’ll talk about this now and then never again. Okay?”
After a few seconds, she murmured, “Okay.”
“I didn’t get Danielle pregnant.” I proceeded to tell her about the affairs, Matt’s biological father, and how I acquired fifty-percent ownership in the ranch. Then I shut off the light and went to sleep.