Page 71 of Trusting a Cowgirl

All his thoughts from his latest encounter were attacking him like a swarm of hornets. They dove at him, stung him until his confidence had been torn in two, leaving him raw.

Grace hadn’t defended him. She hadn’t been willing to see what he saw, no matter what he’d said to her. On top of that, she continued to push him down whenever he clawed himself to his feet by telling him he was still struggling.

He wasn’t struggling.

Everyone had bad days and good days. He might have a different way of dealing with things, but he was doing better than most.

Granted, he hadn’t been sleeping well. And his drunken misconduct hadn’t been one of his finer moments, but he was fine.

Fine.

Boy, that word was beginning to sound strange even in his head. It was like it had become this foreign substance that didn’t exist in this dimension.

Angrily, he tore his helmet from his head and dropped it to the ground before storming into his cabin. Every nerve, every fiber of his being itched with indignation.

He’d seen it in the way her father looked at him first. The man didn’t have to utter a single word. It was clear Riley wasn’t good enough for his daughter, and he never would be. And Grace had probably been influenced by him. That was likely the reason they didn’t have a shot at a lasting relationship.

He should have known better than to allow himself to fall for a girl like her. She only saw the damage. She would never forget the things he’d said or the way he acted around her family.

The whole situation ripped through him, and he snapped. Riley ducked down, swiping everything from the coffee table onto the floor before he upended it. Wood cracked, splintering with the force of the momentum.

He stared at the mess, his shoulders heaving. Then all at once, the fire left him. He crumpled to the floor and leaned against the couch. His face rested on his knees and he let out a sob. The weight of everything pressed down on him. His most recent tour. Grace. Her father. All of it culminated in a stew of pure defeat.

The words he’d spewed at Zeke bounced around in his head, mocking him. He wasn’t a hero. He didn’t do what he should have done when he’d had the opportunity to make a change. He wasn’t good enough for Grace.

The best thing he could do for her right now was to distance himself from her. They both needed to cut ties before everything became ten times worse.

Riley sat in that position, letting out all his anguish until he fell asleep. By morning, his body ached, but his mind and soul were numb. He knew what he had to do, and he wasn’t ready for it.

He got to his feet and looked at the mess he’d made. It could have been so much worse. He’d have to survey the damage before he left. Chances were high he’d be replacing that coffee table. But that didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore except to get his sessions done and leave this place.

* * *

“You’re kidding.”Shane peered at Riley from across his desk. “Not even a few weeks ago, you were insistent that Grace was the key to your successful therapy sessions. Now, you don’t want her there at all?”

“That’s correct,” Riley muttered.

“Obviously, I need to know why. Has something happened between the two of you? Was she inappropriate? Has she broken any confidentiality agreements—”

“No. She hasn’t done anything wrong. We’re just… not dating anymore.”

Understanding immediately filled Shane’s face. Followed by a hint of pity.

Riley stood to his feet abruptly and turned away. He paced a few steps, then stopped. “I don’t want to discuss this. I don’t want you to fire her. Find someone else for her to help or… I don’t know. You probably have other jobs around here she’s suited for. I just don’t want her in my sessions anymore.” He waited for an argument—any response, really. Shane didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would just let this sit. He’d already intervened too much with all the advice he’d felt obligated to shove down Riley’s throat.

But Shane didn’t say a word.

He turned to face Shane. “You won’t fire her, will you?”

Shane had his steepled fingers to his lips, and the only thing that moved on his face was his brows and his eyes as they shifted toward Riley. “I’m sure I can figure something out. You will complete your sessions with your current therapist?”

“Sure. Whatever.”

Shane dropped his hands and nodded. “Okay. You’re running late for your group session.”

That was it? No lecture? Nothing about the fact he was making the worst mistake of his life? He should be grateful. As it was, he didn’t know if he was strong enough to stand his ground when it came to Grace. Not having to see her again would make things so much easier.

* * *

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