Roped by Charles Colleen

Author:Charles, Colleen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-01-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Ashlynn

After my confusing and upsetting conversation with Rachel, my mind just won’t stop racing. All during the rest of my shift at Mountain Perk. All during the drive home to my apartment. I can only think of one thing that could ease my troubled mind. I pull out my phone and fire off a text.

ME: Okay if I come out and take a ride? Need to clear my head.

MOM: Only if you have supper with your family first

Next, I shoot off a text to Jake, just to be sure that Ben won’t be anywhere near the cabin. He verifies that Ben went to Billings with his dad for a steer auction. I breathe a sigh of relief. I can’t wait to soak in the springs and have some alone time to come to grip with my thoughts and feelings over a man I have no right to want.

The gravel crunches underneath my tires as I turn into the long driveway to the sloping one-story ranch house. A wave of memories assaults me. Playing tag with my brother around and around the wrap-around porch. Learning to ride a bike on the driveway. Riding my first pony in tiny circles around the corral. The smell of branding in the spring. Of barbecue in the backyard. Of the steers in the pasture.

Sometimes I wonder why I ever wanted to leave this paradise.

Because you wanted to get away from him and the feelings he sends surging through your body.

I feel like pounding my forehead into the leather-wrapped steering wheel. Instead, I grip it until my knuckles turn white until I glide the sedan to a stop in front of the porch rail. After I get out, I click the doors locked and bound up the stairs. The smell of pot roast and freshly baked bread hits my nostrils and my stomach rumbles.

My mom stands behind the stove, stirring something in a pot, the strings of her old, faded Kiss the Cook apron tied around her plump waist. No matter how much I watch what I eat, I’m still almost as farm-fed as she is, with no hope of changing it. The tendency to gain weight in all the right places is ingrained in my genes.

I hug her from behind and plant a kiss on her cheek. “Smells wonderful. When do we eat?”

She clucks her tongue. “You kids. All you care about is food. Pull up a chair and let’s catch up. Your dad’s riding the fence line, so I would say in about an hour or so. You’re not going to ride out in the dark, are you?”

A wave of nostalgia flows over me, hitting me hard. “No, I thought I would stay the night and get an early start. If that’s okay with you?”

A huge smile splits her face. “Of course, honey. Your room is just like you left it. You’re welcome home any time. Your dad will be so thrilled.”

Before I settle into a stool behind her huge island, I grab a mug and pour some coffee into it along with a healthy dose of sugar.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.