Page 25 of Cherry Tree Ranch

I’ve disappointed him yet again.

As we walk to the parking lot, Dad is silent. The half-moon reflects brightly on his glossy white BMW. We get in, and he drives me home in silence. I dig for my phone in the bag of things the hospital gave me to take home – all stuff I had on me when I got stung: my necklace stack, the bronze horse in my pocket and the hairband that had been round my wrist. I text Lani.

Well, that was fun…

Oh yeah? What’s that? she replies.

Oh, you know, an average day … Got stung by a bee. Apparently, I’m allergic. Cash took me to the hospital.

Oh no!! Are you OK??

All good now. Will have to be super careful around the bees though.

Damn. That sucks. I know how much you love them! ☹

She sends a quick follow-up: How come Cash took you? Where does this guy just keeping popping out of?

Ha ha. He came by the ranch again, but I’m not complaining. I like when he’s around. I feel like I can be myself. My cheeks flush slightly as I admit this.

Sure, but if he looks anything like he does online, I imagine you have more than friendship on your mind…? And small caveat – he has a girlfriend. Still, I’m super glad he took you to the hospital.

I skate over her point. Yeah, it was lucky.

When Dad pulls up to the gate at the bottom of the steep road leading up to the ranch, Emery is there to meet us on the four-wheeler. She tells him she’ll catch a ride with a friend and be at his house in the morning, and I say goodbye. His tyres spit out rocks as he speeds off.

“Mom is not doing well,” Emery says as I hop on the seat behind and clasp my hands round her.

“Is she OK?” I ask, immediately worried about her health.

“She’s fine – just upset.” Emery yanks at the handles, turning the four-wheeler round. “I told her we needed to hang tight at home and let Dad take care of you. You know how she reacts to stress.”

We bump over rocks and the headlights catch a deer up ahead. It bounds up the sage-covered hillside and stops, looking back, and for a second I’m struck by the preciousness of it. When I woke up this morning, I never imagined I might never see a deer again, or hold on to my sister on the back of a four-wheeler, or have the chance to get to know Cash.

“What was happening to me when we left?” I ask.

“Well, Cash – handsome, hunky Cash,” she says with a springy voice, “was carrying you because you were limp. Dahlia, you should have seen how his muscles bulged when you were in his arms.”

“Really, Emery?” I almost laugh. I cannot believe that’s what she’s focusing on when I was practically unconscious.

“What? It was impossible to ignore. Anyway, you had hives all over your arms and face. Kind of gross, actually. I didn’t want to leave Mom alone, so Cash offered to take you.” Her voice is still bouncy and cavalier, like the whole thing was no big deal, or, if anything, exciting. “So … why was Cash here anyway?” She slows down but still has to yell over the engine.

“He went for a ride.”

“And just happened to come see you? And save your life? Oooh, Dahlia.” She pokes me in the leg.

He did save my life. He was there exactly when I needed him, and I will probably never know if it was fate or the greatest coincidence of my life. What’s even harder to understand is why I feel so drawn to him. Somehow, when he’s around, I feel like everything’s going to be OK.

“I don’t think he was coming to see me,” I argue. “He has a girlfriend.”

“Oh yeah,” she says. “The blonde at the rodeo. She’s really pretty.” Emery turns her head to look back at me, and the four-wheeler jerks to the side of the road. “Shit, sorry.”

“Watch the damn road! I’ve already almost died once today,” I grumble. I don’t say it to make her feel guilty, but something changes. Her whole body softens.

“Do you think you’re going to be OK now?” she asks, more gently.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

As we get close to the house, I spot Mom on the porch, standing under the light with her arms crossed tightly. I jump off the four-wheeler before Emery even puts it in park. Mom leaps down the stairs and I run to her.