Read Broken Creek (The Creek #1) for Free Online Page B

moment.
    “I’m not sure how I can ever thank you and your friends.”
    “I know.”
    Our eyes met. It was a painful longing that never seem to go away. We had a connection from high school. I’d been a freshman, and he’d been a senior, and even though we had our ups and downs, we’d always seemed to find our way back to each other, until one day it was just over. No amount of chemistry could heal the pain of him assaulting me.
    “I can’t. Please, don’t go there.”
    “You gonna tell me you’ve forgotten how hot we are together?” He took a long drag and allowed the smoke to slowly escape his lips in small circles.
    “That’s just sex, and it’s only part of it.”
    “You’re really gonna be that cold after everything?”
    “Did you seriously just help me out so you could call in the favor for a booty call? Are you that hard up?”
    “No, I’m that much in love with you. Why can’t you give us another chance?”
    “After how many chances? The answer is no. Besides, I’m leaving in a few weeks, and I won’t be back much for at least a year. Things are different now.”
    “Maybe I could move to Dallas?”
    “Sure, there’re plenty of jobs in the area you could do. Traffic is a nightmare, but the people are nice.”
    “I don’t need anything but you.”
    I froze. His voice, the words, skidded across my heart like a leather strap striking a horse. Quick, ragged, and painful. I couldn’t have the argument at hand, but rather decided to pacify him. “We can be friends, okay?”
    Mom’s headlights coming across the bridge were the icebreaker at the perfect time, and I couldn’t have been more grateful. Stephan stood up and extinguished the third cigarette he’d had since we’d been sitting there.
    She got out of her car, squealing with excitement. “What have you done? The bridge, oh my goodness, and look at that bonfire. Stephan was this your doing?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Well, come here, son, and let me give you a hug.”
    We stepped down off the porch, and Mom ran into Stephan’s awaiting arms. He spun her around. When he looked over her head at me and smiled, I knew it was some kind of redemption for him toward me, but in a way, it was a re-bonding of sorts for the two of them as well.
    “How do I say thank you?” She patted his cheek.
    “Cookies,” he joked.
    “You got it, and I’ll make that an endless supply.” Mom turned to face the bridge, and I noticed she wiped at her eyes several times.
    I had a glimmer of hope that maybe she wouldn’t fight me when Ben and Justin showed up for lunch the next day.
    We said our gratitude and goodbyes to Stephan and went inside. That’s when the waterworks started…for both of us.
    After about twenty minutes of small talk, I decided there wasn’t going to be a perfect time to pitch my idea to her, so there was no better time than the present.
    “Mom, a man named Ben and his ranch hand Justin are coming for lunch tomorrow. They want to lease out the land, and Justin will find a room to rent in town.”
    “You go off to Dallas for a few months, and then you think you can just make all the decisions when you come home.” Her voice was terse. The invisible leather strap was back.
    “No decision has been made. It’s just a meeting and a discussion. You have all the power to say no. I only wanted you to keep an open mind. How long has it been since the land looked this good?”
    “Years.”
    “Okay then. That’s all I’m asking. Just keep an open mind.”
    She put the footrest of the recliner down without gentleness and practically marched into the kitchen. “I’m exhausted and I’m going to bed.” When I heard dishes slam down into the sink, I knew I’d pushed her beyond her stretching point.
    She was angry with me. I couldn’t remember a time in my life when my mom went to bed so upset with me, two nights in a row. Had I disappointed her that much?

The next morning, I awoke with a sense of excitement and anticipation. I was