The Last Best Place

Chapter 10

Dawn POV

I get up and get dressed. My heart feeling light and my insides warm. I can’t believe that happened! That was amazing! I think making my way downstairs but stop when I see Jake sitting there, still smiling

“Morning goofball” I say happily and kiss his cheek

“Hey Ror” he says sipping his coffee

“So sleep well?” I ask wiggling my eyebrows

“Oh yeah, you?” he asks and I sigh

“Yes I did. Dream of a certain brown haired girl?” I ask giving him a wink and he chuckles

“Maybe” he says shyly and I giggle

“It’s a Christmas miracle gov’na!” I exclaim and he starts laughing

“Crazy person” he says and I frown

“Strange, that’s what she said” I say gulping down my coffee

“So how does it feel?” I ask looking at him

“To be honest, strange” he says and I place my hand over his

“Hey it’s a good thing. She’s an awesome woman, shy but great and pure” I say and he looks up

“I know. It’s just weird, doesn’t this type of thing only happen in movies?” he asks and I laugh

“Where do you think they got the idea from? Of course it happens, maybe not a lot but that’s what makes it so special” I say and he nods again, but I see the gears turning

“Hey, you and Lisa were high school sweethearts, that’s rare too. But you have a chance at something amazing again. Grab it bro, don’t let the past hold you back” I say and he nods, pulling me to him and giving me a hug

“Thanks Ror. You’re exceptional you know that right?” he asks and I nod stepping back

“Oh I know, y’all can be glad you know me” I say and he lets out a laugh

“And not a vein fiber in your being” he says sarcastically and we laugh together

“So you helping me today?” I ask and he nods

“Might as well get the hang of this. If this works out with Millie, I’ll be here more often” he says, his eyes glinting with happiness

“Okay cowboy, let’s go ranching” I say grabbing my jacket and gloves. But when we step outside, it’s snowing heavily

“Ah crap, okay we need to make sure everything is closed!” I yell over the gushing winds

“Okay!” he yells back and we make out way to the barn. Once the door closes I let out a low whistle

“Wow, it’s really coming down. Okay check on the pigs please, two buckets of feed and then one optimizer. And check the water too please” I say and he nods walking away. I move around checking on the horses first, then moving to the cattle

“Dammit!” I scowl when I see I need to fetch more feed. I sigh and head to the door taking a deep breath and head outside, braving the relentless wind and snow. Of all the days it must be in a snowstorm, of course.

“Come on!” I yell in frustration, struggling to get the bag out. It is stuck somewhere but I can’t see where. I groan, grip the bag and place my one leg back

“One.. two.. three” I yank it and fall back with a loud PLOMP with the bag on top of me

“Gaagh!” the air rushes out of my lungs

“Rory!” Jake yells and lifts the bag off me and I roll onto my side heaving

“Hey you okay?” he asks crouching down

“Yup” I rasp out and get on my hands and knees. Gulping air

“What were you thinking?” he scowls and I look at him

“I am working, now please help me up” I say and he grips my hand hoisting me to my feet, he wraps me up in a hug and holds me tightly

“s**t you scared me” he says and I pat his back

“Let up” I heave

“Jake let up” I cry out and he steps back. I grip my side falling back onto the bags

“Are you hurt?” he asks but I shake my head

“No, stop crushing me you freakishly strong accountant man” I groan, he chuckles grabbing the bag and turns to the door

“Just throw that whole bag out, I already did the rest” I say and he nods heading into the storm. I wait a few seconds before opening my jacket and gritting my teeth

“Lovely” I groan, gripping the piece of wire sticking out of my side, just below my rib cage and yanking but it doesn’t budge

“Aaah!” I yell out and stand. Great. Now he’s going to fuss over me again. f**k! I zip my jacket back up and wince as it puts pressure on the wound. I clench my jaw and make my way out the door, heading for the house. Each step making my muscles tense and this stupid thing hurt. I’m almost by the porch when my foot slips and I stumble

“Oh god” I heave out and struggle to get back up. This is bullshit

“Come on” I grunt and find my steps. Just a few more. I urge myself but the next moment a strong arm wraps around my middle and my legs give out when he pushes right on the wound making me yelp in pain

“Oh s**t” I breathe out and he grips tighter, then I scream

“Aargh! Let go!” I yell and he releases me, I fall against the door breathing heavily

“Sorry, where are you hurt?” he asks frantically scanning me up and down. I grip the door and swing it open stumbling inside

“Rory please speak to me” he says but I just make my way to the kitchen and sit down

“Get mom Jakey” I say breathlessly but he doesn’t move

“Let me help” he says, looking every bit as panicked as he sounds

“Jacket” I cringe and he takes it off and his eyes go wide

“Oh s**t” he says and I lean to the side, trying to relieve the pressure

“MOM!” he hollers, seconds later multiple footsteps comes running down the steps

“What?” she says, hair disheveled, make-up smeared but her eyes hone in on me. I think it might’ve been the pained expression on my face

“Thank you Jake, but it was too soft” I say sarcastically and he scowls at me “The rest of the damn county didn’t hear you!” I yell and his eyes darken

“Sorry I didn’t do it exactly like you asked!” he yells back and as I open my mouth to retort mom steps between us

“Shut it! Both of you! Jake get the kit, Rory honey let me see” she says and he stomps off. She moves around me and clicks her tongue

“The hell are you two doing out in a goddamn snowstorm?!” she scowls and I flinch. World, meet mama bear

“We had to make sure the animals-“

“Dammit Rory! Look at this, what were you thinking?”

“I had to get feed for the-“

“Waiting a few hours wouldn’t make a difference” she says, her voice like shards of ice

“Yes ma’am” I say lowering my head. I know better than to argue with her when she’s angry. Jake places the first aid kit down, and although he’s still pissed I can see his fear

“Hand me the scissors” she says and he looks around

“Now boy!” she commands and everyone jumps into action, even Lou is looking. Then I feel a slight tug on my shirt and I hear the material ripping. I look up into Pops’s face, pained and full of regret

“Sorry pickle” he whispers stepping back

“Crap, okay I need pliers” she says and my eyes go wide

“What?”

“Stay still, there in that drawer” she points to the drawer and low and behold my dad produces a pair of pliers hand it to her

“Here, bite down” she hands me a towel and I place it in my mouth. This feels like a scene out of one of my movies, but this is real.

“Jake, hold her down. Rory honey, this is going to hurt, a lot okay?” she says and I nod squeezing my eyes shut. Jake places his hands firmly on my shoulders, squeezing them. I flinch when the wire moves but then an intense burning pain shoots up my side and I yell out, biting down so hard my gums feel like they’re bleeding

“Here” I hear Lou say, but I struggle to get my breathing under control. Breathing hard through my nose, I feel the tears trickle down my cheeks, my jaw is going numb by now. She does something and I rip the towel out of my mouth, wrapping it around my hands groaning in pain

“f**k” I cry out, bending over

“Oh god!” I scream again. I look up when warm hands clasp over my balled fists, seeing my dad through blurry vision

“Breathe Starlight” he says and I nod

“That’s it baby girl, slow deep breaths” he says again and I take shuddering breaths

“Mom” I gasp when she finishes cleaning the wound and closes it

“Sorry baby” she says softly kissing my head

“Thanks mama” I say leaning my head on my hands. Waiting for the pain to subside

“Here” I look up at Lou holding out a glass

“What’s that?” I ask but she just gestures for me to take it. I unwrap my hands, taking the glass I smell it and cringe

“Whisky? It’s not even five in the morning” I say but she just laughs

“Drink up, it’ll help” she says and I throw it back, gasping a little as the liquid burns my throat. I take a few more breaths and turn slowly facing them

“Sorry” I say and grimace standing

“Here let me-“

“I got this, thanks Jake” I say and take slow steps toward the stairs

“Let me just-“I spin around scowling

“If any of you fuss over this I’m leaving, go it?” I ask angrily and he steps back

“Sick of being treated like I’m made of glass” I groan and head upstairs. Look this hurts like a b***h, but I’ve done this with broken ribs, sprains and all other sorts of injuries without being babied about it

“Ror please” he pleads

“Just let it go Jake, for the love of God let it go!” I yell and stomp upstairs with anger radiating off me

Jake POV

Slack jawed I watch as she stomps up the stairs, vibrating with anger, stunned to silence

“That went well” Lou says and I turn to them

“I didn’t… What was that?” I ask but no one answers

“We don’t treat her like that… do we?” I ask again and to my utter surprise Pops speaks up

“You do. All of you do that” he says and I frown

“You didn’t see what she looked like, he-“

“I did, not all of it but I saw enough. She’s embarrassed about it, she blames herself. And now, she just had an accident and you want to put her in a glass box. She’s strong and independent, she’s not a child anymore” he says and walks away. I look at my mom and she’s pale

“Mom, you okay?” I ask and for the first time in my life I see the tears in her eyes

“He’s right. We were so busy worrying about Leroy, we forgot about her” she says and I sit down

“No we didn’t, we’re doing all this because of her” I say

“No, we’re doing this because we decided it was best for her. That morning, you decided that she must show you, not her. Hell I can’t remember the last time I asked her what she wanted, can you?” dad asks but I am so stunned I don’t know what to say. He’s never spoken this much, ever

“I sure as heck didn’t” mom says and I hang my head

“No” I say and he stands

“She was out there because this is important to her; you didn’t see how good she is at this. Just step back and look at her, the real her for a while. She reminds me so much of another lady that worked this ranch, many years ago” Lou says looking at mom before she heads back upstairs

“That hurt. How did I not see her?” I say more to myself but my mom answers

“Seems we did more damage helping than anything else. But I do not regret sending her here, this place…” she trails off with a far off look in her eyes and I smile remembering her words

“This place heals you” I say and she nods

“That it does. Well I’m checking up on her, see you later” she says and walks out

“You like Millie?” my dad asks and I frown at the sudden topic change

“I do”

“Good, she’s a good girl. Just remember she’s not Lisa son” he says patting my shoulder and walks out. Why do people keep telling me that? I know she’s not. I lost her, she’s gone, but I somehow feel like this might be her doing, if she could she’d do this for me. I will love her to my dying day, but Millie I mean she’s just something else. She’s basically Lisa’s opposite, shy and introverted, but drop dead gorgeous. When she went off on Rory yesterday saying that I could have any woman I wanted I felt proud and sorry for her at the same time. But I got angry at her for thinking she was plain, she’s not. She’s amazing, so utterly amazing. It took all of my willpower not to kiss her when I asked her out. s**t her face when I asked her was priceless. Well I won’t be able to sleep, so I decide to go to my room and plan our date, it has to be perfect. At dinner, Rory’s seat is empty and I feel guilty, for letting her do that alone and for upsetting her. But mom said to leave her alone, so I will do that. As hard as it might be, I will respect her request, she has to forgive me at some point, right?