Say You'll Stay (6 page)

“Asshole.”

“You saved me when my world fell apart before. You’re doing it again whether you know it or not.”

“I think you have that backward, my friend.”

She smiles before pulling me into her arms. “Take care of yourself. I already miss you and the boys.”

Now it’s my turn to cry. “I wish . . .”

“Me too.”

“I’ll call you soon.”

We hug once more before I get in my car that was paid off a year ago. Thank God for that. The boys wave as we leave the past behind us, only to have to come face to face with my childhood. I watch the house I built a family in, along with the life I thought I would have, fade away in the rearview mirror.

“Are we there yet?” Logan asks for the hundredth time.

“If you ask me again, I’m going to tie you to the roof,” I grumble as we cross the Tennessee state line.

“Do it again!” Cayden taunts. They then begin to annoy each other, which drives me crazy.

We drive for hours before we enter Belford County. The knots in my stomach constrict with each passing mile. The place is beautiful. It’s quaint, loving, and all up in your business. It’s the quintessential small town. Memories of why I left cause me to tense. My fingers grip the wheel as the muscles in my back squeeze tighter. Being here brings the memories front and center. I can feel the air getting heavy. I keep telling myself we had no choice and that it’s just until we can get on our feet.

My mother and father didn’t hesitate to ask us to come live with them when I told them about our financial situation. My childhood home sits on over four hundred acres of land with a house that could fit practically everyone that lives in the town. Daddy built it himself from close to nothing. His parents owned the land, but he vowed to give Mama a place to be proud of. When I was born, they finished the first round of renovations. Each time Daddy could, he built her more.

Driving into town, I see a few store owners come to their windows. I try not to slink down in my seat. They most likely knew I was coming home the minute Mama hung up. While she’s not the town gossip, there’s no doubt she’d be singing this from the rooftops. Her baby girl and grandbabies moving here is everything she ever wanted.

“Boys.” I call their attention. “We’re here.”

“What is that?” They both have their noses to the glass as they take in where I grew up. “It looks like an old Western movie!”

I laugh. “It’s downtown.”

Cayden groans and puts his headphones back on. Logan keeps watching as thirty seconds later we’re out of downtown. “That’s it?”

“Yup,” I state matter-of-factly. “Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.”

“Where’s Target? Or the mall?”

I sigh. “About four towns over.” The life they know is gone. Out here, there’s no hours of video games, but there’s also no risk of ever being bored. When you live on a ranch, there’s always work to be done. I grew up reining in cattle, harvesting the eggs, and milking cows. They’ve never seen a horse, let alone ridden one.

Logan’s voice goes rises a notch. “Four towns? Mom! What if we need something?”

“Well.” I chuckle as I speak, “You wait until we can take the ride.”

Cayden mumbles under his breath about hating life. When I told him we had to move, he called his best friend and asked if he and Logan could live there. Of course that was never going to happen, but he pleaded. Leaving their friends and school hasn’t been something either one has accepted well. I sympathize—it’s not easy for me either.

I get to the edge of the driveway and park. “Townsend Cattle Ranch,” Logan reads the large white sign above us. “Are we going to be Townsends now?”

“No,” I say immediately. “You’re a Benson, always will be. Your daddy gave you that name. It’s a gift you’ll never have to return.” I smile in the mirror. That’s something Mama said to Cooper when we were kids.

Logan lets out a sigh of relief. “I didn’t know.”

Cayden removes his headphones as I turn in my seat to face them. “Listen, I know you’re not happy about this. It’s been a lot of change for you in a short amount of time. But there’s a lot of fun things to do around here.” Lie. “And the schools aren’t bad.” Another lie. “Plus, you’ll make some new friends that might even be better than the ones you left.” God, I’m getting good at this. “Promise me you’ll
try
to make the best of it.”

They both nod. Whether or not they actually will is another story. I put the car in drive and head down the longest road I’ve ever been on. Each inch feels like a mile. The rotations of the wheels have a link to the pit in my stomach, forcing it to tighten as we move.

Mama and Daddy are on the porch watching us approach. “There you are!” Mama yells out as we exit the car.

“Mama, Daddy.” I smile as I look at my house. I’ve only been here once since I left seventeen years ago. The boys were less than a year old, and we visited for no more than two days. The entire town told stories about how my ex and I were destined to be together in front of Todd. It was extremely uncomfortable. After that, Todd paid for my parents to visit us twice a year. “You painted,” I muse.

“It’s been almost eighteen years, Presley. Of course we painted.”

It amazes me how my mother can scold me while she kisses my cheek.

The boys look around in wonder. They knew I was raised in the country, but I think their version of country and mine are a little different. Todd thought we lived in a rural area in Pennsylvania. I would laugh and roll my eyes. These boys have no idea.

Logan and Cayden assault my father with questions.

“Do you have a lot of horses, Papa?”

“Can we ride a horse?”

“Do you eat the cows you have here?”

“Is this a petting zoo?

“Does the rooster wake you up or do you have electricity? What about Wi-Fi?”

“Boys, boys.” I place my hands on their shoulder. “Easy. Yes, we have electricity. Yes, we have a few horses, and Papa doesn’t kill the cattle here, he sells them.” Then they kill them. Minor detail. “Let’s get our stuff inside and then I can show you around, okay?”

“Presley!” Cooper calls out as he walks toward us. I haven’t spoken to my brother much. I’m praying this won’t be too awkward.

“Cooper!” I smile as he gets closer. I walk toward him and he yanks me into his arms. He’s freaking huge! “Holy crap, are you bench-pressing the cows? You’re like a bear.” I don’t remember him being this tall. I’m not short, but he’s well over six foot. His chest is wide and his arms are insane. My little brother is all grown.

“I’m sorry to hear about your husband. I would’ve been there, but I had to run the ranch.”

I look at the ground and wish people would stop talking about him. I’m tired of people’s sympathy. I don’t want to be this grieving widow who’s lost and sad. No one can even begin to understand the anger I have, especially since I have to hide the truth. I can’t help but hate him for what he’s done to the three of us. He set off a bomb and left me with the fallout. “I understand, Coop. Thanks.”

He tickles my sides and becomes animated again. “But look at you, all city girl.”

“Look at you, all country,” I say, giggling.

He laughs. “Not all of us got to experience life outside of here. Someone had to run the ranch when you left to be with your boyfriend.”

Well, that took a lot less time than I thought. “Cooper.”

“You left, and I stayed. It’s just the truth.”

I roll my eyes and bite my tongue. I have a feeling the teeth impressions I’ll have on my tongue will become permanent. Cooper got the short end of the stick according to him. When I left, he was forced to take over the ranch. He had big dreams of leaving here and moving to a city. He was smart and could’ve done it, but then Daddy needed to retire, and I left. He’s resented me ever since.

“It wasn’t like that,” I try to defend myself.

He shakes his head. “You ran off with him and never came back. It’s exactly like that.” Cooper walks toward Mama who watches me with sad eyes.

Looks like it’s going to be a long few months . . . or longer.

I
CAN’T SLEEP. I STARE
at the ceiling in my room. The same room I lived in for eighteen years. I figured they would’ve at least taken my posters off the wall, but no. It’s a time warp in here. This whole house is. The boys almost cried when they saw their room. Flowers everywhere, on the walls, the sheets, the border . . . you’d think a florist vomited in there.

I glance at the clock—five a.m.—might as well get up.

I head downstairs to where Mama already has breakfast started. “Mornin’, Mama.”

“Mornin’, sugar. You sleep well?”

“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?”