Broken Trouble (Broken Storm Series Book 1)

Chapter 27

I made my way back towards the ranch a while later. I could see Wyatt working with Brooks while the others loaded hay into the barn.

I avoided them all, still feeling vulnerable. My emotions felt raw and uncensored and I knew that every emotion inside had to be showing on my face. I needed time to pull in my emotions until they were hidden behind the wall that I had built over my lifetime. What I hadn't completely realized until now, was that all of those walls had crumbled in the presence of this family. I would need to rebuild them before I could once again cower and hide behind them.

To do that, I needed to create some space between myself and the guys. There was no way I could pick up each crumbled brick to restack it if they were constantly there to knock it back over and find their way back inside.

I decided to spray paint the back of the barn. It would help me release my emotions into art instead of shedding more tears from my already tired eyes.

I just had to find the paint first.

Moving as quietly as possible, I tried to go unnoticed as I looked for the paint. It wasn't where I had last seen it, so Landon must have moved it to somewhere else.

I kept looking, the guys seemed to be giving me some space, so it was easy to avoid them. Maybe Polly had told them to leave me alone for awhile. It seemed like something she would do.

I found my way into the barn, looking through the loft, stalls and anywhere that the paint might be hiding. I eventually gave up on the barn, coming to the conclusion that it wasn't inside. On my way out, I heard a horse walking into the barn, the sound of its hooves rang out loud against the concrete. I peaked behind me, trying find the best way to avoid whoever was leading the horse. Once I knew who it was, I knew that there would be no avoiding him.

Wyatt led Sweetheart past me and into a stall, unclipping her halter before shutting the stall door. It was only when he had the door latched that he looked up at me, into my eyes and my soul. "She'll be having the foal any day now. I want you to be here when it's born. I want you to name it."

"I don't think I'll be here," I admitted, finding my voice, which was broken from crying.

"You will," Wyatt assured, looking at Sweetheart.

"Don't," I said, my eyes clouding with tears that I hated myself for. "Don't make it sound like I have hope."

Wyatt took in my expression, then approached me just as I was thinking of walking away. "I can't make you have hope, but if you fight for what you want, then nothing can stand in your way. I'm only asking you to fight Nova, for us, for Storm and for yourself."

"What will happen to him when I leave?"

"That's up to both of you. He didn't have to follow you into that field. He can jump it whenever he wants. He's staying for you."

"I don't know if I'll be able to ever come back."

"I'll take care of him until you do," Wyatt had no doubt in his voice, he stated it like he knew I would. If only I could be that certain. He walked the last few steps towards me, lifting a hand to run it through my hair as he kissed my forehead.

I pulled away, walking away him and out of the barn, trying to keep my breathing even and my tears checked.

Making it to the back of the barn, I pressed my hands against the wood, leaning my head against its surface. How had I went so many years being able to control my emotions so much? How had I cared so little about everything and everyone that I had barely felt anything? After everything that I had experienced here, with theses people, how could I force myself to go back to that?