Chapter Fourteen
Birdie
I stand there in shock. “Do you hear me, Birdie?” All of my mother’s attention is on me now. She looks panicked, and I’m unsure how to handle her.
“Mom.” I take the piece of torn wallpaper from her hand. “Are you okay?” Is she losing her mind or something? Why would she even care about what happens to me? Honestly, I didn’t think she gave me much thought. She sure hasn’t over the past few years. So her sudden worry has me concerned.
“Okay?!” she says hysterically. “I might have been a shit mother, but I’m not about to let them kill you. I can’t believe Earl did this to me. He made me promises that he never intended to keep. The Justice men are supposed to be men of their word.” She shakes her head rapidly back and forth. “I thought maybe, just maybe a small part of him truly cared about me, but I was so wrong. He’s trying to take the one thing I’ve ever actually loved from me.” Her eyes fill with tears. She blinks them away quickly, and I know she’s trying to hide them.
“Mom.” A rush of unexpected emotion starts to rise inside of me as I try to begin to understand what she’s saying. Had she meant me when she was talking about Earl trying to take away the only thing she’s ever loved?
“Don’t. You leave him and leave here now! I don’t want you here.” She’s getting more worked up by the second.
I gasp. She might as well have hit me. I clearly am misunderstanding her. One second she’s going on about loving me and the next she’s trying to get rid of me.
“Ma’am,” Calder cuts in.
“Don’t. I see what you’re doing, and you know I’m right.” She points her finger in his face. Calder opens and closes his mouth, thinking over what he’s about to say.
“She leaves in two months,” he finally gets out.
Ouch. Of all the things he could’ve said, I was not expecting that.
“Screw both of you.” I throw the piece of wallpaper toward them before I take off. I know people are watching, but I couldn’t care less. I turn and flee. I’m tired of the people I care about letting me down. I don’t go to my bedroom this time; instead I go out the front door and head toward the barn.
It’s my second favorite place here. My favorite is being in bed with Calder. Oftentimes he takes me out for a ride on one of the horses after dinner. He always says he’s teaching me how to ride, so I have to ride with him.
The whole walk to the barn I pull at the stupid ring that’s been stuck on my finger. It’s a constant reminder of the first time Calder kissed me. Every time I complain to him that I am unable to get the ring off, he simply replies that it’s going to be mine eventually so why worry about it? That Earl left it to me. It’s a freaking wedding ring!
“Miss Rodgers.” Troy, the stable hand, lifts his Stetson off his head when he sees me enter the barn.
“Hey, Troy.” I give him a smile. “I’m gonna say hi to Dolly.” I motion toward her stall. She’s a sweet filly.
“She could use a brush.” He pulls one out of his back pocket.
“Thanks.” I take it from him.
“Don’t you have work to be doing instead of flirting with my girl?” I spin around at the sound of Calder’s cold voice. He’s got his eyes trained on Troy. He’s being ridiculous considering the man is three times my age.
“Don’t be a jackass,” I hiss. “And I’m not your girl.” I lob the brush at him, which he catches easily.
“Ma’am.” Troy offers me another brush. I snort a laugh even though I’m fit to be tied right now.
“Thank you, Troy. Can you give us a minute?” I ask, not wanting him to be on the receiving end of Calder’s anger.
Calder is normally calm and level-headed. That is until he thinks someone might be taking an interest in me. I know it’s a little crazy, but usually I find his jealousy to be endearing. I’ve never had someone get jealous over me before, but right now it only makes me madder. How can he be jealous? He’s got us time stamped.
“Call if you need me, sweetheart,” Troy says, tipping his hat at me. He ignores the growl that comes from Calder.
“Would you knock it off? He’s not flirting with me, and if he was, why do you care anyway? In a few months I’ll be gone from here. You said so yourself. You might not date, but I think I’m going to start,” I say tartly. I know I’m being a brat, but he was rude earlier. He deserves it.