Page 66 of Some Cowboys are Off-Limits

His hands tightened on the handle of the landscape rake, and he all but attacked the hardened dirt he’d been trying to loosen to pull some stubborn weeds. He didn’t need a relationship. He needed to get his head on straight and make sure he would be able to provide for his future family.

Scarlett could do what she wanted for all he cared. They both had their freedom.

24

Scarlett

“Ican’t believe he’d do this!” Scarlett threw the documents on the kitchen table as Annabel followed her into the room. “He was literally going to just keep going along with this plan and hope that I wouldn’t find out. What a… a…jerk!”

Annabel was unusually quiet where she stood by the doorway. Ever since she’d sobered up, she’d been acting strange—like she was embarrassed over the whole fiasco.

Scarlett couldn’t blame her. The situation had been tough. But what hurt her the most was realizing that Annabel hadn’t trusted her enough to tell her about her struggles with alcohol. Scarlett glanced up to make sure Annabel hadn’t slipped out of the room without detection. She was still there, always watching, possibly judging.

Neither one of them had thought Elijah would be capable of doing something like this. It was like Annabel had mentioned several times before. Elijah was one of the better ones.

It was unlike him to be so selfish and not at least tell someone what was going on. He was so good at being frank.

Scarlett sighed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be talking about him like this.”

“I get it,” Annabel said quietly. “I really do. You loved him.”

Her sharp gaze cut to Annabel, wide with surprise. “I never…”

Annabel moved into the room, hugging herself. Her hands rubbed her arms up and down and she let out a soft laugh. “It was written all over your face. I can’t believe I didn’t see it earlier. Like that day when I got you to agree to going on a date with me and Derek.” She made a face. “I can’t believe you let me talk you into it! Elijah must have been livid.”

“Yeah,” Scarlett murmured. “That wasn’t a great conversation.” Her heart stumbled. That conversation had been tough to begin with, but in the end it had been the one where they’d admitted they loved each other. It felt like such a lifetime ago.

Hot tears sliced down her face and she sucked in sharply as she brushed at them with the heel of her hand. “I can’t believe I’m crying over him. Anger I get. He betrayed me. But sadness? He’s not worth my tears.”

Annabel touched her arm, drawing her focus again. “I know it didn’t seem like I was being honest, but when I told you to go for it… back at the restaurant… I meant it.” The genuine tone of her voice took Scarlett off guard.

“But… you were…” She flushed, unsure if it would do more harm than good to bring up the drinking.

“Getting drunk?” Annabel looked away. “Yeah, I didn’t take it really well, did I?” She brought her thumbnail to her teeth and chewed on it, twisting it back and forth. “Honestly? I was a little hurt, but mostly because you didn’t tell me right at the start.” Annabel peeked at her. “It’s stupid, I know.”

“No, it’s not.” Scarlett reached for her friend’s hand. “We’re supposed to be best friends—that means not keeping secrets like this from each other… secrets like what you’ve been struggling with, too.”

Annabel grimaced. “I didn’t want you to think I was some weakling who couldn’t control herself.”

“I wouldneverthink that about you. I hope you know that.” Scarlett fought the emotion boiling inside her. What kind of person had she been ten years ago that those she considered her closest friends seemed to think so little of her? Was she really so selfish?

The ache continued to grow—from her broken relationship with Elijah, to the shattered ones with her father and Annabel. The worst part was that there seemed to be nothing she could do about it.

Her reputation was cast in stone.

“Hey.” Annabel nudged her. “You okay?”

“Not really,” she admitted. “I’m just realizing that I must have been a really bad person for everyone to have such low expectations of me.”

“It’s not like that.”

Scarlett laughed if only to keep herself from bursting into what would only be described as a leaky faucet. She gave her friend a wan smile. “I wouldn’t blame you if it was. I’m realizing that I haven’t been the best kind of friend.” She laughed again upon seeing the sadness in her friend’s gaze. “It’s fine. I’m going to be fine. But I think it’s going to be better if I leave.”

“What? No!” Annabel reached out and held Scarlett’s other hand. “You can’t leave, not when we’ve finally connected again.”

“I don’t think I can stay with everything being ripped from me.” It was probably the most honest thing she’d said in a long time. She shut her eyes tight, but it didn’t stop the tears from streaming down her face. The water had been released. “My mom is gone. She was my biggest support. My dad doesn’t look at me the same. I don’t know what it is, but he obviously doesn’t trust me to keep this place running. Otherwise he would have given it to me to inherit. Your brother is taking my home. The only reason I would stay is… you.”

It was Annabel’s turn to cry. She sucked in and let out a watery laugh. “Look what you’ve made me do. Now we’re never going to stop.” She pulled Scarlett into a crushing hug.

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