Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70264 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70264 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“She’s not worth your tears, Taylor.” Casting his head around to make sure we’re free to go, Maverick pulls out into the road. With every shop we pass and put behind us, my breath eases, and I sink into the chair, defeated. We’ve left Mindy behind, but her words are still stuck in me like splinters. She’s right, though. I’m not like her.
I’m not pretty, feminine, or slim. I’m plain and boring and lumpy. My father’s words loop in my mind on repeat, mixing with Mindy’s.
Why would anyone want me?
Maverick takes something from his shirt pocket and passes it across to me. I look down at the tiny white square of cotton. The gesture takes the last of my resolve, and I crumple, using the handkerchief to mop up the tears that fall uncontrollably now. I haven’t cried like this since my mother died, and it’s a release of years of built-up emotion.
Thoughts of Molly flash into my mind, and that only makes me sob more.
“Thank you for defending me.”
“She’s got no respect and no right to talk to you like that, or to me. She’s got a real attitude problem, and I’m sorry you got tangled up in it. I should have known better. She’s got a bad reputation. We do some business with her daddy, and he’s not gonna be happy when he hears about this.”
“Please don’t tell him. I don’t want to make it worse.” My hands tremble in my lap as the racing of my heart increases.
“You gotta trust me on this. I know how to handle these things. Jesse and Clint will be told, too. And I think we’ve gotta work on you finding your voice, you know. Standing up for yourself. You shouldn’t just absorb crap from other people. You’re worth more than that, Taylor.”
I push away the rising thought that he didn’t know how to handle what just happened, but it’s not my place to say. Who am I to talk, after all? I can’t even defend myself. And how the hell does he always seem to know what I’m thinking?
“What did she mean about her being your girl?” Maybe I’m pushing my luck here, but to be honest, it looked to me like Mindy was madly in love with Maverick. I turn to look at him, and his neck flushes red.
“She was never my girl, although maybe she wanted to be. She’s young and clearly got the wrong idea about what happened. There was no meaning in any of it for me.” He’s so flippant about what he had with Mindy. Is this his attitude to all women?
“It was over a year ago. I don’t understand what her problem is.”
Perhaps there’s more to it, but for now, I don’t have the strength to push the issue. From the truck window, the semi-urban scenery gives way to dusty nothingness, and off into the distance, a glimpse of the jagged peaks immediately releases some of the tension I’m holding onto. The landscape is a comfort to me. The wide, open space feels strangely like freedom and possibility.
Maverick reaches to turn on the radio and settles on a song he likes. He clearly feels more comfortable away from the hustle and bustle of the town. Unexpectedly, he sings along to the radio. Despite how quietly he sings, I’m taken aback by the smoothness of his voice. The mellow tone is pitch-perfect. He’s holding back.
“You sing!”
He smirks. “I’m a man of many talents.” He returns to singing along to the tune. I’m certain he sounds better than the artist on the radio, but I don’t say anything. Again, he reads my mind.
“I reckon I sound better than the man himself.” He chuckles casually and throws a glance in my direction like he’s checking to see if I agree before setting his eyes back on the road. Maybe Maverick isn’t as confident as he pretends to be.
“‘I’ve no idea who he is!”
“It’s Luke Combs, one of my favorites.”
Maverick’s voice rises a little, and it melts me like butter. It’s a beautiful, comforting sound.
One of my cowboys can sing, and one cares for animals. I wonder what Jesse’s secret talent is. At least I can cook and bake.
“We’ve all got something we’re good at. I mean, look at how you can cook. You’ve got some talent right there.” Now, I’m certain he can read my mind, but still, I blush.
“Yeah, and it shows.” I focus on the thickness of my thighs, then turn away to gaze at the landscape. I recognize some of the landmarks near the ranch: a certain tree, a jutting rock, the shape of the fence.
“You’re womanly, Taylor. I love your curves. And I know Clint and Jesse do, too. You’re perfect as you are, in all the right places. What, you wanna be a bag of old chicken bones like Mindy and her gaggle of followers? Some of them are even worse than she is!”