Текст книги "Cherished"

Автор книги: Kelly Elliott

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Текущая страница: 3 (всего у книги 24 страниц)

I walked into the barn and nearly fell over. What in the hell?

“Um, Gramps…what are you doing?”

Gramps turned and looked at me. He smiled, and I couldn’t help but smile back. I silently said a prayer and thanked God for not taking him from us.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” he said as he turned back and adjusted the saddle on Big Roy.

I took a deep breath and pushed my hand through my hair. “It looks like you’re going for a ride. Can I join you?” I asked.

He turned and flashed me that smile of his. “I don’t know, son. Can you?”

I let out a laugh and shook my head as I reached for my saddle and walked up to Firelight. I gave her a few strokes and grabbed a handful of oats for her.

“May I join you?” I asked with a chuckle.

“Yes, I’d love to shoot the shit with you for a bit.”

Gramps and I rode in silence for a good fifteen minutes before he finally started talking.

“How’s Scott?”

I let out a sigh and thought back to last night when Scott had broken down. “Scott has been spending more and more time at our house. Last night, he and Ellie were sitting on the back porch, and he just lost it. I think what is killing him the most is not having a clue as to where in the hell she is.”

“And she hasn’t gotten in touch with her daddy? That doesn’t sound like Jessie,” Gramps said with a shake of his head.

“She called Amanda, but the connection was bad, and Amanda said Jessie was only getting every other word. Jessie said she’d be home by now, but…”

“You know, Gunner, women are a strange group.”

I let out a laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, they are, Gramps.”

“Here’s what I’m thinking—Jessie is so deeply hurt by what she thinks is a betrayal by Scott. For her, maybe the easiest thing to do is stay away, and by staying away and not talking to anyone, she can’t be reminded of that hurt. You and I both know that is not a good way of handling things, but right now, her heart is so broken that she doesn’t know what to do.”

“But, Gramps, if she would just fucking call someone, we could tell her the truth—that it wasn’t Scott she saw that night. How can we help her if she won’t let us?”

Gramps turned and looked at me. “That’s the problem—she doesn’t want help. She doesn’t want to talk to anyone—maybe for fear of asking how Scott is or of someone telling her that he’s with that bitch.”

I snapped my head over toward Gramps. “Damn, old man. Don’t hold back.”

“I never did like that girl. I’m not trying to be judgmental ’cause you know I ain’t that way, but there has always been something about her that I just never cared for. I saw the way she would look at you while she was on Scott’s arm. I never did care for those who carry a cheatin’ heart.”

I looked straight ahead and did what I’d been doing for the last couple of weeks. I tried to figure out how in the hell to find Jessie.

“How’s my granddaughter?”

I smiled, and my heart started beating harder. “She’s doing wonderful. She walked yesterday!”

“No!”

I threw my head back and let out a laugh. “Yep! Ells and I were sitting across from each other, and Alex just started walking toward me. It was one of the best moments of my life…and I’ve been having a lot of those lately.”

“Did you cry?”

I slowly looked at my grandfather. I tried to picture him during the first time his sons had taken steps. I would bet the ranch that he cried like a baby!

“Okay, I’ll be a man about it. Yes, I cried…a little.”

“Yeah, the first steps your father took were toward me. I cried like a dam had broken. Emma laughed and told me that was one of the reasons she would love me forever.” Gramps let out a chuckle.

I looked down and then back up at the clear blue sky. It was a beautiful Texas day in December. It couldn’t have been more than sixty-five degrees outside.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath before slowly letting it out. “God, I love it out here. I never want to be anywhere but here,” I said.

“Drew…”

I opened my eyes and saw something I’d never seen in my grandfather’s eyes before—fear. “Gramps…are you okay?”

He smiled slightly and nodded. “I am, son. I truly am. It’s just…when the whole heart attack happened…well, I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

I nodded. “Yeah, me, too.”

He stopped Big Roy, so I did the same with Firelight.

“It’s gonna happen someday though, son. I’m not a young stallion anymore,” he said with a grin.

My heart dropped to my stomach. Is something wrong? Oh god, please no…not with the new baby coming. Please…no.

“Jesus, Drew. Stop thinking so hard. I see your wheels spinning in that head of yours. Nothing is wrong. Matter of fact, I’m probably more fit now than I have been in a long time. The ticker is tickin’ just fine. It’s just…I was thinking this morning. Someday, I will be gone. I sure as hell hope I got at least another ten years or more, but—”

“Gramps, why are we even talking about this? I don’t want to talk about how you’re going to die someday. I know that.”

“Because I want you to know something. I want you to know that I couldn’t be more proud of you, son. You’ve done an amazing job, taking over the whole ranch with the help of Jeff and your father. To look out my window and see you and your father walking together with smiles on your faces…it makes my heart swell like you wouldn’t believe. If I had died—”

“But you didn’t!”

Gramps gave me a look. “Don’t interrupt your elder, boy. It’s rude.”

I tried to hold in the smile, but I couldn’t. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry.”

He nodded. “If I had died, I would have died as the happiest man on Earth. I have a woman who has loved me beyond my wildest dreams, two sons whom I’ve never been more proud of, and my grandchildren and great grandchildren…well, hell, they’re the best blessing of all. I just want you to know…I’ve lived a very good life.” He slowly smiled. “A very good life indeed.”

I smiled, knowing he was thinking of Grams. “Gramps, I bet your story with Grams is probably the best love story ever.”

He looked at me and raised his eyebrows. “It is. Someday, I’ll tell you how I had to fight like hell to win that woman’s heart.”

I laughed. “Really? I figured Grams just took one look into those baby blues, and that was it.”

“Shit, I wish. That woman made me work my ass off to win her love, but it’s been a forever love.”

I started laughing as I noticed my father quickly riding up.

“Hey, y’all,” he said as he stopped his horse on a damn dime.

I had yet to ever win a race with this man.

“Ells? Alex?” I asked, trying not to sound panicked.

“They’re fine, but I got a call from Jeff. He’s with Scott at the Wild Coyote Bar. Scott is pretty drunk, and Jeff said—and I quote—‘Tell Gunner to get here before I punch the living shit out of Scott.’ ”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Damn it.” I turned to Gramps and tried to give him a small smile.

“Go, Drew. Your friend needs you. Just be patient, and try to understand what it would be like if Ellie had left you and you had no idea where she was while she thought the worst of you.”

My heart dropped to my stomach. I’d rather die.

“Thanks, Gramps. Let’s do this again, okay?” I turned to my dad and smiled. “Thanks, Dad. You should finish out the ride with Gramps. He’s being all emotional and shit.” I turned to look at Gramps.

His face fell. “You little shit.”

I laughed as I gave Firelight a good kick, and she took off.

I walked into the Wild Coyote Bar as Miranda Lambert’s “Baggage Claim” was playing, and the first thing I noticed was Scott dancing. I had no clue who he was dancing with, but I could immediately tell that he was drunk off his ass. I looked around and saw Jeff sitting at the bar.

I walked up and slapped him on the back. “I heard there was a problem,” I said with a wink.

Jeff rolled his eyes. “That motherfucker is gonna kill me!”

I sat down and ordered a beer as I looked back out at Scott. He was all over the girl.

“What’s going on?” I took a sip of my beer.

“For the last hour, I’ve been fighting with that little ho-bag out there on the dance floor.” Jeff looked out at the girl dancing with Scott.

I couldn’t help but start laughing. “What’s she doing?”

“Trying to get Scott to leave with her. I won’t let him do it, Gunner. I don’t care how upset he is. He’s drunk, and he’s hurting, so I won’t let him be unfaithful to Jessie…even if she thinks he already has been. But the fucker is starting to piss me off. He just wants to leave with this girl.”

The song ended, and they both came walking up to the bar. I smiled when I got a better look at the girl.

“Lucy…I don’t think your husband would like knowing his wife is out trying to pick up men.”

Lucy was married to a friend of mine who was in the Army and just happened to be deployed. My heart instantly broke for him, and I made a mental note to let him know that his wife was at the bar today.

Scott spun around and looked at Lucy as she shot me a dirty look.

“Fuck off, Gunner,” Lucy said.

Scott instantly removed his arm from her shoulder. “You’re married?” He shook his head. “Fucking women—you’re nothing but a bunch of deceiving, lying bitches.”

Lucy gave Scott a good push, causing him to fall toward Jeff and me. We both reached out and grabbed Scott before he fell to the floor.

She threw her hands on her hips and gave Scott a dirty look. “Asshole. You just keep crying over the girl who walked out and left your ass. You probably deserved it.”

I grabbed Scott and made him sit down. “What in the hell are you doing, Scott? You can’t drink or fuck her out of your mind…or heart.”

“Ain’t that the truth? Been there and done that.” Jeff took a drink of his beer.

Scotty McCreery’s “The Trouble with Girls” started playing, and Scott put his head in his hands.

“Perfect-ass song. I can’t take it. I’m going crazy. I have to know where she is! What is she doing? Who is she with? What if she meets someone and falls in love with him? She obviously doesn’t give a fuck about me or anyone else back home.”

Jeff shook his head and put his hand on Scott’s shoulder. “Scott, she’s not going to fall in love with someone else in a little over a month. She told Amanda three weeks, so she’ll probably be here any day.”

Scott started shaking his head. “No, I feel her slipping further and further away. I can’t explain it. I just feel it in my heart. I sure hate my brother and Chelsea right now.”

“You don’t mean that, Scott,” Jeff said as he glanced over toward me.

“I do mean it. It’s because of them that I lost the only girl I’ve ever loved…the only girl I’ll ever love. I hate them both.”

I took a deep breath and pulled out my phone. Ellie had sent me a text, asking how Scott was. She also wanted me to stop and pick up Alex’s birthday cake.

“Scott, let’s get you to my house, so you can sleep this off. Stay with Ellie and me for a few days. You can help me get the house ready for Alex’s first birthday party. How does that sound?”

Scott looked up at me, and the tears in his eyes about gutted me.

I don’t ever want to know how he is feeling right now. My heart was physically hurting for him.

He slowly smiled and nodded. “I can’t believe Little Bear is going to be one. You’re so blessed, Gunner.” Scott snapped his head and looked at Jeff. “Both of you. You’re so damn blessed. Jeff, how is Grace?”

Jeff smiled the biggest smile I’d ever seen. He’d been on cloud nine since Grace was born.

“She’s growing fast. I do believe she’s already got me wrapped around her little finger—just like her mama.”

Scott let out a small chuckle. “Yeah, I bet. Listen, I’m sorry y’all had to come down here and deal with me. I’m not sure how I’m gonna drive home or get my truck back to my house.”

Jeff started laughing. “Dude, I drove. We came here together, you stupid fuckwad.”

“Oh…well, okay. I’m not feeling so well. Maybe I should head home. Bryce is there though, and I don’t really want to see him.”

I stood up and threw some money onto the bar. “Come on, Scott, let’s get you out of here.”

After getting Scott into the truck, I turned to Jeff and shook my head.

“Jesus H. Christ. Gunner, I’m really worried about him. I’ve pretty much been running his breeding business the last few weeks. He also just bought a Thoroughbred, sight unseen, for a small fortune. I’m praying to God that the damn horse is fast and can get him his money back. If Jessie would just fucking check in with someone…I mean, this is destroying him. I’ve never in my life seen anyone just give up like this.”

I looked around the parking lot and then back at Jeff. A part of me was so pissed-off at Jessie for doing this. It was hard to be mad at her because of what she thought she’d seen, but the fact that she’d just up and left with no word to anyone in the last few weeks just wasn’t like her.

“Dude, why are you looking around the parking lot like you’re fixin’ to say something top secret? Do you know where Jessie is?”

“What? No. Shit, I would never do that to Scott. I’ve been thinking though. Do you think she could have met someone?”

Jeff looked down at the ground and kicked a rock before glancing back at me. “I’ve already thought about that. It’s just weird that she would tell Amanda she was only going to be gone for three weeks, and it’s been almost five weeks now. Christmas is in a few days. Is she really not going to come home for Christmas? Or even call her dad? I get that she’s trying to just avoid it all, but this is just insane. If she were my daughter, I’d be losing my goddamn mind.”

I glanced back at Scott in the truck. He was passed out cold.

Turning back to Jeff, I said, “I don’t know, Jeff. I know Jessie has been in love with Scott since high school, and the same goes for his feelings for her. He hurt her so bad in high school though, and I know it was a huge leap of faith for her to trust him not to hurt her again. And now, in her mind, he did. I can’t even begin to imagine how she felt when she walked into that bedroom. I think she panicked more than anything. The only thing she knew to do was run away—just like she had done after high school when she’d left for college and avoided Scott like he was the plague. The only thing we can wish for is that she comes to her damn senses and comes home. I just can’t see Jessie not even calling her dad on Christmas. All we need is for someone to tell her what really happened.”

“Yeah…let’s hope.” Jeff took a deep breath and let it out. “Anyway, Ari wants to know what she can do to help with the birthday party.”

I smiled and shook my head. “Nothing…just bring Luke and Grace and a big appetite ’cause I think Ellie ordered enough food for a small army.”

Jeff smiled and said, “Alright. I’ll talk to ya later.”

“Later, dude,” I said.

Jeff and I each got in our trucks. I glanced over and looked at Scott sleeping. I had a strange feeling that Jessie wouldn’t be coming home next week or letting anyone know where she was anytime soon.

I stood on the back porch and watched as Scott and Gunner made their way toward the barn. Gunner had insisted on building a barn by the house, and now, I was wishing he never had. If we hadn’t built that barn, Scott wouldn’t have fallen asleep in there that night, and Bryce would have found him.

“Ellie, you’re so deep in thought, sweetheart,” Grace said from behind me.

I placed my hand on my stomach and turned to smile at her. “I was just thinking that if we had never built that barn, then…” I shook my head. I couldn’t even finish my sentence.

I took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before slowly letting it out. Everyone would be here soon for Alex’s first birthday party, and I couldn’t help but think that it didn’t feel right, not having Jessie here.

Grace walked up and put her arm around me as she looked out toward Gunner and Scott. “I know, honey, but the barn is not to blame for what happened. Honestly, I’m so shocked Jessie has not gotten in touch with anyone. Drake is about to go crazy with worry. My heart hurts for him and for Scott.”

“I’ve never in my life met anyone like Chelsea. I mean, I thought Rebecca was bad, but this girl makes Rebecca look like an angel. I just can’t believe she lured Jessie over there, and then she was able to talk Bryce into having sex with her, for Pete’s sake.”

Grace let out a small laugh. “Well, Bryce is a man, and sometimes, men make poor decisions because they don’t know how to think with anything but their dicks.”

I snapped my head over and looked at my mother-in-law. “Grace! Oh my god!”

She rolled her eyes and sat down on one of the rockers. “Oh please, I’ve heard you and your friends talk. Just because I’m in my forties doesn’t mean I can’t say the word dick.”

I let out a giggle and put my hand on my stomach as I felt the baby move. She’d been moving for about a week now, and every time she moved, I felt my face blush because I thought back to the night she’d been conceived. I was almost positive I knew which night it had happened. When I’d told Gunner about this, he had laughed at me. He’d said we made love too much to know when she could have been conceived, but I knew. I had known it the moment we were done making love.

“Grace, can I ask you a question?” I asked as I sat down in the rocker next to her.

“Of course you can. You can always ask me anything,” she said with a smile.

I smiled back at her. “Did you ever think that you knew the moment when you’d conceived Gunner?”

She looked out toward Gunner. I slowly followed her gaze, and I couldn’t help but smile. Just the sight of him caused me to catch my breath. I didn’t think it was possible to be so in love with someone or to feel this way after being married for a few years, but with Gunner, I swore that I fell in love with him more and more every day.

I glanced back at Grace and watched as the smile grew on her face. It was followed by a blush of her own.

“Grace, you’re blushing!”

She let out a small laugh and threw her hands up to her cheeks. “Am I?”

I nodded and settled in for a story.

She looked at me and made the cutest face before she started talking. “Well…Jack and I had been fighting. I mean, knock-down fighting. We didn’t talk or see each other for probably almost three weeks.”

“What? Wow. I could never go without seeing Gunner for three weeks. I’d die.”

Grace started laughing. “Trust me, if you were as mad as I was, you might think twice about that.”

I set the baby monitor I had been holding in my hand down on the side table, and then I crossed my legs. “Oh, this sounds good. I wish I had popcorn.”

Grace shook her head. “It started off at a Thanksgiving Day party. One of Jack’s friends invited us over to his parents’ house. Everything was nice—the dinner, the people. It felt like home. It was probably one of the best Thanksgivings we had spent together since being married.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“Jack flirted with his friend’s sister. I mean, he flirted, and she was just as guilty. Oh, I was so mad that I couldn’t even think straight. Listening to the two of them made me sick to my stomach. I asked to talk to Jack outside, and I told him that his flirting was getting out of hand and that he needed to stop.”

I let out a gasp. Jack flirting…in front of Grace? “Jerk! What did he say?”

“Well, he said he wasn’t flirting. He was just having a bit of fun. I told him it was the same thing, and I asked him how he would like it if I did that with his friend. He laughed and told me I was just being jealous. That was the last straw. I gave him a look and said if he did it one more time, I was leaving. He’d also been drinking, and when he drank, he acted like an ass sometimes.”

“Good for you, Grace. Gunner must have inherited that from Jack.” I glanced over right as Gunner threw his head back and laughed at something Scott had said.

Grace grinned and shook her head. “Yes, Gunner does act just like his father when he’s drinking. Anyway, when we walked back in, Jack’s friend’s parents and everyone had started decorating the Christmas tree. I was so excited. You know how much I love Christmas and decorating the tree!”

I rolled my eyes and nodded. Grace loved decorating for Christmas more than anything. When she decorated for Christmas, the little cabin would be so full of white and green lights that it was almost blinding.

Poor Jack. His back has to kill him after hanging all those lights.

“They started playing Christmas music, and my favorite singer ever came on. Nat King Cole was singing “The Christmas Song,” and I looked around for Jack because everyone started dancing. He knew how much I loved that song, and he always danced with me when it would come on. Well, I found him…dancing with her. Gesh…I can’t even remember her name anymore, but he might as well have kicked me in the stomach. He knew how much I loved Nat and that song.”

She started shaking her head. “I called a friend to pick me up a few blocks down from the house, and then I grabbed my coat and purse and left. I stayed with my friend for almost three weeks. So, a part of me understands Jessie’s need to just get away. I mean, what she thinks she saw is ten times worse than what Jack had done.”

“Did you tell Jack where you were?”

She looked at me with a sad face. “No. I didn’t talk to him for two and a half weeks. Nothing. Not a word. My friend had begged me to call him and at least let him know I was okay, but I was so mad at him that I wanted him to worry. I wanted him to think about the idea of losing me.”

I peeked down at the ground. “Wow. I’m not sure if I could ever do that. I mean, I guess if I were mad and hurt enough, I could, but—”

“Oh, believe me, at the time, it made perfect sense to me. Today, I see what a terrible mistake it was. I could have driven him into that tramp’s arms. One time, I drove by our place. I almost died when I saw her standing on the porch, talking with Jack. My heart broke, and I spent three days wondering if she had just stopped by…or maybe she was leaving after they had just had sex. I about drove myself mad before I broke down and called her. I told her to tell me the truth.”

I sat up straighter. “You called her? Look at you, you gutsy bitch. Ari would be so proud!”

Grace giggled. “I guess so.”

“What did the tramp say?”

Grace winked at me and said, “That she had stopped by to see if she could help in any way because she felt guilty. She had liked the attention Jack had given her, and she’d egged on the flirting. She had asked him if she could help with trying to find me.”

“Gasp! What did you say to that?”

“I asked her to please leave my husband alone. Then, I told her that I really hoped when she married the man of her dreams someday, some little bitch would do the same thing to her. I hung up, and then I picked up the phone and called Jack. The moment I said his name, he broke down, crying. My heart had never beat so hard in my chest like it did in that moment. He begged me to come home, and he promised to never hurt me again if I would just come home.”

“Jack cried? Hard-core Jack from the Army?” I raised my eyebrows.

“Yep, that same Jack. I asked my friend to give me a ride home, and when I walked through the door, he pulled me to him and kissed me like I’d never been kissed before.”

Her cheeks were stained a beautiful rose color as the memory must have been coming back to her.

“One thing led to another, and…well…” She looked over at me and smiled a huge smile. “I’d never felt so loved in my life as I did when Jack made love to me that afternoon. Let’s just say that afterward, something told me that we had just made something magical together. Nine months later, Drew was born.”

She felt it, too. I smiled and nodded. “Gunner thinks I’m crazy, but I know when the baby was conceived. I just felt it afterward one night. Everything was just…perfect. It was…”

Grace and I both said, “Magical,” at the same time.

We looked at each other and started laughing.

“Grace, thank you so much for always being here for me. I’ll always appreciate how you treat me like your daughter.”

I watched as Grace’s eyes filled with tears.

“Ellie, you are my daughter, and I love you more than life itself. Thank you for loving my son and for being an amazing wife and mother. I watch you, and you just amaze me.”

My eyes betrayed me as I struggled to keep the tears from falling. We both stood and hugged each other before I heard Alex laughing over the monitor.

Grace hooked my arm with hers and said, “Come on, let’s get the birthday girl ready for her big party.”