Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“Chloe,” my mother whispered. “Can’t you see, sweetheart? Rip is madly in love with you.”
Tears filled my eyes. “But he hasn’t ever told me.” I looked down at my hands. “I think he tried after that day, and I held him off. Now, I don’t think he ever will, Momma. If he loves me like everyone says he does, why was he willing to let me marry someone else?”
My voice sounded weak.
“The last thing that boy wants to do is hurt you, Chloe. If he thinks you’re happy, maybe he doesn’t want to ruin that for you. You’re engaged to a man and willing to leave all this behind. In his mind, that must mean you truly love Easton.”
With a nod, I wiped my cheeks. “Rip was most likely the reason I said yes. But he’s not the full reason I can’t marry Easton. I want the life I dreamed of. I want to work alongside Daddy. Here at the ranch. I want to go horseback riding any time I want. Do you know what Easton wants?”
She shook her head.
“A condo in downtown Houston. He doesn’t even like the country. He can’t understand my love of Patches and thinks he’s a lamb. He’s still jealous of Rip!”
Her brow lifted. “He has every good reason to be jealous of him.”
“I’d say so,” I mumbled.
“Go on, keep talking.”
“I’m not saying no because I’m holding out hope for Rip. I’m saying no because Easton doesn’t fit in with the life I see myself living.”
She pulled me off the sofa and hugged me. “That was what I wanted to hear. I know your heart belongs to Rip, and I have every reason to believe things will work out the way they are supposed to in the long run. But I’m glad you are seeing the true reason why you said yes in the first place, and you’re seeing the reasons why you can’t go through with it. You came to that decision all on your own, sweetheart.”
Her thumb came up and wiped my tears away.
“When did you figure out I wasn’t going to marry him?”
“The moment you pulled the ring out of your pocket. Then you confirmed it when you said you wanted to get married in Melanie and John’s backyard! I know you love your grandparents, but the backyard? Really?”
My hand came up to my mouth, and I tried not to laugh. But soon, my mother and I were in a laughing fit. Daddy walked in and looked between the two of us.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
I wiped my face and walked over to him. “Daddy, I need to tell you something.”
He wore a concerned look. “Is everything okay?”
“Now it is. I decided not to marry Easton.”
The look of relief on my father’s face was instant. “Pinch me now as hard as you can because I better not be dreaming.”
I narrowed my eyes then hit him on the chest. “Daddy!”
“Tell me you’re serious. You’re not marrying the douchebag?”
“Daddy!”
“Steed!”
“What? I couldn’t stand that kid. It took everything I had not to tell him to take his city-ass down the road.”
“Then you will be happy to know that I am going to tell him we won’t be getting married and that he’s not the man I see my future with.”
“Damn straight, he isn’t. I’m so glad you came to your senses, Chloe.”
“Gee, it makes me so happy to know that everyone thought I was making a mistake, yet no one was willing to say anything…”
My father shrugged. “You would have figured it out. You’re a smart woman. Besides, everyone kept saying they always assumed you and Rip would be tying the knot, so I figured that spoke for itself.”
Reaching up on my toes, I kissed him, then smacked him playfully. “Point taken, Daddy.”
“Will you both do me a favor. Please don’t tell anyone. I, um, I want to tell Rip myself.”
“Rip?” my father asked, a slight gleam in his eyes. It was hard to believe this man had once threatened to cut off Rip’s balls if he ever touched me.
“And Grammy and Granddad. The family, I mean.”
With a wink, my father replied, “Uh-huh.”
“Come on, Steed, we need to get ready for that dinner. And I believe Chloe has a phone call to make.”
I chewed on my lip.
“The sooner you do it, the better it will be,” she stated.
A feeling of dread washed over me. I hated hurting Easton, but if I didn’t do this we would both end up hating each other. “I’ll head out to see Patches and then call him.”
“While you’re on the phone with him, tell him to—”
“Steed Parker!” my mother warned. She grabbed him and pulled him out the door.
I giggled, then followed them. I jumped in the four-wheeler and made my way to the main barn. A quick visit with Patches would make everything right again.