Page 61 of Wounded Cowboy
Chapter 16
Necessary Sacrifices
After dinner, Kelsey accompanied Spring and his daughters to his home.
Spring was still quiet and withdrawn in the aftermath of his panic attack, and the atmosphere between them was heavy with unspoken tension, making the short walk from the ranch house feel much longer than it actually was.
Once inside, Kelsey and Spring wordlessly set about their routine, working together to put the girls to bed.
“I’ll be reading your bedtime story tonight,” Kelsey said, forcing a smile as she entered Abby’s bedroom.
“Yay!” Abby clapped her hands, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
“Do you want me to read you the usual?” asked Kelsey.
Abby nodded. Kelsey went over to the bookshelf and pulled out the battered copy ofThere’s No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System.
Kelsey tried to focus as she read the familiar verses out loud, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Spring and the strange events of that evening.
Meanwhile, Spring dutifully went to April’s bedroom. After a few minutes of low-voiced conversation between him and his daughter, Kelsey heard his deep voice began reading the next part ofRise and Fall of the Dinosaurs.
When Kelsey had finished reading and tucked Abby in with a wish for sweet dreams, she made her way into the living room.
As Kelsey waited for Spring to finish reading to April, she sank into the couch, still mulling over what had happened at dinner. Kelsey couldn’t shake the image of Spring’s chalky face when Abigail asked her to reconsider leaving the ranch.
It had been so long since his last panic attack, and Kelsey couldn’t help wondering why Abigail mentioning the move to L.A. had triggered him. It wasn’t like Spring wasn’t aware of when her contract ended. And she’d frequently mentioned her plans to move to Los Angeles.
So, maybe something else was responsible? And Abigail’s question just came at the wrong moment?
Lost in thought, Kelsey barely noticed when Spring emerged from April’s bedroom and came to sit next to her on the couch.
Their eyes met, and Kelsey couldn’t help but blurt out her concerns.
“Spring, what’s going on? What happened at dinner?”
He hesitated for a moment before responding,“Nothing. And I’m fine, just tired.”
A full-blown panic attack at a family dinner wasn’tnothing.
Kelsey wondered whether she should accept his evasion. Then she shrugged internally.Let it go.He’s an adult, and I don’t want to pester him if he doesn’t want to talk about it.
But she couldn’t shake the conviction that Spring’s feelings toward her had changed, just as her own had shifted towards him.
But if that’s true, why hasn’t he said anything?She bit her lip.It’s probably for the best,she told herself for the hundredth time this week.Because if it turns out Spring’s caught feelings for me the way I’ve caught feelings for him, then I’ll never leave Montana. Never go to L.A.
And yet, the thought of leaving the warmth and love she’d found in this small town—and with Spring and his girls—felt like abandoning a piece of her heart.
“Sometimes,” Kelsey said, the words escaping her before she could stop herself,“I wonder if I’m doing the right thing by leaving.”
She wasn’texactlyhoping that Spring would beg her stay. But it would be nice to know that he felt something for her beyond just a friendship with benefits.
Spring’s eyes softened with understanding.“Yeah, change is scary, Kelsey. But sometimes, it’s worth taking the leap.”
Good advice, but not what I wanted to hear. She fought to conceal her disappointment.
Spring finally smiled at her, and the tenderness in his expression made her heart squeeze. Then he leaned forward, cradling Kelsey’s face in his hands. His sudden closeness sent her pulse racing. She held her breath as he closed the gap between them and pressed his lips against hers.
Kelsey welcomed his searing kiss, melting into Spring’s embrace and allowing herself to get lost in the moment. It felt as if all the confusion and uncertainty that had plagued her since dinner had evaporated, replaced by the sweet certainty of their connection.
