Page 6 of Tempting Promises
All thanks to the asshole whose farm butts up to mine.
“Wow, that sounds so fun.”
“Are you doing anything tonight?”
I sigh, hating the answer. “Does nursing a newborn calf sound fun?”
I can only imagine Aurora’s face at that. “Not even a little.”
“You’re sure you don’t want to come home and visit? Help out a bit?”
She goes silent and I know what’s coming. “You know that’s not a good idea.”
My sister is a lot of things, beautiful, funny, smart, and a great cook, but brave is not one. If Rowan Whitlock had humiliated me like he did her, I would’ve kicked him in the balls. I wouldn’t have just cried to my friends and family. Hell no. He would’ve been the one in tears.
No matter how many pep talks and solidarity sister speeches I gave, she just thought it was best to leave town.
So, she sold her land to me, and left for a better life.
Which left me in debt.
“You’re happy now, Aurora. You have a great job and an amazing boyfriend, but you really can’t handle coming home for just a few days?”
“No, I can’t. You don’t get it, Char, I saw him with her. I was there and it wasn’t just my heart he broke, it was my spirit too.”
I love my sister, I really do, but dear God, is she dramatic. “He didn’t break your spirit! Look at you now. I really hate him and hate the power you give him.”
“I wish I was like you, but I’m not. I blame it on my daddy issues.” She laughs at the end, and I do as well.
“I have them too.”
She acts as though she’s the only one who lost her parents. I was there when he died too. I’ve felt the pain of being an orphan, but that doesn’t mean I use that as an excuse for every bad decision I make.
“Not nearly as bad as me.” She’s not wrong there. “Although, maybe you have them bad but in another way. When is the last time you had a date?”
I can’t go back that far. “I don’t need dates. I need to work.”
And to save the farm.
“Granny would want you to be happy, not to work yourself old and lonely.” I open my mouth to tell her that Granny would also want me to save the farm. I swear, it’s there, on the tip of my tongue, but she gasps and then squeals. “I have to go, that’s Ryan.”
Right. “Have fun. I love you.”
“I love you too. Come see me this weekend. I know you’re busy, but you can take a day or two. I think you’d fall in love with New York, Char. It’s...a world of its own and one far better than cow pastures.”
I say the exact thing I say each time she tries to convince me of this. “I’ll think about it.”
“Yeah, yeah. Love you.”
And with that, my sister is off to live her life, and I’m trying to figure out how to save mine.
“Why won’t you come with us, Charlotte?” my best friend Faye says as she rifles through my closet for a shirt.
“I don’t want to go this time.”
Which is a lie. It’s more that I can’t afford to go.
“You love the mountain cabin.”
