Page 103 of Hold Me Until Morning

He kept right on like he wasn’t hearing me. “Times get rough, Hailey. That’s all this is—a rough patch. And it’s time you pick yourself up and fight through your problems the way I taught you to do when you were young. Stand by your commitments.”

Hurt impaled my chest, and a harsh breath heaved from my lungs.

Taking the horse by the reins, I moved to the gate and opened it.

My father still rested right there beside it, concern deepening every line on his face. “I am fighting, Dad. I’m fighting for the life I want,” I told him.

I saw the war go down in his spirit.

He wanted to support me, all while remaining staunch in what he believed to be right for me.

When my mother had died in a car accident when I was young, he’d been crushed.

Devastated that he couldn’t give me the perfect life that they’d imagined.

Somewhere along the way, he’d turned to hoping for that perfect life for me.

“I think you need to hear Pruitt out,” he pushed.

“He’s said everything he needs to say.” With that, I tugged at the reins, and I turned my back to him as I led the filly around the side of the stables to the entry at the far end.

A power tool whirred up the way, carried on the breeze, the sun blazing down from the endless expanse of blue sky and covering the scenery with glittering light.

My heart that had been pounding with regret and anger sped in a completely different way.

I slowed, stumbling to a stop.

Unable to look away.

Cody stood over his crew who were digging a long trench to put in a new watering system, and he pulled the cap off his head and dragged his fingers through his hair as he pointed at something and gave instructions.

Even in the distance, I could see the sheen of sweat that glistened his golden skin, his white tee dampened with the exertion. His big body towered like a sanctuary I had the foolish notion to run to.

He must have felt me staring because he shifted to look back at me.

His promises from earlier pummeled and bashed into my consciousness, battering in the sweetest way.

His oath to be there for us. To stand as a hedge of protection.

I kept worrying that would only make matters worse.

Inflame a situation that was already volatile.

At the brink of imploding.

The presence bristled beside me, and I turned to find my father glowering with loathing, hatred rolling.

Wave after wave.

“Please tell me you aren’t acting a fool and messing around with that loser.” His teeth gritted as he released the words.

Arrows of affliction speared through my spirit.

I struggled to get a breath of air in around the barbs of pain my father inflicted.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

Horror creasing his face, he grabbed me by the wrist as I went to pass. “Tell me you wouldn’t do something so reckless and stupid.”

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