Page 25 of Roping Reba

Her voice was low, but I still glanced over to Jax. I didn’t want him to see us argue. Small arguments and me giving her a hard time was one thing, but this felt different. Much more serious than anything we had experienced before. I gave her a nod and let her walk out the front door. Closing it softly behind her.

“Papa, isn’t Ms. Reba going to watch the movie?”

“Yeah, bud. She’ll be back soon. She just wants to clean up out back first.”

“I messed her day up, didn’t I?” his disappointed voice cut through me just as bad as the fear in Reba’s eyes.

“No, Jax, you didn’t mess anything up.”

“Do you think she’ll let me work with her and the horses again tomorrow?”

“Probably. She loves having you with her, you know that.”

“But not when I get hurt.”

“We are ranch men, remember? We get hurt. That’s just how it is. Reba knows that. She’s seen me get bucked off a ton of bulls and now she’s seen you get hurt for the first time. It won’t be the last and she knows that. She just needs a minute to clean up and she will be back.”

The movie started, and I caught myself staring at my phone, watching the minutes go by, hoping for a text or a call. Some inclination that she hadn’t just run off and left us. She could, there was no question about that. The guest house had been empty for days, but she was still here. Truth was, she could even leave the ranch if she wanted. She could head back to Rawhide to get the rest of her things and head off to her next job. She didn’t need us in the same way we needed her, and that reality was setting in.

About forty minutes later, the front door opened. Jax was so mesmerized by the movie he didn’t even notice. She looked over at me as she passed through the living room. Her face was flushed, as if she had been crying and her hair had come loose from the braid it was in. I desperately wanted to go to her, but I didn’t want to worry Jax.

When the movie finally finished, he headed off to his room to shower, and I went to check on Reba.

“Knock, knock?” I said as I pushed open her semi-closed door.

“Is the movie over?” she asked as I walked in and froze at the sight of her packing one of her suitcases.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting ready to leave.”

“When are you planning to do that?”

“In the morning, time to move on.”

“So just like that, you are going to give up?”

“Give up? Johnny, today just proved what I already knew. I don’t belong here. You and Jax, you’re better off without me. I’m getting in the way of your normal lives.”

I let out a sharp breath, dragging a hand through my hair. “You really believe that?”

She folded her arms tightly across her chest. “I can’t stand the thought of something happening to him and me not knowing what to do. I panicked, Johnny. I froze. That’s not what he needs.”

I stepped closer, keeping my voice firm but gentle. “You didn’t freeze. You were right there with him. You were scared, but that’s because you care.”

She shook her head, looking away. “I shouldn’t be this scared. I shouldn’t feel this much.”

I reached for her hand, threading my fingers through hers. “Why shouldn’t you? Because it makes it harder to leave? He would be devastated. So would I.”

Her breath caught, and I knew I’d hit a nerve.

I reached a hand out for her. “Reba, Jax loves you. You make him feel safe and you love him too. That’s not something you can fake.”

Tears welled in her eyes, and she tried to pull away, but I held firm. “Stay.”

She swallowed hard. “I don’t know how.”

I cupped her face, my thumb brushing away a tear. “Then let us show you.”

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