Page 65 of Long Hard Fall

She kept walking.

“Abbi!”

He trotted after her, past her dad and her mom crying on his shoulder, past Ellis. He looked as haggard as the rest of them. Couldn’t he at least look smug, give Cash a reason to hate him?

Cash barged into the house after his girlfriend.

“No.” Abbi didn’t even look over her shoulder as she charged into his bedroom and started throwing her things into her bag. “I’m not your mom and dad. I’m not Hannah. I’m not going to be babied like all the others in your life.”

“This is different. Your brother’s problems were way more serious than any of my family drama.”

She slammed the top closed. “Exactly. The most important thing you should’ve shared with me, and you kept it secret. You didn’t think I could handle it. I refuse to be treated like the rest of your family, and I refuse to be treated like I have been by everyone else in my life.”

“I knew you’d blame yourself for what your brother did. I couldn’t have you do that.”

“You’re not listening!” she yelled. “That’s not your choice. Of course I blame myself. But now I have the truth and I can work on healing.” She waved her hand between them. “But this is broken.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I’m going home.” She hauled her bag up and grabbed her tote and pushed past him out the door.

Outside, her dad waited by the trunk and her mom was already in Ellis’s car with Ellis at the wheel.

Cash followed her all the way to the back of the car. “You’re leaving, just like that? Can’t we talk about this?”

She dropped her luggage and whirled on him. “I gave you plenty of chances to talk. Plenty. I begged. And yet you lied.”

Her dad loaded the bags and went around to open the back door for her.

“I’m sorry. I really am. I didn’t realize how—”

“No, you didn’t, and I think that’s worse. I confided in you, and you ignored how important it was to me.” She closed the distance to the open door and turned to face him. He stood back, his feet anchored to the driveway. “I really fell for you. But I can’t do this if I’m going to just be another person in your life to coddle.”

She handed her car keys to her dad. “I’ll ride with Mom.”

She slid into the backseat with her mother; her dad shut the door. With one last hard look at Cash, he marched to Abbi’s car and got in.

Ellis backed around and drove off. Abbi was collapsed on her mom’s shoulder and they clung to each other. Cash watched them until they disappeared into the night with Abbi’s car trailing behind.

She’d left him. He wanted to call his mom and tell her she’d been right all along. He was no good for anyone.

Chapter 18

Cash swayed with Patsy Cline’s steps. The bitter wind bit his face as he scowled at the line of cattle in front of him. He ducked his head down into the collar of his jacket. Snow was in the forecast for the week and since it was early November, the amounts could vary from a dusting to a full-fledged blizzard despite what the weather reported.

Another horse drew up next to him. Dillon on LeDoux. The two horses nickered at each other.

“I thought you’d look happier. This is the last herd we have to bring in.” Dillon had been a little smarter and wore a stocking hat and heavier gloves than the worn work gloves Cash wore.

“It’ll be nice to get out of the wind.” The tip of his nose had lost feeling an hour ago and his fingers hurt from being cold. Kind of how Cash had felt the last two weeks.

“Haven’t heard from her yet?”

Cash ground his teeth, couldn’t bring himself to shake his head. “She’s a champion at not answering her phone.”

“She’s grieving. Give her time.”

“She said she was done with me.” Some nights, he was tempted to jump in his truck and cruise to Green Bay. But chasing after her hadn’t worked for her ex.

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