Page 13 of Always Her Cowboy

“Save it. Fine. I accept your half-ass apology for being a dick back there. Let’s not dwell on it. Happy?” She steps around me, and my shoulders slump.

“No,” I call.

“Welcome to the club.” I don’t know this hardened, jaded version of the young woman I used to share everything with. The ice in her voice and the condemnation in the depths of those brown eyes sickens me. There are things I need to set right in my life, and it all starts with Daphne Blume.

THREE

Daphne

Admiring the slow-moving river from the shoreline, I’m flooded with memories from my youth. Camping trips with my best friends and their families were a common way to spend the weekends.

“My mom said you came home because you were dumped on public television. Is that true?” I turn away from the peaceful scene before me and frown at Brax. His bright blue eyes are full of curiosity, and I don’t sense any malice in his open face.

“Well, that was rather rude of her to say and you to repeat,” I respond gently.

“I’m sorry.” He ducks his head. “I thought because of that, you might understand.”

I soften at his words.Ah, now this makes sense.“I might. Why don’t you ask me.”

“What it’s like to lose everything.” His solemn words starkly contrast the laughter coming from Noah and Ethan behind us as they play a round of cornhole over by their tent.

“Is that how you feel?” I ask carefully.

“It’s true. We had to sell our house.”

“That’s hard. When I broke up with James, we had to sell our house and split the money.”

“Just like Mom and Dad?” His almost hopeful tone endears him to me.

“Yes. And it was a long process. I was exhausted by the time the courts were done.”

‘What did they make you do?” Brax leans in to me.

“They made us move out the things we wanted, put it up on the market, and wait until it sold.”

“Where you sad?” he whispers.

“Very. We picked that house together. It took us months to find it, and we worked hard to get it just the way we wanted.”We planned to raise our children in that home.Shying away from the painful thought, I keep things as light as possible.

“Did the courts make you do things you didn’t like?” I ask, keeping my tone neutral as I meet his gaze to show him I’m engaged.

“Yes, they make me stay with Mom and Uncle Chaze.” His small shoulders slump. “I don’t like doing that.”

“Oh. Are they mean to you?” I prod him gently, seeking more information.

He wrinkles his nose. “No. Uncle Chaze keeps trying to act like my best friend, and he’s not.”

“Why do you think that?” I ask.

His tiny hands ball into fists. “Because he broke up my family. What kind of friend does that?” His face twists with anger. “My parents think I don’t know what happened, but I do. My mother broke her vows, and Uncle Chaze was a bad friend to Dad. I’d never do something like that to Noah or Ethan, and he and Dad were friends for way longer. How could he do that?” His voice grows strained. “I loved him and trusted him. How can I do that now?”

“I don’t know, Brax,” I answer honestly. “Adults are still learning too. We know more than you, sure, but not everything. No one’s perfect, and people make mistakes.”

He bites his lip. “Why do I have to suffer for it.”

I gasp at the pain radiating from him. “Have you talked to your father about how you feel?”

“I tried. Dad says he has to follow the rules they set up.”

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