Page 45 of Return of the Rancher

When she mounted the agreeable mare, she exhaled, determined not to think about Farris once this afternoon.

Unfortunately, everything about the ranch recalled her ex-husband’s presence. Aspenglow bore his stamp in each fence post and blade of grass.

She tried anyway.

Gradually, the crisp air and striking scenery calmed her spirit.

Thoughts spun through her brain and disappeared like wisps of clouds. She let them go, knowing that this time away from the ranch house was a buffer she desperately needed. Farris had commandeered even her dreams.

That had to stop.

Self-reflection was a bitch. She was forced to admit to herself that she had been spinning a narrative where Farris discovered he couldn’t live without her. It was a dangerous fiction.

He had spoken truth. When India described their relationship as two lonely adults looking for comfort, Farris had agreed.

What was the worst that could happen if India demanded an explanation for the cold war five years ago? In the first place, Dottie might inadvertently get caught in the cross fire. That would be bad. But India could take precautions. Secondly, Farris might stonewall India. That would make her furious. She would have no recourse but to leave and abandon Dottie. Not a good outcome. And last of all, there was the remote possibility that Farris might finally tell India the truth.

Thinking about that made her both hopeful and terrified. Did she really want to know? After all this time?

Maybe deep down, she didn’t.

But like nasty medicine, discovering the truth about her disastrous marriage was the only thing that would set her free.

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