Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 117506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
I sighed. “I’m not going, so there’s nothing to talk about.”
She sighed heavily. “I don’t think your father would want you to walk away from something you love so much.”
I stopped messing with the tack and looked back at my mother. Merit and I hadn’t agreed on telling our families just yet, but a part of me wanted to give this to my mother. She needed something else to hold on to.
“There’s something I love more here.” I shook my head. “No, not something. Someone.”
“I’ll be fine, Dirk,” my mother insisted, her hands on her hips and a stern look on her face.
With a light chuckle, I pulled my mother into my arms and kissed the top of her head. “I know you will, Mama. Things have changed, and if you’ll give me a second, I’ll explain it all to you.”
She relaxed a bit in my arms. “Time isn’t always gifted to us, Dirk.”
I closed my eyes and held her a little tighter. “I know. That’s one of the reasons I’m staying, Mama.”
With a firm pat on my back, she pulled away. “So, are you going to tell me what’s going on with you and Merit?”
I felt my eyes widen, and I tried to form words but nothing came.
“You two used to be the best of friends, and don’t think for one moment that I haven’t noticed the two of you avoiding each other the last few months. I also saw her leaving the barn a few days ago in tears. The girl was downright sobbing, Dirk. Then, all of a sudden, you’re staying over there.”
I leaned against the wall and looked at my mother. She was hellbent on knowing what was going on, and the least I could do was tell her most of it. “We got into a bit of a fight, and we both said some things we didn’t mean. More me than her. I hadn’t heard from her and was worried, so I went over there.”
My mother nodded. “And since you disappeared for nearly a day, I’m going to assume you made up?”
A rush of warmth ran through my body, and I had to force myself not to think about how many times we made up. “We did.”
She smiled. “That’s good. You two always were peas and carrots, and I never did understand what happened to end your friendship.”
“It’s all in the past.”
“Good,” she said as she patted me on the cheek. “Now, open your damn eyes, son, and realize that the two of you have been in love since the moment you kissed behind this barn. If you’re determined to stay in town, I hope she’s one of the reasons why.”
I grinned. “She is, Mama. She is.”
For the first time since my father left us, I saw a bit of hope in my mother’s eyes. “That makes me so happy, son. Now, make sure you muck out the back stalls.” And with that, she turned and walked out of the tack room.
I pulled out my phone and hit Merit’s number. It only rang a few times before she answered. She was out of breath. “H-hello?”
“What are you doing?”
“Helping Michael unload feed.”
My heart nearly stopped. “Why in the hell are you doing that, Merit? The baby—!”
“Is fine. I’m not lifting anything heavy, trust me. Michael barely lets me help as it is. It’s good to move around, though, and I promise, I’m not ever going to do something to put her at risk.”
“Or him…” I added.
Merit laughed. “Or him.”
“That’s the reason I’m calling. When do you want to tell our families? I really think my mother could use a bit of good news. I told her about us.”
She paused for a moment. “What about after the benefit ride this weekend? I sort of want this to be for us, just a little bit longer.”
I smiled. “Okay.”
“But I did tell Michael and my mom we were dating.”
Another smile came, this one bigger. “Before I told my mother about us, she told me to open my damn eyes because you and I have been in love since we kissed behind the barn.”
“What!” Merit said, laughing. “She always did hope we’d end up together.”
I nodded and walked out of the tack room and back to my horse. “Well, wait until she finds out you’re carrying my baby.”
“I hope she’ll be happy.”
A roar of laughter came out. “She’ll want to start planning the wedding, I’m sure.”
The line went silent.
“Bugs?”
“I’m here.”
“I’m going to hose down Murphy, and then I was hoping to see you. Will you be at the farm for a bit?”
“Yes, after this I’m going to go over the plans for the next you-pick-it season, so I’ll be up at the house.”
“I’ll see you soon, then.”
“See you soon.”
“Merit?” I said, feeling my stomach drop slightly as the memory of her whispering that she loved me while we made love popped into my mind.