Hitching the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch 1)

I slide off the engagement ring and slam it down on the table. “Wedding is off. Goodbye, Benjamin. Forever. Eat shit.”

With my head held high and my heart racing, I stomp up the stairs and don’t breathe until I’m locked inside my bedroom. I’ve never stood up to my parents like that before, but it’s been a long time coming.

No one bothers me the rest of the night, and I manage to sneak out the next day without anyone noticing. I take an Uber and meet Summer for lunch at a nearby cafe. I know she’s dying to know all the details.

Nerves set in my stomach as I wait for her, not knowing if Mom mentioned my outburst last night or not. Though Summer and I are pretty close, she’s always kissed our parents’ asses. She’ll either tell me to apologize and make things right with them, or she’ll be on my side about this for once.

As soon as we spot each other, I stand, and she pulls me into her arms. “Zoey! I missed you.” She squeezes harder, and I choke out for air.

“You act like I went to the moon or something,” I tease as we sit.

“Three weeks is a long time for us not to hang out or at least chat,” she says before the waitress arrives and takes our drink order.

“Have you talked to Mom or Dad today?” I ask.

“No, why? Everything okay?”

I look down at the table, feeling like everything’s about to change. “I don’t think so. Benjamin came over for dinner last night, and I told him I wasn’t marrying him. Told Mom and Dad I was already married, and he’s who I went to visit in Texas.”

Her eyebrows fly to her hairline. “Oh.” Summer blinks a few times and clears her throat. “I imagine that didn’t go over very well. What did they say?”

“That I was a child…Benjamin said he’d pay to get it taken care of…basically to sit down and shut up.”

“Zoey…”

“I didn’t file the annulment papers,” I blurt out. “That’s why I left. I needed to see if Riley and I had a true connection or not. I knew marrying Benjamin would be a mistake either way, but I needed confirmation.”

“Was Riley surprised to see you?” she asks as our drinks are delivered. The waitress takes our order and then leaves us to continue our conversation.

“Yeah, at first. Then once I explained why I was there—minus the Benjamin part—it was like we just continued right where we left off in Vegas. I don’t know…it felt so right. So natural. I didn’t have to pretend to be anyone. He likes me just the way I am,” I say with a sad smile.

Summer nods, but I know her mind is racing at my confession. “So everyone lost their shit at dinner, I suspect?” She takes a sip from her drink as if we’re discussing the weather. Summer’s proper most of the time, especially in public, but I know the real her. The one she let loose in Vegas. “How’d the night end?”

“With me telling them all off and leaving the room. Haven’t talked to any of them since,” I reply, shrugging.

“So where does this leave you? What are you gonna do?” she asks, narrowing her eyes as if she’s trying to figure me out.

“I’m not sure, honestly. Benjamin came to the ranch, Riley punched him, then Benjamin hauled my ass back home. I didn’t want to leave Texas, but I knew I had to make things right here first. I had just told him the night before that I loved him and wanted to stay there. He said he loved me too.” I choke back tears and sigh. “Then I broke his heart.”

I close my eyes, not wanting to get emotional, but it’s no use. I miss him so much already.

“Wow…” Summer inhales a deep breath. “Did you talk to Riley and explain your situation?”

“Yes, I told him everything. He basically told me the ball was in my court, and that I knew where he lived. I explained I had to go and straighten things out with my parents, but you should’ve seen his face. I hurt him. Betrayed his trust. His family was so wonderful to me, Summer. Showed me what it was like to have people in your life who support and love you unconditionally.”

“I support you,” she counters. “You’re my sister, and I love you so much.”

“I know you do. But for the most part, I’ve done what’s been expected of me my whole life. I didn’t want to go to med school, and I don’t want to marry a doctor. I’m a huge failure in their eyes. But I can’t live my life for them anymore.”

“Exactly,” she states. “You cannot live your life for anyone except you. I’ve loved Owen since I was fifteen. The fact that he wanted to be a doctor had nothing to do with me wanting to marry him. Sure, it made our parents happier than a pig in mud, but if he had wanted to do something else, that wouldn’t have changed the way I feel about him. Mom and Dad would’ve had to get over it. I know you think you’re a disappointment, but I also know they care about your happiness. They push you because they think it’s what they’re supposed to do instead of just supporting you in whatever it is you want.”