Willow’s question pulled me from my stupor and I tried to take a step away from Carson, only to have him pull me back against him.
“It’s okay, honey,” I whispered up at him, taking in his guarded expression as he studied Freya and Parker. His arm loosened from around me, and I moved down the steps.
“Hey,” I spoke hesitantly. “Sorry, you just kind of caught me off-guard.” Looking back toward the porch, I started introductions. “This is my Aunt Milly and Uncle Kal. That’s my best friend Lana, there.” Lana gave them a small, uncertain wave as I continued on. “And that’s my boyfriend Carson and his sister Navie. Guys, this is Parker and Freya. We, uh…we went to high school together,” I added, even though everyone on the back porch already knew that.
Murmured hellos sounded from everyone before I turned back to Freya, who’d stood to her full height. “And you’ve already met my daughter,” I said, placing my hands on Willow’s shoulders. “She’s kind of immune to strangers.” I laughed. “Sorry about that.”
“That’s no problem,” Freya said, giving me a bright, sincere smile.
“So, um…what, uh…why…” I stuttered, having trouble forming a complete sentence due to shock. “I’m sorry, I’m just a little surprised to see you here. I don’t really know what to say.”
“I told you this was a bad idea,” Parker grumbled from behind Freya.
Unaffected, Freya turned to look at him. “Honey?”
“Yeah, gorgeous?”
“Shut up.”
I had to stifle my laughter as Parker rolled his eyes good-naturedly.
Freya looked back at me then. “Sorry to just drop this on you. I know it’s kind of weird us being here.”
“I’d say that’s an understatement,” Parker added under his breath.
“Anyway,” Freya continued with her own eye roll. “Do you think it would be okay if we took a minute to talk?”
“Uh, yeah. Absolutely.” Turning Willow by her shoulders, I guided her back up the steps. “Hey, Doodle Bug, why don’t you help Aunt Milly get the food made for me?”
“But I wanna play pwincess,” she pouted up at me.
“Come on, baby girl,” Milly coaxed. “You can help me make some sandwiches then we’ll all make cookies. How’s that sound?”
“YAY!” Bug shrieked, all thoughts of playing princess abandoned at the mention of cookies. She skipped up the steps and grabbed hold of Navie and Lana’s hands, pulling them into the house behind her.
“Kal,” Milly called to her husband, still standing sentry on the porch with Carson.
“Yeah?” he asked, not taking his eyes off us.
“Let’s go.”
“I’m stayin’ right here.”
“You stay right there, and I swear to God you’re gonna starve to death ‘cuz I’m not making you another damn meal for the rest of your life. Now, bring your ass in this house right now.”
Kal grumbled something under his breath, but just as I knew he would, he followed his wife’s instructions and went inside.
“Carson,” I spoke once everyone else had gone inside.
His arms were crossed over his wide chest, feet planted firmly to the ground. “Don’t even try it, baby. You’ve lost your damn mind if you think I’m leaving you out here by yourself.”
My heart swelled at his protectiveness, but I knew good and well this conversation was one I needed to have in private. “Carson, please, just go inside for a few minutes. It’s okay. I promise.”
“Parker,” Freya said, pulling my attention from Carson to see her tilt her head in the direction of the house.
“What?” he asked in confusion. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me! No way, nuh-uh. That’s not happening.”
“Parker,” Freya warned. “If you don’t get inside that house right now, I swear to all that’s holy, I’ll make the rest of the car ride to home an absolute living Hell.”
With a frustrated huff, Parker threw his hands up in the air and started stomping to the steps.
“Love you,” Freya called after him with a smile that made me laugh.
“Yeah, yeah. Love you, too.”
“Baby, I don’t think—” Carson started, but the moment Parker hit the porch, he clapped his hand on Carson’s shoulder.
“Trust me, man. No matter what we say or do, they’re always going to get their way…always. Might as well make our lives a little easier and follow directions. Besides, I could use some cookies.”
With one last backwards glance chock-full of so much confusion it made me burst into laughter, Carson followed Parker into the house. It wasn’t until the door was shut behind them that I turned back to Freya to see her smiling at me.
“Come on,” she said. “You can show me your horses while we talk. I’ve always wanted my own horse."
We walked in silence toward the fence where Thunder and Buttercup were lazily grazing in the pasture. I leaned against the fence, resting my arms along the top railing and stared out at the land for a few seconds before finding the courage to speak.
“I don’t mean this to sound rude, so please don’t take it that way, but what are you doing here? I mean, how did you even find me?”
Freya, who had mimicked my stance against the fence, turned her head, her unique blue eyes fixed on my own.
“After I got your message, I did a little Facebook snooping of my own. One of your pictures was of you and your daughter in front of a sign that said Willow Ranch. Google made it a breeze from there.”
The grin she shot me was so infectious I felt my own smile take hold. “Well, that explains the how. I guess all that’s left is the why.”
She turned her head to look back at the horses as she explained, “Well, in your message, you said you’d have liked the chance to apologize in person. And if I’m being honest, I really wanted the apology in person, so we made a pit-stop on the way from Florida to Washington.”
“That’s one hell of a pit-stop,” I laughed, finding myself surprisingly at ease in her company. Never in a million years did I think I’d ever be able to stand next to Freya and have a civilized conversation. Not after everything I’d done.
“Tell me about it.” She giggled. “When I told Parker what we were doing, I thought he was going to have a coronary.”
My laughter eventually sobered as I studied the woman standing next to me. “Freya,” I spoke softly. “I really am so, so sorry for every—”
“I know,” she stated, interrupting me. “Honestly, I don’t know what I was expecting when I got here, but you’re…I don’t know…” Her voice trailed off as she narrowed her eyes, taking me in. “You’re different. I looked through your pictures after I got your message. Your little girl is adorable. It looks like you’re doing a good job with her. You both seemed really happy.”
“Th-thank you,” I said softly, my words caught in my throat. Freya could never possibly understand how much what she’d just said meant to me.
“You’re happy here?” she asked with curiosity.
“I am,” I answered with complete honesty. “I really, really am. It took me a while to get to that point, but I can’t imagine ever wanting to be anywhere else.”
“That’s good,” she whispered. “I’m glad.”
“And you?” I asked carefully. “You’re happy, too?”
“I am.” She smiled sincerely.
Her face became blurry the longer I looked at her, tears filling my eyes. “I’m so glad, Freya.”
She reached up and dashed at a few tears that had fallen from her own eyes with the backs of her fingers before clearing her throat. “Come on,” she said, linking her arm through mine and pulling me away from the fence. “If we don’t get to the house fast, Parker’s likely to eat every damn cookie himself. And I could use the sugar for the ride home.”
I placed my hand on her forearm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Well, we wouldn’t want that.”
“Nuh-uh! Enchanted trolls can do magic. They’re way cooler than some stupid drago
n!” Parker insisted. I’d convinced Freya and Parker to stay for dinner before heading out on the road again. After we’d eaten, Willow had somehow convinced both Carson and Parker to play princess and dragons with her. Everything seemed to be going along just fine until Parker demanded he be an enchanted troll instead of a dragon. It was then that all hell broke loose and a heated debate between him and Doodle Bug ensued.
“Dwagons bweathe fiwe!” Willow shouted back.
“There’s no getting through to her!” Parker said exasperatedly, throwing his hands up in defeat. “She just won’t listen!”
“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Freya spoke up, cutting through everyone else’s laughter. “Cassidy, thanks for inviting us to stay for dinner. It was fantastic.”
“You’re more than welcome,” I answered, still trying to control my laughter at Parker’s outburst. There wasn’t anything more entertaining than watching a grown man get schooled by a toddler.
They said their goodbyes to everyone on the front porch. Parker even bent down to scoop Willow up, spinning her around in a circle, causing her to squeal with laughter.
“Be safe,” I told Freya, giving her a quick hug. I wasn’t naïve enough to believe that it was the start of a friendship for us, but we’d both received the closure we needed to move on from that part of our lives.
“We will.” She pulled back and Parker walked over to give me a one-armed hug.
“Be happy,” I whispered in his ear.
He pulled back and gave me a crooked grin. “You, too, Cassidy.”
As I stood on the porch, watching the tail lights of their car fade away, I inhaled deeply, reveling in the lightness in my chest.
The weight was gone.
I was free.
“I’m so damn proud of you, baby,” Carson said, coming up behind me and wrapping his arm around my waist.
“Yeah? Why’s that?”
“Parker told me what you did. He told me about your message to Freya. You’re the strongest person I know, Cassidy.”
A smile tipped my lips upwards as I turned my head to brush a kiss against his scruffy jaw.
“You happy, Violet?”
“Never been happier,” I answered honestly. “I love you, Carson.”
“I love you, too, Cassidy. So damn much.”
“Okay, I’ve had enough. Get me down now.”
I clung to the saddle horn in front of me with a death grip, like it was the only thing keeping me from plummeting off Buttercup’s back to certain death.
I could hear Willow and Navie laughing at me from outside the corral.
“I’m serious,” I insisted. “I’m done. Get me off this damn thing before I break my neck.”
Lana stood at my side—safely on the ground, I might add—and gave me a look of disgust. “You’ve been on the damn horse for all of two minutes, Cass.”
“And that’s two minutes of my life I’ll never get back. Now, get me a ladder or something.”
“You’re being dramatic,” she harrumphed.
“I am not!” I shouted. “We’re not friends anymore! I’m freezing to death, and I’m eleventy-billion feet in the air!”
She threw her hands in the air and started walking off. “Oh, for the love of God…”
“Hey! Where are you going?”
“Carson, I give up. That woman’s impossible. Her own daughter can ride a damn horse and she’s throwing a fit like a baby. She’s your mess now.”
Carson’s deep laughter echoed through the cold December air as he made his way over to me. “I’ll gladly handle that mess every day for the rest of my life.”
To my great relief, Carson’s strong hands came up and wrapped around my waist, pulling me off Buttercup’s back and setting me safely on the ground.
“Thank you, honey,” I breathed, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, baby.” He chuckled. “So, can I take it you won’t be using Lana’s Christmas present anymore?”
The day had started out so perfectly. Navie was home from NYU for Christmas break. Aunt Milly was in the kitchen, working up a feast. Uncle Kal was trailing behind her, snatching up pieces and getting his hand whacked for his efforts. The whole family was together.
I’d been in Heaven until Lana announced that her present to me was free horseback-riding lessons. Needless to say, the first lesson hadn’t worked out all that well.
“Understatement of the century, Carson,” I glared up at him. “If I never get on the back of another horse for the rest of my life, it’ll be too soon.”
“Well, Merry Christmas to you, too, you ungrateful cow!” Lana yelled from where Navie and Willow stood, joined by Milly and Kal.
“You’re lucky I still love you!” I shouted back at her.
“Yep, my shrinking violet’s definitely got a fire in her belly,” Carson rumbled. “If it makes you feel better, I got you a present that I’m sure will put you in a better mood.”
I looked up at Carson with wide eyes. “But you already gave me my present.”
“I gave you one of your presents.”
I let loose a peal of excitement and began hopping from foot to foot. “Gimme, gimme, gimme!” I shouted.
Taking my left hand in his, Carson lowered himself down to one knee in the middle of the horse corral surrounded by our family. With a shocked gasp, I clamped my hand over my mouth as he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out the most beautiful diamond ring I’d ever seen.
“Cassidy,” he said, those beautiful mossy green eyes staring up at me, full of so much love and tenderness. “I never imagined having a family until I met you. You’ve made me happier than I ever thought was possible. I can’t imagine my life without you in it, and the only thing that could make me happier was if you said you’d be my wife and build an even bigger family with me.”
Tears stung my eyes as I gazed down at the man who held my heart, the man who helped heal every broken piece, the man who taught me to forgive myself and helped me realize I was worth all the love in the world.
“I want to adopt Willow. I want to fill our house with more children. Cassidy, I want to make my life with you here on this ranch. What do you say, Violet? Will you let me do that?”
“YES!” I shouted, dropping to my knees in front of him and wrapping my arms around his neck. “Yes, Carson!” I cried, pulling him in for a wet, tearful kiss.
“I love you so much, Violet,” he spoke against my lips.
“I love you, too. Every day I wake up, you make me happier than the one before.”
His lips tilted up into a brilliant, blinding smile that made me melt. “Then you better prepare yourself, sweetheart, because there’s nowhere to go but up from here. This is just the beginning.”
Staring into Carson’s eyes, I smiled back.
“I can’t wait.”
To my wonderful husband and family: I can’t tell y’all how much your support helps me through the hard times. I love you all for believing in me and pushing me to keep going
To my beta readers and writing buddies: SE Hall, Jennifer Wolfel, Erin Noelle, JM La Rocca, and Emmy Montes. I love, love, love, love, love y’all so hard!!!
To my friends: There are WAY too many of you to name off. Just know I didn’t forget you, I love each and every one of you, and your support means everything to me.
To the wonderful authors in Author Support 101 and F*ck That Noise: Without y’all to vent to, God only knows what a miserable person I’d be.
And as always, to my readers: This one is for YOU!
Website: www.authorjessicaprince.com
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BE SURE TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE OTHER COLORS NOVELS!
Scat
tered Colors
The use of the phrase life is hard has become so diluted, so overstated through the years that when someone hears it the words go in one ear and out the other. The impact is no longer there. The meaning, the importance of that phrase no longer holds any water with those it’s spoken to.
Freya Linden’s life became hard at the age of seventeen, the summer before her senior year of high school. The bright colors of her life faded into black and white, a colorless shell full of loneliness.
Until she met him.
Parker Owens breathed life back into her world. With him she began to heal. But happiness isn't a guarantee. Sometimes opening yourself up only leads to more heartbreak. The person she thought to be her saving grace shattered her completely.
Her story isn’t a pretty one. The bumps in the road were monumental and infinite. But it’s her story. And the one thing that holds true is this: despite the hardships, she made it through to the other side.
Love Hate Relationship
(Coming in October)
People say that sometimes the line between love and hate is thin. What they don’t tell you is that sometimes it’s invisible.
Rowan Locklaine gave his heart to one woman a long time ago and has no desire to go through that kind of torture ever again. His painful past has turned him cold and heartless. Women serve only one purpose as far as he’s concerned, and relationships are nothing but a waste of time and energy. When the mouthy little blonde, Navie Collins, is hired as his personal assistant, he finds his world turned upside down. And against his better judgment, he can’t seem to stop thinking about her.
Navie Collins has spent years convinced she’s not good enough, that no one could possibly want her. Growing up the way she did helped to thicken her skin, so when she walks into a job interview and meets the temperamental, foul-mouthed, best-selling author, Rowan Locklaine, she’s all too happy to put him in his place.
Rowan and Navie are convinced they hate each other. But as time passes and the attraction between them begins to grow, these two stubborn, strong-willed people have a life changing decision to make. Can they move beyond their pain for a chance at something better, or are they destined to let their pasts dictate their future?
Shrinking Violet (a Colors novel) Page 21