CHAPTER 3

Frankie, one year later

 

My head bounced on the car window, and I adjusted in my seat. I peered around as we drove through a familiar town, and as we approached the Pickled Pig, I sat up hopefully. Dad’s eyes flashed to mine in the rear-view mirror, but then that muscle in his cheek jumpepd as he drove right past.

A very familiar ache in the pit of my stomach stirred, and I tried not to show the disappointment on my face. “We’ll come back after we get settled in, sweetie.” My mom had turned in her seat. “But it’s been a long drive already. It’s best if we just get to the cabin.”

“That’s fine,” I lied.

“We can stop now,” Piper spoke up. “I’ll just stay in here with Aubrey.”

“It’s okay,” I insisted. “We’re close to the cabin. We can always come back.”

Dad put an end to any more discussion with one word. “Later.” He’d been doing a lot of that, snarling just a single word.

I slouched back and glanced at my baby niece, who had finally fallen asleep. The drive was only a couple of hours, but we’d somehow been on the road for almost four at that point because she was super fussy and cried for the first forty minutes. We had to pull over so Piper could nurse Aubrey, and that took almost a half an hour. Then there was the stop to change the diaper that leaked and got all over the car seat.

Fun times.

This trip was pointless. It was so stupid, and I didn’t see the point of coming. Our family had been in a downward spiral ever since Piper broke the news that she had gotten pregnant months after we returned last year.

Dad insisted on taking this vacation, refusing to let Piper’s “idiotic, immature, irresponsible decision” ruin our lives. As far as I was concerned, he was being overdramatic, but there was no telling him that. Did Piper make a mistake? Absolutely. Was she aware that she did? Definitely. If anyone’s life was ruined, it was hers, and she knew that.

We arrived at the cabin, the same cabin we’d rented every year, and Piper and I went to our designated room while Dad unloaded and Mom unpacked. Aubrey was still sleeping in her seat, and as soon as Dad brought her playpen in and closed the door, Piper collapsed on the bed and started crying. She was never a crier, more of a whiner, so to see her shed tears was unusual. I comforted her while she cried, but it didn’t last long because Aubrey woke up after only a few minutes.

Piper changed and nursed her while I unpacked the three of us, and when Dad called, we went to the kitchen. The first night in the cabin was typical, and other than not going to the Pickled Pig, we did what we always did and played games and sat around a campfire. Mom and I tried to lighten the mood and make the best of the situation, but it wasn’t the same… Things would never be the same.

* * *

I had no clue what we were going to do the following morning, so when I was finishing my cereal and Dad told me we were going horseback riding, I choked on my food. “What?”

He stood from the table. “Grab your stuff. We’re going now.”

“But Dad… Piper can’t—”

“Piper will just have to sit here with her daughter while the rest of us go. We’re not missing out on things because she has a baby. Now come on.” He stormed outside, and my mom set her empty plate in the sink. “You heard him, Frankie.” She followed her husband, and I struggled with losing respect for her and understanding that she was in a tough position. She loved my dad even though he could be a jerk.

I looked over at my sister to see her profile, and her lip was quivering. “Piper, he—”

“He’s a jerk. But he’s right. You shouldn’t have to miss out on anything. Go on and have fun.” She sniffled and tried to smile.

I was so sidetracked with our family drama that I’d forgotten about the real reason I didn’t want to go horseback riding. My belly flopped, and I crossed my arms. “I don’t want to go.”

“Frankie.” She turned to me. “Don’t worry about me, I—”

“Not you, because of Wilder.”

Her eyes got big, and the panic I felt was reflected on her face. “Oh crap, I forgot all about him.”

“I know, me too,” I lied. I thought about him all the time with so many mixed feelings. I loved every second of our time together riding, but he never showed at the restaurant the next night, and I was so hurt I’d gone through an entire journal coloring the pages black.

“Maybe he won’t even be there.”

“What if he is?”

“Then you ignore him. Pretend you forgot him. Don’t give him the time of day. Treat him like the stupid, lying asshole he is.”

I jumped when my dad yelled my name. “I don’t want to go.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Dad shouted again, and I stood. “This is so stupid.”

“Just… don’t let him sweet-talk you, Frankie. Don’t believe him when he tries to justify why he blew you off.”

“Yeah, sure.” I hurried outside because I didn’t want to make Dad madder than he was, and when I got into my seat, he was already pulling away before I buckled.

The drive was silent, and I felt little butterflies in my stomach as we got closer to our destination. When we pulled onto the gravel driveway, I noticed it was the same but somehow different. Dad parked, and when he did, two guys walked out of the barn. One was, of course, Wilder, and the other was the spitting image of him, only older.

Wilder squinted, and then his mouth fell open and his head jerked back when he recognized us.

“Let’s go.” Dad got out, and Mom and I followed, but I avoided looking at Wilder by studying the flowers I drew on my shoes.

“Can I help you?” the older man asked.

“Yeah, hi. I’m Zee.”

They shook hands. “Mack, my son Wild.”

“We went horseback riding here last year, and my daughter couldn’t stop talking about it.” I shot daggers at my dad when he said that. “I wanted to bring her again this year, but it seems the number was disconnected. Thought I’d stop by and see if we could make an appointment or maybe go now if you’ve got the time.”

“Sorry, we don’t do that anymore.”

Dad cursed under his breath. “Is there anywhere else around here that does?”

Mack shook his head. “Sorry, not that I know of.”

“Fuck.” He focused on me. “Sorry, baby. I’ll find a place when we get home.”

“It’s fine, Dad.”

“No, it’s not. You had so much fun last time, and after the shit we’ve gone through this year, I wanted… Dammit.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Shoulda planned better. I’ve been so fuckin’ focused on—”

I put my hand on his arm. I couldn’t believe he was going on about all of that in front of strangers, and further, I couldn’t believe he was making such a big deal about horseback riding. Yeah, I had fun, and I talked about it, but I didn’t go on and on like he made it seem. “It’s fine. Let’s just go get some pie and go back to the cabin.”

“I’m sorry, baby girl. I know how much you liked it and—”

“I’ll take her,” Wilder interrupted my dad. “We don’t have enough horses that know the trail to take all of you, but Misty is still here… that’s who Frankie rode last year.”

His father’s head reared back. “Wild, that’s not—”

“Name a price. I’ll pay anything for you to take my girl for a ride.”

Mack put his hands on his hips. “The likelihood of anything happening is so slim, but if she got hurt, my insurance would—”

“I’ll sign a waiver, record a video waiving you from all liability. I’ll do whatever it takes.” Mack still didn’t seem convinced, so my dad decided to do what he does best—with the exception of Piper getting pregnant—and got what he wanted. “Do you have a daughter?”

“Yes.”

“Then you know…” He dropped his chin. “You know you’d do anything to make them happy. Please, brother, help me make my girl happy just for a little while.”

I looked over at my mother to see her wiping beneath her eyes, and I really, really wanted to put a stop to all of this and tell him it wasn’t a big deal, but I knew it would make him more upset if I got in the way of what he was trying to accomplish.

“Let me go see if I can find a waiver.” Mack turned around, and when he did, he grabbed Wilder by the arm and dragged him inside the barn.

I swallowed down my nerves and excitement and turned to face my father. “Dad, you don’t—”

“I do. I need to. And you need to do this. I’d never seen you so happy than after you went riding last year. I owe this to you.”

Since I figured it best not to argue, I didn’t. Plus, while I enjoyed horseback riding, that wasn’t what made me happy. It was talking to Wilder for the entire hour that put a smile on my face. “Okay, Dad.”

I played with the strings on my backpack and kicked at rocks until Mack came back out. Wilder was right behind, and he was walking out with Misty. Seeing her helped ease a little of my nerves. “Wilder will help you get saddled up.” He angled his head, and I pressed my lips together as I made my way over to them.

It would have been easier to continue to be mad at him if he hadn’t gotten even hotter. But more than his good looks and his beautiful eyes, his smile was genuine, and I knew he was just as happy to see me as I secretly was him. At least that was what I had hoped. “How are you, Frankie?”

“Fine.”

“That’s good. Here, put this on.” He handed me a helmet, and I quickly buckled the strap beneath my chin. “Remember how to get up?”

“Yeah.” Still, he helped me, and I was really proud of myself that I managed to avoid staring at him like a love-sick fool.

My dad walked over and grasped Wilder’s shoulder. “Take care of her.”

“Yes, sir.” He nodded. “I will.”

Dad jerked his chin, then tilted his head. “Mack said you could have all the time you wanted, so I’ll be back with your mom in a few hours. Have fun, kiddo, and enjoy yourself, okay?”

Three whole hours? “I will.”

“Love you, Frankie.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

He walked away, and I pretended not to watch how effortlessly Wilder got up on his horse. He moved closer to me and called my name. I looked over at him, and he stared at me for a few seconds before he asked, “Ready to go?”