Page 71 of Colt

“Chelsea, I think it’s best if I leave.” He held his hand up when she opened her mouth to speak. “I know the men find it difficult to work with me now, and I can’t blame them. People want a boss they can trust, and if I’m breaking the rules, how can they do that?”

“But, if you quit, you can stay.” Chelsea stared at him with tears in her eyes.

“And do what? I’d want to work, but I know the men are…” He waved his hand. “Pissed, angry, and disappointed in me. They’re not going to want to work around me.”

“They’d get over it.”

Colt blew out a humorless laugh. “No, they won’t. When you work on a ranch together, you become a family. A very close family. There has to be trust and there’s not any now. At least, not for me. Those men count on each other every day. I lied to them. I know it doesn’t seem like much to you, but it does to me.”

“They’d still count on you, Colt.”

“Would they? Look, Chelsea, it doesn’t take long for trust to be broken and it’s even harder to get it back. I know they have lost that trust in me, so how do you expect them to just get over it?”

“So, you’re going to leave me?”

“I think it’s best.”

“I’m not talking about the ranch, Colt. I’m talking about me. You’re going to leave me.”

Colt sighed, raked his fingers through his hair, and placed his hat on his head.

“I need to get back to work. Friday will be my last day as planned.” He turned to open the door, and glanced back over his shoulder. “Jett would make a great manager.” He stepped onto the porch, and without looking at her again, he closed the door, jogged down the steps, and entered the barn.

Chapter Ten

Two weeks passed since Colt had left the ranch and Chelsea missed him so much. She tried to call him, but he didn’t answer, so she sent a text, which he ignored. She cried all the time. She rarely left the house because she was afraid, she’d see him somewhere.

“And just where did you go, Colton Monroe?” she murmured.

She tried to find out but no one seemed to know or if they did, they weren’t talking. Knowing Colt, he told them not to mention it if they did know where he was. God! Her heart was breaking and she wondered if it would ever mend.

She decided to get out of the house and visit her parents. She had to get out and away from the ranch for a while.

As she drove toward their place, she had to keep wiping tears from her face. It seemed like that was all she did. She missed him so much and she wondered if she ever crossed his mind. She loved him and even her divorce from Ron never hurt like this did.

Pulling up beside the porch, she stepped from her vehicle, walked up the steps, and was about to knock when the door opened and her dad stood there staring at her. He pulled her into his arms.

“Daddy,” she choked.

“Come inside, baby girl.” He led her inside and to the living room, where she saw her mother get up from the sofa.

“Oh, Chelsea, come sit down. I’m so sorry you’re hurting.”

“I miss him, Mom.”

“I know, honey. Let me get you some tea.”

“Mom, tea isn’t going to cure this.” Chelsea smiled.

“It can’t hurt.”

Chelsea watched her mother leave the room, and knew it would do no good to refuse the tea. It was her mother’s cure-all. It didn’t matter what you were going through, Sylvia Hawkins thought it was the best thing for you.

“Have you heard from him?” her father asked.

“No. I won’t either. I don’t understand why he can’t see me if he no longer works for me.”

“Give him time. We men are a little stubborn at times.”

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