Page 38 of Love in the Wild

Hadley and Cheyenne moved to the sofa by the window and got comfortable. “Tell me about it. I need to think about something else for the rest of the day or I’ll start worrying again. How are things going with Ridge?”

Cheyenne’s gorgeous smile lit up her face. “Great. He’s been so supportive with all the stuff going on with Mom. He’s not complaining about wedding planning, which I think is a major win. We’re getting things ready for the youth program to start back up soon.”

It was great to see Cheyenne happy and loving life. As the older sibling, most of the burdens fell to her after their mom’s stroke.

Cheyenne bumped Hadley’s elbow. “What’s up with you? You disappeared after church.”

A few people on the ranch had come together to have a church service at Hadley’s house this morning, since Thea was hiding out at the ranch. It was good to see her getting to fellowship when she’d been missing her church family since she’d come back to Blackwater.

“Thea needed me to do something,” Hadley said. She’d agreed not to tell anyone else she was meeting with Gage, and withholding the truth from her sister had a heavy weight sitting on her shoulders.

“What’s it like having a roommate again?”

“Well, I miss having you and Mom around all the time, and I was getting lonely. I like Thea a lot, and it’s been great having someone to hang out with. She doesn’t deserve all the bad things that are happening to her.”

“Life isn’t about what we deserve.”

“I know, but I hate seeing her struggling. Thank goodness she had Brett.”

Cheyenne clasped her hands at her chest. “He’s so sweet to her. I love watching them together. It’s clear he loves her.”

“I think she loves him too. I just don’t see how things can work out between them.”

“Love finds a way,” Cheyenne said.

“I think the line from Jurassic Park is ‘life finds a way.’”

“Love finds a way too. If you’d told me I’d be marrying Ridge Cooper just nine months ago, I’d have laughed in your face. Things shouldn’t have worked out between us, especially after I betrayed him. But look at us now. I can’t imagine my life without him.”

Hadley looked at her hands in her lap. She couldn’t tell Cheyenne or anyone about her unwanted feelings for Gage. She barely knew him, but what she did know placed them on opposite sides of every line. Brett didn’t trust Gage yet, and Thea wasn’t sure about her brother either.

Gage didn’t come with good references. He had a rap sheet, not a stable retirement plan.

A few hours later, Dr. Estes came by to give Hadley and Cheyenne an update on the procedure. They were able to safely remove the blood clot, but it would take every bit of Hadley’s willpower to push away thoughts about what could have happened to her mom if the doctor and nurses hadn’t taken care of the clot when they did.

It was full dark before Hadley started on her way home with Cheyenne leading the way back to the ranch. The whole day had been a series of highs and lows that had Hadley fighting off yawns on the long drive.

Hadley parked in front of the cabin a little after nine, but there was no sign of Brett. He’d been sleeping on the couch so Thea and Hadley would feel a little safer, and he usually tried to spend his time hanging out with Thea if possible.

Inside, Thea was washing dishes at the kitchen sink with her booted leg resting on a chair beside her.

The sight of Thea with her leg stuck straight out sent Hadley into a laughing fit. “What are you doing?”

“Dishes. I can’t sit anymore, but my foot swells every time I stand up.”

“Then maybe that’s the Lord’s way of saying you can sit down.”

Thea tossed the dish rag onto the counter and grunted. “I need something to do. I’m bored to tears.”

Hadley picked up the dish towel and gestured for Thea to sit. “I’m sorry. I know it’s frustrating. I just want your recovery to go well.”

“It doesn’t help that Brett and I had an argument today. I don’t know if he’s coming tonight.”

“I’m sure he will. Whatever it is, I think the two of you can work it out.”

Thea rested her head on the table. “I don’t think so. Actually, I don’t know if we should even be trying to work it out. This won’t ever end well.”

Hadley started scrubbing the pan in the soapy water. “I’m not saying I know everything, but there are good men and bad men. Brett is one of the good ones, and he wants to protect you.”

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