Page 69 of Cowboy Don't Go

“Mmmm.” She pulled a finger along the cinnamon-y apple bowl and licked it. “You know, there is a solution to your obsessive dessert baking that would save us all a lot of unnecessary calories.”

“Don’t eat them?” she suggested.

Cami snorted. “As if. No. Go and talk to him.”

Rinsing the dishes, she avoided looking at Cami. “And say what? What’s the point? He probably hates me now. Like all of you do.”

“Nobody hates you. Least of all us. It was a moment, all right? Ry will get over it, and so will Liam. And Mom and Ray will do what they want. It’s you I’m worried about.”

“I’m . . . fine.”

“Uh-huh. Which is why you haven’t left the ranch in days and days. Compulsively cleaning and baking all the things.”

“I’m staying busy, is all . . .”

“Then I guess you haven’t heard that he and Ray have put their ranch on the market and Cooper is planning on going back to Texas.”

Against her will, she gasped. “What? When?”

“Soon, I think. As soon as they can sell it at least.”

She steeled herself against the ragged pain that knifed through her chest. Illogically, she’d somehow hoped that given time, they’d fix this. And maybe he’d even forgive her. But why would he? Why should he?

Because you love him. You’re a mess, but you love him. He must know that.

No, he doesn’t.

“Evan Clulagher admitted to everything. And they’ve finally cleared Ray. Now that his record is going to be expunged,” Cami went on, “he has a brand-new lease on life. And Mom is going to will his cancer into submission if it’s the last thing she does.”

“You know then? About her and Ray? About the past?”

Cami nodded. “Tell me you don’t remember the dozens of times you and I would hear her and Dad fighting, and between us, wished they’d just get a divorce already and be done with it? She deserves happiness. I really hope she gets it with Ray.”

Shay nodded. So did she.

“Also, the wildest thing.” Cami pulled a towel from the drawer and began wiping the clean, damp apple bowl. “The elementary school received an enormous, anonymous donation of almost three-hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars! All, oddly, in cash. And I heard Marietta Hospital’s pediatric wing got one even bigger than that.” She eyed Shay sideways. “No one will ever connect that money to our family. Ever. Y’know—just in case you were wondering if Cooper and Trey Reyes were planning on making off with all of our father’s ill-gotten gains for themselves.”

Speechless, Shay could only stare at the dishes in her hands. She was ashamed to admit that it had, in fact, crossed her mind. Tangled up in her complicated justifications for how she’d accused him of being here to search for it.

“At least it all went somewhere to do some good,” Cami said. “In spite of our father.”

“At least that,” Shay agreed, turning away from Cami so she didn’t see the tears welling in her eyes.

It was too late to fix things with Cooper. She’d lost him. He was leaving for Texas and that would be that.

“What is wrong with you?” Cami asked rather accusingly. “Why can’t you just see how crazy he was for you?”

Surprised by the confronting tone in Cami’s voice, Shay said, “Was being the operative word. And I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I . . . I love him. And I messed it all up.”

“So, tell him.” Cami took her by the arm and forced her to face her. “I’m sorry to be so . . . real with you here, but let’s face it, we only get so many chances in this life. Look at Mom and Ray. Eight years . . . more . . . wasted for him and for them. Who knows what would have happened with just a conversation? Are you really going to stand on principle, out of what? Fear? And you’re going to let him walk out of your life? For God’s sake! What, sweet Shay, are you waiting for?”

Shay was fully blubbering now. “I don’t know! I’m an idiot, okay?”

“You are.” Cami laughed through her own tears and handed Shay her phone. “Do it. And if I’m wrong, you can . . . all eat this delicious smelling apple pie without me while I look on. Tortured and pathetic.”

Shay laughed and took the phone. “You’re crazy. And I love you.”

“Love you, too. If you’ll excuse me now . . .” She got up and left the room.

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