Kissed by a Cowboy

Author:Lacy Williams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: friendship, family, cowboy, contemporary romance, inspirational romance, christian fiction, western romance, oklahoma fiction
Publisher: Lacy Williams

Chapter Four

Several days after Olivia's birthday, Haley awoke feeling somehow...off, but she couldn't pinpoint why.

It wasn't until she was driving home after picking up some prescriptions for Aunt Matilda that she realized what day it was. The anniversary of the car accident that had killed Katie.

She was coasting past the small town cemetery when she saw a lone, small figure, huddled into herself. Livy.

Grief and hot disappointment surged through her.

Haley parked around the side, not wanting to interrupt the girl.

How could she have almost forgotten such an important day? And where were Livy's uncles?

She had her phone in her hand and dialed before she could talk herself out of it. It really wasn't her business. But she cared about Livy, too.

Maddox picked up on the first ring. "Haley?"

She should've held her tongue, but the words burst out before she could even think.

"How could you leave her alone today? Even if you couldn't bring her—"

"Olivia—?"

"Did she ride her bike to town again? I would've picked her up—"

"Haley—"

"She's at the cemetery, Maddox. By herself. Where are you?"

Her voice broke as she remembered standing alone at her mother's grave in a St. Louis cemetery, saying goodbye the day before Haley's father moved them across the country.

There was a long pause, as if he were waiting to see if she was really done railing at him.

Then, a quiet. "I'm here."

She scanned the area and saw his truck parked on the opposite side of the fence.

He lifted his hand from the steering wheel in a brief wave.

"She said she wanted to go alone."

The enormity of what she'd done crashed down on Haley. Not only had she ranted at him when he was most likely grieving too, but she'd accused him of neglecting Olivia again, this time when he didn't deserve it.

She squeezed her eyes closed, the hand that wasn't holding her phone squeezing on the steering wheel.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

#

When Haley pulled around and parked beside his truck, Maddox wasn't surprised.

She was something of a pit bull beneath that friendly, smiling exterior.

He was starting to like it.

It made his voice gruff when she popped his door open.

She just looked at him for a long moment, silent and assessing.

"You okay?" Her soft-spoken question hit harder than he wanted to let on.

He looked out over the wrist he'd rested on the dash, squinting a little.

Then she shocked him by taking his other hand. Picked it right up off of his thigh, mashing it between both of her smaller, cool hands. Touching him again. Comforting him.

"I'm fine," he said.

But he wasn't. Not really. He'd spent all morning tiptoeing around Justin, who'd been more of a grump than usual.

His brother hadn't talked about the giant elephant in the room, their shared loss. So Maddox hadn't either.

Maddox's chest expanded, and he breathed out harshly.

But he didn't have time for more than that, because she was pulling him out of the truck. "What—?"

"Even if Livy told you she wanted to be alone, that's not what she needs."

He dug in his heels, unease bucking like an unbroken bronco.

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