“I did. What’s for breakfast?” It’s a lie, I’m getting really good at them now. If she knows, she doesn’t say anything, though.
She whips something in the bowl and my stomach rumbles. This will be the one thing about being home that won’t suck. “Just the normal things. Go on out to the coop and grab us some eggs.”
“Okay.” I’ve always hated the chickens. There was one hen who is evil and always tried to attack me. Mama used to make me go if she needed a good laugh.
I grab the basket that has sat by the back door since I can remember and head out toward the animals who are not my friends. It’s like time has stood still out here too. Everything is the same, and it makes me want to scream.
I grab a half dozen eggs with no drama and head back to the house.
“Presley?” A deep, familiar voice stops me in my tracks.
My heart pounds, and my blood runs cold. It can’t be him. I turn slowly, praying it isn’t. He shouldn’t be here, not here, not now. Slowly my gaze lifts and relief floods me. It’s not the blue eyes and dark brown hair I expect to see. Instead, it’s a pair of honey eyes and light brown hair that I’d know anywhere. The one person in this town I actually am happy to see. “Wyatt!” My smile is automatic.
“I’ll be damned! I thought that was you, but I didn’t know you were visiting!” He rushes forward and then hoists me in the air. He smiles while shaking his head. “I can’t believe it. Presley Townsend in the flesh.”
“Benson now.” I laugh as he squeezes me tight. “What are you doing on the ranch?” I ask as he puts me down.
“I’m the new foreman.”
I slap his chest in excitement. “Foreman? Here?” That makes no sense.
“I didn’t want to work for my family, so I came to work for your brother. You know how that goes, don’t ya?”
Wyatt Hennington has been a part of my life since birth. His mama and mine have been best friends since they were kids. He’s also the younger brother of the boy I ran away with. The boy who gave me my first engagement ring, my first broken heart, and the reason I never wanted to return to this town.
“That’s . . .” I struggle to find the right thing to call it. “Understandable, I guess?”
Wyatt shrugs with his irresistible grin still in place. “I think it’s good.”
I fight against asking the next logical question, but I don’t want to know. “How are your parents?”
He laughs as if he knows what I’m avoiding. “Good. They’re traveling a lot since they retired.”
“That’s good. And Trent?”
“Trent’s the sheriff now.”
“Sheriff?” I ask in disbelief. “They let him be in charge of people?”
“Who would’ve thought, right? He’s still an idiot, though.”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s true.” We both chuckle. “Still, to give the kid who stole a cop car when we were kids a gun and a badge . . . is crazy.”
Wyatt shakes his head. “I figure he liked pretending he was a cop so much that he decided to do it for real.”
“Sounds like Trent.”
“Yup.” He rocks on his heels. “And Zachary is—”
“Glad everyone’s doing well.” I cut him off. Right now my heart can’t handle hearing his name. When I think about Zach, I think about college. When I think about college, I think about Todd piecing me back together after I was shattered. Then I think about how Todd went and shattered me himself. It’s better to not think.
“Right,” he draws out the word. “You lost your accent.”
“Well, seventeen years in the North will do that to you.” I smile. “God, it’s so good to see you.”
Wyatt’s eyes go from my head to my toes and he smiles. “You look good too, Pres. You doin’ all right up there in the big city?”
He doesn’t know? “I’m . . . well . . . I’m sorta back here for a while.”
I shouldn’t be surprised that he doesn’t know. Wyatt was always the guy who ignored the town gossip. He’s the youngest of the Hennington brothers and was always into trouble. He and Trent were always creating some kind of town uproar while—the other brother—was on the field. And I was in the bleachers.
“I feel like I’m missing something.” His light brown eyes study me as if he were trying to solve a puzzle.
“I honestly can’t believe no one told you.” My mother isn’t one to blab anyone’s business, but she and my father leaving town for a week would’ve been big news. Especially if they were heading to the city.
His brow furrows. “Heard what?”
I might as well get it out now. “Four months ago, my husband passed away.”
He steps forward and places his hands on my shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Pres.” Wyatt’s voice is filled with compassion. “I’d heard something, but you know how it is here. I figured it was bullshit.”
I wish that were the case. I shrug him off and let out a heavy sigh. “It’s true. He died, and it turns out we were struggling financially. So, I’m here. Back where I swore I’d never be again.”
“You know you love it here.” His grin tells me he knows I’d rather be homeless.