Page 21 of Saltwater Cowboy

“I’m still like that,” I argued weakly.

“You one hundred percent are not like that. You gave up everything you loved for him. A guy. The one thing you swore you’d never do.”

“I still have hobbies.”

Blythe shot me a knowing look. “Name one.”

“Yoga.”

She scoffed. “That’s work. And if you remember, Thad talked you out of opening your own studio. He was manipulating you. Can’t you see that?”

I picked at my cuticles. “Maybe I should’ve stayed.”

“Oh my God.” She threw up her hands. “You’re just proving my point! Whoever you’ve become in the last two years… that’s not the best friend I know and love. Moving here is the best thing you could’ve done.”

Her voice softened. “I just want you to be okay. I want the real Rose back.”

“I’m broken,” I whispered, my eyes locking onto a floorboard. My voice cracked, betraying me.

Blythe grabbed my hands, firm but gentle. “You need to know that you’re loved. That you’re safe.”

I tried to smile, but it fell flat.

“Mom, dinner is ready!”

Wren came barreling through the front door, then stopped short, eyes bouncing between us.

“Auntie Rose, you’re crying,” she observed. Then, as if it was the most obvious solution in the world, she added, “Do you want to see my turtle? His name is Terry.” She tapped her finger on her chin, “I think you met him at mom and dad’s wedding.”

Wren believed turtles could fix everything.

Blythe ruffled her daughter’s hair. “Why don’t we let Auntie wash her face, and then we’ll have dinner?”

Wren nodded, then launched herself into my lap, wrapping her tiny arms around my neck. “I love you.”

She wiped away a stray tear from my cheek with her little thumb.

“I love you too.”

Wren ran inside, leaving just me and Blythe in the quiet, humid air.

“Are you going to be okay?” she asked. “I can bring you a plate if you want to hide out tonight.”

I pushed my damp hair out of my face. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be okay again. How could I?” My head lolled back against the chair. “I don’t even know where I go from here. I can’t step foot inside that rental—it would be too painful. Too much of a reminder of what could’ve been. What life was supposed to be.” I swallowed hard. “How do I move on from being told I’m a flake? That I’m too hard to love?”

Blythe sighed. “Rose, you’re free-spirited. He wanted to tie you down to a life you hated. Did you look hot as hell at every event you went to? Without a doubt. Could I see right through that fake-ass smile? Also yes.”

She stood, brushing invisible dust off her leggings. “I think it’s time you admit you’ve been lying to yourself.”

She pulled open the door, pausing. “Come in whenever you’re ready.”

A loud clap of thunder rolled across the water. I clenched my jaw. I hate that she can see right through me.

I’d spent most of my life cycling through friends. No one ever stuck.

People irritated me, their presence grating after too long.

Until fate stepped in, and I ended up working with Blythe. She was my assigned Onboarding Buddy. We went from forced small talk to being glued at the hip in record time, after that first glass of wine hit our systems, we became best friends.