The Girl In The Night

Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter Forty-Six

Nate's P.O.V.

We're an hour into our journey home, when I reach for the volume on the radio to turn it down. I've been tossing up whether or not to have this conversation with Lex, but I decide it needs to be done. There isn't a better time than this. She can't escape and we're on our own so I don't have to worry about anyone else hearing what we discuss.

Lex turns her head to face me when she hears the volume reduce on the music.

"Lex? I need to ask you somethin'."

I can hear the taunting in her voice when she speaks, "Ooo, sounds serious. Let me guess, you really are married with six kids, right?"

I shake my head, "No, of course not. You really think I'd be able to have a wife and kids without at least my mom and your's knowin' bout it?"

"Good point. My momma knows everythin'."

"Not everythin', but you're tryin' to distract me..."

She laughs, "If I wanted to distract you, trust me, you wouldn't even remember your name right now."

I have a flashback to the night she gave me that private dance. She's right; I could hardly remember my name, let alone form a full sentence.

"You're bad. You are deliberately tryin' to sideswipe me here. It's not gonna work."

"Shoot. Ok, I'll try to behave..."

When I think she's actually listening and not trying to make a joke out of everything, I just come straight out with it.

"You're scared 'bout ridin' horses again, huh?"

"Have I not been ridin'? You've seen me on the horses."

"Yeah, but you're not the same. You're tense and you try everythin' possible to get out of workin' them. I'm not judgin' you. I actually wanna help. I don't want you to put yourself or any of the horses in a situation you're not ready to handle."

Instead of commenting on what I've just said, she seems to completely change the subject.

"I'm thinkin' of givin' Sparky to Austin. Let him deal with the mess he's caused."

This girl may have been away from home for four years, but I know her. I know her better than she thinks, so I know why she's saying that.

"You think that givin' Sparky to Austin will stop you from bein' scared. Well, it won't work. I imagine you're worried you're gonna get hurt each time you get on a horse. Gettin' rid of Sparky

won't stop that. It'll just carry through to whatever horse you sit on. That accident would never have happened if Austin hadn't caused it."

"You don't know that."

"Well, I kinda do. If Sparky wanted to hurt you that badly, then he would have done it long before Austin spooked him. If you think Austin will do a better job than you, then you're crazy. You're the best person I know for trainin' horses, especially ones with problems. You can do this."

I hear the uncertainty in her voice when she asks, "Can I? I'm worried 'bout gettin' hurt again, Nate. One bad fall and I could need surgery on my lung. Do you know how long the recovery is on that? Do you know how much that would mess up my plans?"

"Your plans? You plannin' on goin' somewhere?"

She lets out a long sigh and doesn't speak for at least a few minutes.

Eventually, I try to prompt an answer, "Lex?"

Her voice is small and timid when she asks a one worded question, "Honestly?"