Chapter 10

TEN

Ranger

"Britt, when you need me to come pick you up, you let me know," I tell her as she unbuckles and grabs her crutches to ease down from my truck.

"Dakota's coming to get me, remember?"

Shit. Do I? "Yeah, yeah, I'm just tellin' you because there's a good chance he's gonna forget."

A smirk works across her face. Gone is the irritation that used to cloud her eyes. She used to wear a mask that wouldn't allow me to see it spread across her cheeks, but now her shoulders are relaxed, and it really appears as if she's not worried. "If he does, he does. I don't care. I told him the other day he can either be here for Karli, or he won't be. He insisted he's coming into town, he's gonna pick me up, and we're going to take her for dinner. He has something he wants to say to me, whatever the fuck that might be."

"Ten bucks says he wants you back." I raise my eyebrows, before pursing my lips.

She cackles throwing her head against the rest on the seat. "He can go to hell, both of us know that. I have an idea that he may have met someone new, and he wants to make sure I'm good with him moving on."

"Are you?" I ask on impulse. This is something she and I have never talked about before, and as I'm starting to see the end of my time here in Bellehaven, I want to know what kind of life she sees after I leave. "Will you be good when we're both gone?"

She turns back around, putting her crutches to the side. "Dad, I'm a grown woman, and I mean no disrespect when I say this—I am fine. Regardless if you or Dakota are here, I am fine. I will make it. I have no desire to keep someone here who doesn't want to be. It doesn't make me love you any less that you have a wandering soul. I know the minute I need you—really need you—you're going to be here. Just like you were with this." She gestures to her leg. "Are things difficult sometimes? Hell yeah, but you raised me to figure that shit out. You raised me not to immediately fall back on you just because you're my dad. I hope I make you proud with that. I am strong, I am independent, and I can make my way on my own, but I love when you're here." She reaches out, putting her hand on my forearm.

I look down, remembering when that hand was so much smaller, and it had chipped nail polish on it. Today that polish is perfect, and it's the hand of an adult. "How would you feel if I told you that I'm thinking of sticking around?"

"Because of Ava?" She tilts her head to the side.

"Karli's got a big mouth." I groan.

"You should know that by now. Either way, I want whatever your decision is to be your decision, not because you're worried about me and K. We're gonna be fine. Does that mean we'll never need you? No, and I do worry about you out there on your own. What if you get hurt? What if I need to get to you quickly and it's hard for me to do because of finding care for Karli, etcetera. This life is full of what ifs dad, but if you think you want to stay for Ava, to see where it goes, do it. Life is fuckin' short. If we have a chance for companionship, we should take it." She grabs her crutches again. "Now I gotta go, they charge me if I'm late because their time is so damn important. Never mind if they're late getting to me, I can't charge them," she grumbles.

I watch for her to hobble up the sidewalk, so much better than she did when she first got hurt. I'm proud of that woman. Not because of anything I did, but how she's able to deal with everything life throws at her. I could learn a thing or two.

"Ranger," Billy says as he comes into the barn I'm working in today. "Had to give Ava a ride yesterday."

I don't know anything about this. Not that she has to tell me what she's doing every second of every day, but I'm surprised she didn't say anything. "Yeah? What happened?"

He hooks his thumbs in his gaudy‐as‐fuck belt with his Derby Winners buckle. "Car broke down, I saw her on the side of the road, and stopped to help her. Can't never tell about people, right? Someone could have pulled up and hurt her."

I don't know what this fucker is getting at, but I don't like it. "Ava's a strong woman, I'm pretty sure she'd be able to take care of herself."

He steps closer. "Just because she can take care of herself doesn't mean she should, or that she wants to. If you don't watch it, someone richer, younger, and better lookin' might step in your place."

Is this son of a bitch threatening me? "That would be her choice, not mine. What I will tell you is that if you did something she didn't ask for, it's not gonna matter if you're paying me or not, I'll beat the shit outta you, and ask questions later."

He seems pleased with himself. "With men like me, Ranger? All women love when I come onto them. It's best if you understand that now, rather than get that rugged heart of yours broken later on."

"Trust me, Bill. I don't need you to take care of my heart, I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself."

He turns to leave, and I can't help it, I have to say something. "There's a chance I might be sticking around here, and if you want me to keep workin' for you, you're gonna leave Ava alone. If it's her choice, fine, but I won't have you trying to sabotage what I'm trying to build. Understand that?"

Billy laughs. "You threatening me? You know how much I pay for the piddly shit you do, right?"

"I do." I nod. "I also know there's no one around these parts who's as good as I am at what I do, and bad shoes have ruined horses." I shrug, stepping back over to the horse. "There's a hundred more farms around here. Think about it."

He knows I have him over a barrel and he's pissed, he doesn't say anything when he leaves. But I have a lot to say, and the first thing is going to be telling Ava about my choice to stick around. I'm nervous about what her decision might be, but I'm willing to give this relationship shit a chance again, and it's only going to be with her.