“Well, don’t be a stranger,” Triss said, drawing her sister in for a hug. “You’re always welcome back. Though, I’m sure your new job as a big city real estate agent selling condos to billionaires is going to be super demanding. Don’t forget about us little people when you get your own Netflix special, okay?”

Mieka laughed. “Forget about the little people? Never.”

The two held onto each other for several heartbeats and although Nate couldn’t hear what was being said, he knew they were whispering to each other.

Eventually, the sisters broke away from each other, then Mieka hugged Asher and thanked him for everything.

The moment was debilitating. Nate’s palms grew sweaty, his pulse thundered and his gut spun until he thought he might puke. Was she going to hug him? How would they say goodbye? She hadn’t even given him an opportunity to apologize. She’d avoided him like he had leprosy and the two hadn’t been alone or spent more than thirty seconds in the same space since that night in the field. Mind you, he’d also been a bit of a coward and not sought her out, to create an opportunity to apologize.

Asher let go of Mieka and she stepped out of his embrace then lifted her head and fixed her gaze on Nate. Her smile conveyed her hurt, and the glimmer that was usually in her gold-flecked brown eyes was missing. All he saw in those eyes was pain, a pain he felt in his bones. A pain he’d caused.

“Don’t work too hard, Cowboy,” Mieka said, stepping forward and giving him an uncomfortable, stiff hug.

He pulled in a deep inhale, drawing the scent of her coconut shampoo all the way down to his toes as he ached to wrap his arms around her, press their bodies together and never let her go.

“Rancher,” Asher murmured beside him.

Nate swallowed as she pulled away from him well before he was ready. She didn’t meet his gaze even though that’s all he wanted was to look her in the eyes and apologize.

“Well, I best be off. New life to start and all of that,” Mieka said with a forced laugh as she let the cab driver take her suitcase and put it in the trunk. “Thanks for everything, guys. I really appreciate you letting me crash and helping me put the pieces of my life back together.” She was still avoiding his eyes, but he could see the shimmer of unshed tears threatening to breach. Sniffing and smiling, she waved at Triss and Asher, avoided looking in Nate’s direction, then spun around and climbed into the back seat of the taxi.

Bruno trotted after her and tried to climb into the cab. Mieka choked out a sob. “No, Bruno, I’m sorry. You can’t come, sweetheart.” She gently pushed him away, but he jumped right back up, putting his paws on her thighs.

“No dogs in the car,” the cab driver said.

“I know,” Mieka said. “I’m trying.” She was crying now, trying to close the door, but Bruno was whimpering and scratching, jumping and barking. He didn’t understand why she was leaving him. Watching him suffer, watching both of them suffer, was complete torture.

“Come on, Bruno,” Asher said, stepping forward and grabbing Bruno by the collar. “We need to let her go. You’ll see her again soon.” He tried to tug Bruno out of the way so Mieka could close the door, but the dog dug in his heels and turned to snarl at Asher, shocking all of them.

Eventually, Asher managed, though, and Mieka closed the door. The taxi pulled out of the yard and rumbled down the laneway toward the main road as Bruno whimpered and barked in frustration and confusion.

“That was awful to watch,” Triss murmured.

Asher was still holding Bruno, who was trying his hardest to break free and chase after the cab.

“You’re an idiot,” Asher said, turning to face his brother, after he tucked an angry and wriggling Bruno under his arm. “Even Bruno thinks so.”

“I know,” Nate said, his throat tight and full of rusty horse hoof nails as he watched the taxi turn off the property and onto the main road, then eventually out of sight. “I know.”

Chapter Twenty

Her tears were big, fat blobs that made everything appear blurry as Mieka stared out the window of the cab, leaving the ranch and everything and everyone behind.

Bruno’s whimpers still echoed in her mind. Saying goodbye to the dog and having to push him out of the cab was more painful than breaking her arm. Add in the look of agony in Nate’s eyes, and the throbbing ache in her chest as she stiffly hugged him, and she’d gladly break every bone in her body than go through something like that again.

The further away from the ranch they drove, the more intense the pain grew. And the tears only fell faster and harder, until she was no longer suffering in silence, but sobbing and sniffling more than she had when the dance company said they weren’t renewing her contract.

“Are you all right, ma’am?” the cab driver asked, his gravelly voice barely breaking through the din of her sadness.

Swallowing past a golf ball sized lump in her throat, Mieka nodded. “Mhmm. I’ll be fine.”

They continued to drive, and the tears continued to fall. They weren’t that far from the ranch, but far enough that when a goat appeared in the ditch on the side of the road it made her gasp.

“Hold on!” Mieka said, lurching forward in her seat and gripping the back of the seat in front of her.

“Did you forget something?” the driver asked.

“Pull over, please. I know that goat. That’s Fumble.”