Page 28 of In the Dust

9

Morning dew adorns the soft blades of grass that glide across my feet as I make my way to the aged swing. It’s hanging from a giant old bur oak tree that sits right in the middle, where both our properties meet.

Almost every night Colton and I would meet here. He would lightly hum one of my favorite songs as we danced in the moonlight, swaying in sync with the Spanish moss as the wind rolled through. It was something straight out of a romance novel.

Young love is blind, though.

Colton shouldn’t be my first thought right now, but he is. I let out a sigh, trying to expel the memories.

I wish I could have stayed in bed with a pounding hangover all day just to have an excuse to not face the world, but before I could even lay my head on the pillow last night, Colton made me drink a Gatorade and eat a sandwich.

I run my hand down the scratchy rope before taking a seat. I push my feet off the ground and lean my head back, welcoming the morning sun that warms my face. This used to be one of my favorite places to think.

The thought of Brad quickly takes over my mind. I’m still in shock about last night. I can’t believe him and Valencia have been hooking up behind my back; it completely blindsided me. Although, I shouldn’t be surprised because she’s always there at his beck and call, but I trusted him.

He was supposed to be the safe option and because of that, I thought he was different. He promised he would never hurt me, yet here we are.

Did I let things with Colton escalate? Yes. But nothing actually happened. We didn’t kiss that night at the bar.

Should I have let things get that far? No. But again, nothing happened … Because Harper interrupted, I have to remind myself.

I shake my head. I’m not the kind of person that cheats on their significant other.

I’m not a heartless bitch, but I am human.

Your first love always holds a special place in your heart. An all-consuming feeling that weaves its roots deep down into your core. At least that’s what I’ve always been told. Who am I kidding? It’s what I feel.

I tried to move on with Brad, and it did work for a while. He helped me through one of the darkest times in my life, and I’ll forever be grateful for that. But the heart wants what it wants, no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise.

I finally admit to myself that I did have love for Brad, I just wasn’t in love with him. I bow my head as a single tear sneaks its way down my cheek, finally accepting that there was always something missing between him and I.

What we had was comfortable, but to put it simply, he wasn’t Colton.

That’s why, deep down, I know it would have never worked out in the end.

My head snaps towards a rustling noise sounding in the distance. I gather my feelings and wipe away the tears. Pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear, I narrow my eyes to see.

It’s him.

Colton.

He’s walking straight for me, his arms swaying back and forth with every step. He’s wearing a simple outfit this morning. A light gray form-fitting t-shirt that accentuates his toned arms and a dark pair of jeans that seem to hug all the right places. It’s all paired with a set of dark brown Ariat boots.

I notice he’s shaped his beard.

He’s so handsome it hurts.

There’s still a large distance between us that makes it feel like he’s walking in slow motion. Like this is my very own Jane Austen moment as he crosses the field. Just the thought causes me to tighten my grip on the ropes I’m holding.

Maybe I should go back to bed. That’s it, I’m just sleep deprived.

As he closes the distance between us, we lock eyes. He begins to smile, which causes me to smirk, stirring the butterflies within me. He lowers his eyes when he finally reaches me, severing the trance we both seemed to be in. The way he looks at me hasn’t changed. It’s as if I’m the most beautiful girl in the world. The only woman in the world.

“Mornin’, Dixie.” He pauses. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay.” It’s my turn to pause. “Thank you for last night.”

“I’ll always have your back. You should never question that. Plus, City Boy needed to be straightened out.” He smiles.

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