Page 39 of In the Dust

I look over to the evil rooster that enjoys waking me up early for no reason. “You too, Dick.” He glares at me. I know damn well this rooster isn’t mean mugging me right now. “Keep it up and you’ll end up on the table, Cluck Norris.”

I add enough feed and water for them to last through the storm.

Done with that.

What next? There’s the horses in this barn and then the small barn over there.

Horses it is.

* * *

“Hey, Pixie girl”I rub her face, resting my head against her. “You’ll always be my girl.”

She seems restless, but I attribute it to the impending storm.

Colty can kiss my ass. It still pisses me off that he tried stealing my horse. Did he really think he could get away with that? I mean, probably. He's too cocky for his own good.

I leave her stall to gather some hay to lay down for her. I go to close her pen when a plaque catches my eye.

How did I not notice this before?

‘Peaches’.

Are you fucking serious right now?

Fuck this storm and fuck the cowboy that rode in on it.

That heavy feeling in my chest is returning. My heart wants to shatter into a million pieces, but I somehow manage to keep my shit together. Maybe it’s because I’m so mad at myself for ever thinking Colton could change. I guess that’s just one of my downfalls, always seeing the best in people, expecting the changes to come but forever waiting on them.

I check my phone once more after scanning the sky.

I have to go.

Where? I don’t know. I’ll let Pixie decide for me.

I grab her bridle, not bothering with her saddle.

We burst through the open barn doors, like how they do in the movies. Cliché, I know.

I pick up speed, Pixie leading the way to a hill that’s off in the distance. There’s something so freeing about riding a horse bareback. It takes great strength and control and that’s exactly what I need right now. Control.

Everything was going well until I let my guard down and allowed myself to dip my toe into the deep end instead wading in the shallows.

Damnit Dixie, why?

I feel a raindrop land on my cheek. Then another.

I lift my hand to my face to wipe away the droplets.

No. That's not rain.

No more tears, Dixie. Not for him.

Once we make it to the hill, I slow Pixie down. We trot up one side and down the other. She continues forward as I lean in laying my head on the back of her neck.

I close my eyes momentarily and I swear I can hear Colton calling my name.

I just can't escape him.

I sit up, looking back to where I just came from, and to my dismay, I see Colton cresting the hill just as the sky opens up and the floodgates open.

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