“Sorry,” I said.
“It’s not your fault. My mother did this,” he grumbled. “Rafa was fine after being fired. He finished high school and went on to veterinary school. When my father signed Abernathy Ranch over to me, I hired Rafa on to take care of the horses.”
“I’m so happy to hear that,” I said. “I was so worried that he’d get into something bad like he was before. I’ve felt so guilty about what happened for so long.”
“You have nothing to feel guilty about. None of that was your fault. If anything, it was my fault. If only--”
“No, just don’t even say it. It’s all in the past and it’s definitely time for us to move forward.”
“You know, I never stopped loving you. Not for one second. No matter how mad I was when I thought you had moved on, I still loved you.”
“I still love you too,” I said. “I never stopped.”
Chapter Eleven
Mason
A week had gone by, but I was still at the North Carolina ranch. After all this time, it felt odd being there. It was only exacerbated by my realization that this was my first time back since my father signed the ranch over to me.
My mother had a favorite room in the house where she kept some of her favorite collectibles on display. She kept the door closed and no one was allowed inside. But the room had a beautiful view of the stables, so it had to be mine.
As I stood in the center of the room, the sunlight streamed in through the tall windows. I didn’t tell my mother I was having her things packed. She didn’t deserve any notice. With everything she had done, she was lucky her things were being packed and not thrown in the trash. I heard the click of her heels on the wood floor in the hall before she appeared in the doorway.
“What is going on here?” she exclaimed.
She grabbed a painting out of a muscular packer’s hands. Rushing to another packer, she swiped a delicate vase from him. Her eyes swept over the room until they landed on a stack of sealed boxes.
“Mason, why are they doing this? Tell them to stop.”
“No,” I said sternly. “I’ve decided to make this room into my office. You can tell them where to put your boxes or Goodwill will be here to collect them as a donation.”
“Why are you doing this to me?” she shrieked.
“Remember Rafa York? Why don’t you tell me what happened to him?”
“Rafa? Well, you know what a troubled young man he was. I can’t be bothered with remembering the details.”
“Charlie?” I said.
“Yes, sir.” A packer with his sleeves ripped off and tattoos lining his arms raised his head to look at me.
“Drop the next vase you pick up.”
“No!” Mother said, gasping.
“You mean this one?” he said, holding up a blue and white vase that probably belonged in a museum.
I nodded and Charlie let it crash to the floor. The porcelain split into hundreds of different pieces. My mother’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“Why did you do that? I don’t understand,” she said.
“Tell me what happened to Rafa,” I said.
“I already told you, I don’t know.”
“Charlie?”
He picked up another vase and held it with the tips of his fingers at shoulder height.
“No, don’t do this,” she said. “Okay, I get it. I’ll tell you about Rafa.”
I held my hand up and Charlie brought the vase closer to him.
“What happened to Rafa, Mother? Remember to choose your words wisely. I want the truth or the vase gets it,” I said calmly, raising my eyebrows.
“I saw him forcing Tara to kiss him. I stopped it and then fired him,” she said.
“Drop it, Charlie.”
The vase clattered to the ground but didn’t break. The big man gave it a confused look, then dropped his construction boot onto it. He turned and gave me a huge smile.
“Oh no!” she said, covering her face. “Okay, okay. Please just don’t break anything else. I hired a new ranch hand shortly after you left.”
Charlie picked up a tall, thin vase with red flowers.
“Continue,” I said.
“Rafa found him forcing himself on Tara. They got into fisticuffs and I fired them both.”
I turned to the packers. One of them was wrapping a delicate tea set. I took one of the tea cups and dropped it onto the hardwood floor.
“No! What did you do that for? I’m telling you the truth,” she said.
“Because you left something out. You are a manipulative, sad person, and I know you had something to do with what happened,” I said.
She sighed and yanked the tea pot out of the packer’s hands.
“I hired him to woo your girlfriend. He was supposed to sweep her off her feet, but she didn’t even notice him. I told him to get pushier with her and Rafa heard the struggle and rescued her. I fired them both.” She wrapped her arms around the vase Charlie was holding and pulled it to her. “Now are you happy?”
“You know what, Mother? Rafa was right, you really are a bitch. Charlie, have some fun. Just make sure you clean up afterwards.”
As I walked out of the room I heard several items crash to the floor. My mother screamed at Charlie to stop, but he kept going. He had his instructions.
Mother ran out of the room and grabbed my arm to stop me.
“How can you do this to me?” she cried.
“You’re crying over objects, Mother. You fucked with me. You tried to hurt the woman I love. And you succeeded in breaking us apart. I lost years of happiness because of you. Because I loved someone you didn’t approve of.”
“It’s not the same. You’re doing this on purpose to hurt me. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“What did you think would happen when you told me Tara was happily engaged to another man? Did you think I’d laugh? Maybe I’d smile? Did you ever consider you might be breaking my heart?”
As she stared at me, confusion and fear passed across her face. She never thought about how I felt, it was always about her and getting what she wanted.
“Don’t bother answering,” I said. “I know you never considered my feelings.” I turned and began walking away from her, then turned around to face her once more. “I’m your son!”
She flinched as I roared at her. Then she put out her hand and reached for the sleeve of my jacket. Her fingers touched it gently before she looked up and our eyes met.
“But my things,” she said.
“I told you before, you have your boxes. You’d better tell them where to put them before they’re donated.”
I yanked my arm away from her and walked into my father’s library. He was writing in his journal and looked up as I walked in. I closed the door behind me to drown out my mother’s cries.
Out the window, I spotted a trainer with his black hair pulled back into a ponytail working with a Thoroughbred in the exercise ring. Based on my father’s descriptions, it was Joseph, the man my father had sworn could speak to animals in their own language. Only today, that horse did not want to listen.
The mare bucked Joseph off the saddle and then pranced around the ring. The palomino’s coat was a golden color that reminded me of Tara’s hair.
I took my suit jacket off and rolled up my sleeves as I went outside. Joseph was standing still, his back straight, as he physically tried to show the horse who was boss.
“New horse?” I called out.
His eyes darted over as I entered the ring.
“Mr. Abernathy?” he asked.
“Call me Mason.”
“This is the most stubborn horse I’ve yet to meet. She won’t take a rider no matter what I do.”
The horse nodded, her head high as she pranced in circles.
“Looks like she agrees with you,” I said. “What’s her name?”
“Diva. Fitting, isn’t it?” he said with a grin.
“Have you tried running her?”
“How can I? She won’t
let anyone ride.”
The mare stopped and dipped her head over the fence for a drink. I walked closer to her, making sure to let my boots shuffle a little on the ground so I wouldn’t startle her. As I leaned against the fence, she turned and looked at me, then went back to drinking as if I wasn’t there. When she was done, she whipped her mane and neighed.
Slowly, I approached her and when I was closer, I reached out and rubbed her muzzle. When I stopped, she pushed her head into my chest. I patted her neck, then checked the saddle. I suspected she wanted more than just trotting around the ring.
“Come on now, Diva,” I whispered. “Don’t let me make a fool of myself here.” I grabbed her reins and looked over at the practice track. “Open the south gate.”
“I mean no disrespect, but she’ll run.”
“Just do it.”
Just beyond the gate was the empty track. Diva’s ears flickered as she watched Joseph open the ring.
“You want to race, don’t you?” I whispered.
Diva kicked at the dirt with her front hoof. She kept an eye on me as I tugged on her saddle, then patted her neck. With one swift motion, I put my boot into the stirrup and mounted the saddle. She shook her head and backed up, but I leaned down towards her and whispered.
“Let’s race.”
She galloped out of the ring and I led her onto the track. After a full turn, I tugged on the reins to slow her down and brought her to where Joseph was waiting. He shook his head as he grabbed her bridle.
“You’re going to make me lose my reputation here, Mason,” he said with a laugh.
“I guess she just likes me.”
I dismounted and patted Diva.
“Still, you won her over. I’ve tried everything. I was ready to give up.”
Until last week, giving up was what I was ready to do with Tara. I thought about the months I had been trying to win her back. Nothing I did mattered. I couldn’t flatter her, I couldn’t bribe her, I was at the point where I almost gave up on a relationship with her. In the end, it seemed so simple though.
Diva had racing in her veins, it was all she cared about. Tara just wanted the one thing I had promised to do all those years ago.
“Tell me, Mason. What’s your secret? How did you win her over?”
“I called,” I said.
“Huh?”
Grinning, I handed Joseph the reins. He was a smart man, he’d figure out how to handle Diva eventually. I was stupid with how I tried to handle Tara. I thought she would give in to whatever I wanted because we still had feelings for each other. I ignored how she felt about the past because I didn’t want to remember it.
The past week I spent every night talking on the phone with Tara. It was something I should’ve pushed myself to do years ago, but I was just as stubborn as that horse. I thought Tara would know how I felt and what I was thinking without my saying so.
As I walked away, I watched Joseph mount Diva’s saddle. As they trotted around the track, I knew it was time for me to really go home. Not home where my family was, but home to my heart.
I entered the house and walked back to my father’s library. The door was open and my father was still seated behind his desk. As I walked into the room, he looked up at me.
“You’re leaving now, aren’t you?” he said as he slipped his glasses off and set them on the desk.
“Yes, but I promise I’ll visit more.”
He smiled as he nodded slowly. “More than once every fifteen years would be nice.”
“Once the new ranch is complete, you’re more than welcome to stay with me.”
“I’m looking forward to it, son. And I have a feeling that the next time you make the offer, it’ll be an us.”
I stepped around to the other side of the desk and hugged my father. He patted my back, then stepped away.
“Enough of this sappy crap. Go catch your plane and get me my future daughter-in-law.”
Part Two
A Chance to Forget
Chapter Twelve
Tara
The bell above the door chimed as I entered Mirabella’s. I waved to Amy, who was behind the pastry counter, and looked around the crowded restaurant for my friends.
Cassie’s hand shot up and waved to me to come over. She was Ashley’s cousin and practically her twin with her wavy dark hair and bee-stung lips. Seated next to her was Becca, her old roommate. Becca’s light brown hair was pulled into a messy bun that showed off her freckles. Beside her was Samantha, who left her curly red hair loose.
Samantha was the reason we started meeting at Mirabella’s in the first place. She was an in-demand caterer and was always looking for new restaurants to try.
“Where is everyone?” I asked as I got to the table. “It’s not like Ashley to miss our get-togethers.”
“She just texted me that she can’t make it,” Samantha said. “The baby has a slight fever. She said he’s fine, but she couldn’t leave. I don’t blame her. I’d stay home too if I was her.”
“And I just heard back from Deborah,” Cassie said. “She thinks she’s coming down with something. I bet she has a case of Mr. Sexy. She never gets sick.” She laughed as she put her phone away.
“Has anyone heard from Jackie?” I asked.
“No,” Samantha said. “I’ve texted her several times, but she hasn’t gotten back to me. I hope she’s okay, this isn’t like her.”
“I’d love to keep waiting, but I need to order lunch,” Becca said. “I have to get back to work.”
“I’m starved, so I definitely think we should order,” Samantha said. “But since you brought up work, anything new with that hot man you’re working with?”
“Hot man?” Becca asked.
“She means Gideon,” Cassie said. “He’s been all over lately. He’s really making a name for himself in the architect world.”
“Gideon? Yeah, I guess he’s hot, but we’re just friends. I don’t see him as anything else.”
“We’ll see,” Cassie said as Amy came to take our orders.
As we finished our meals, the doorbell chimed. Becca waved her hand and we turned to see who was walking into the restaurant. Jackie entered, looking disheveled. Her make up was smeared and her clothing was a little wrinkled. As she ran to our table, she smoothed her hands over her dark hair, but her hair wouldn’t lay flat.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said.
“What’s going on with your hair?” I asked, trying not to laugh.
“Nothing,” Jackie said. “I just...I overslept. I have bed head.”
“That looks like sex hair to me,” Becca said with a giggle. “Who is he?”
“Who? What? No one of course. You know I’m not interested in dating anyone.”
As she sat down beside me, I noticed her shirt wasn’t buttoned properly.
“Jackie, where did you learn how to button?” I asked.
Jackie looked down at her blouse and as she realized what was wrong, her face turned beet red.
“I was in a rush,” she said, forcing a smile.
“Who is he? Is it Brent? I bet it is,” Samantha said with a satisfied smile. “I’m telling you, you’re made for each other.”
“We hate each other. You know that.”
“Hate is a powerful emotion, just like love.”
Jackie rolled her eyes then shook her head.
“No. Just no. Get it out of your mind, Sam. You’re just trying to get us together because you want us to be sisters-in-law.”
“Yes, I do. The last thing I want is some bitch I need to hang around with,” she said with a laugh. “Honestly though, I really do think you’d be great together.”
“Do you ladies need anything else?” Amy asked as she walked over.
“Unless Jackie wants anything, I guess we’ll take the check,” I said.
“It’s already taken care of,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
She widened her brown eyes as they met mine and then her eyes darted tow
ards the door. I followed her gaze to the glass doors and spotted Mason standing outside.
Deja vu.
“You should’ve told me he was here,” I said.
“He just got here, but he made me promise I wouldn’t tell,” Amy said. “Besides, that’s not who paid. You ladies have men fighting for your check. Someone beat Mason to it.”
“Who?”
Amy’s forehead wrinkled as she thought. She flipped her notepad open and looked through several pages of orders.
“I wrote it down. I knew I’d forget,” she said. “Brad...no...Bram...no...”
“Brent? Oh please Amy, say it was Brent,” Samantha said as she bounced in her chair excitedly.
“Yes, that’s it,” Amy said. “Brent. Umm…Winslow if I remember correctly. He even overpaid so you could get whatever you want.”
“Oohh, Jackie, you are definitely keeping something from us,” Becca said.
“No, there’s nothing. I told you, we can’t stand each other. He probably just did it because we had a fight at your dinner party the other night.”
“You did? You didn’t tell me that,” Samantha said.
“This isn’t the first time. All we do is fight,” Jackie said. “Anyway, there’s nothing to talk about there. Unlike with Tara.” She turned to face me with an expectant grin. “What’s Mason doing here? Or did I miss the update?”
“Yeah, Tara,” Cassie said. “I didn’t want to ask just in case your dates ended up being bad news. I can’t believe you didn’t tell us.”
I looked out to the front of the restaurant and noticed Mason was wearing jeans instead of a suit. It took everything in me to stay in my seat and not run out to see him.
“I know you,” I said. “If I told you what happened, I’d never hear the end of it.”
“Just tell us already,” Samantha said. “Jackie’s not going to give us any juicy details so you’re in the hot seat.”
“Okay, okay.” Like a criminal who was caught, I raised my hands up in front of me as they laughed. “You know what I was going through, thinking about the past and how I couldn’t get past it. Well, it ends up I wasn’t the only one. Mason had been just as lost all these years.”
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