Page 108 of If I Didn’t Have You

Sighing, she let her head drop to my shoulder. “I wish you were my mother.”

Her words struck me hard, and as she dozed against me, finally passing out from the stress and alcohol. I vowed that I would have a talk with her parents and remind them that whatever happened between them, their daughter was hurting and needed them in her life.

I wasn’t sure it would make a difference, but I had to try. I couldn’t stand seeing Ellie like this.

I sent out a message to Josie and Delaney, letting them know Ellie was at the cabin. I turned on the TV and spent the next hour watching some old movie with Ellie, and then her friends showed up with pizza and soda.

“Stay as long as you want. The cabin isn’t being used anytime soon.”

I wasn’t entirely sure about that statement, but since Ryder was coming home, it wasn’t likely they would stay long anyway.

I shot off a text to Jeff, letting him know they would be there for a while, then headed home. By the time I put my feet up, I was emotionally exhausted and had no desire to cook a damn thing.

“Everything okay?” Ben asked, joining me on the couch amongst all the sawdust.

“Not really,” I sighed. “Ellie was at book club. She’s not doing too well.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, pulling me against him and pressing a kiss to my temple.

“We’re lucky, you know? I’m so grateful that our girls never went through anything like that.”

He grunted, tucking me in tighter.

I thought about all Ryder and Ellie had survived, how he’d stuck by her through it all, being the rock she desperately needed. In some ways, they’d dealt with more than Ben and I had in our thirty-plus years of marriage. It felt wrong to feel so bad about how my life had turned out when others were suffering so much worse.

“Promise me we’re going to be okay, Ben.”

“We will. I swear to you, we’ll get through this and come out stronger.”

I sank into his arms, curling my body around his. We would be better, and I would not let myself ever think such negative thoughts about my husband again.

30

BEN

Liam and I headed over to the Callahan ranch for the first time in years. It took a lot to convince Liam that this was the right move after what Austin did to Bailey, but if we were going to mend the hurt between our families, someone had to extend an olive branch.

“You really sure you want to do this, Pop?”

“If your mother can forgive the family after she was poisoned, then I can get past it for the sake of the town.”

“The sake of the town,” he scoffed. “Right.”

“Like it or not, if the Callahans fall, the rest of the town won’t be the same. We need the store. No one else is going to put up a grocery store out here.”

Sighing, my son reluctantly agreed, though he would never say it out loud.

“I doubt anyone will ever see the Callahans the way they used to after what Austin did.”

“Probably not, but John is a good man. And his ranch will help us grow. We need that, and you know it.”

Pulling through the gates of the ranch, a shiver ran down my spine. I hadn’t been back here in years, and what once used to be a strong friendship had diminished into nothing more than scowls and barbs shot at each other.

“Let’s try to keep this civil,” I said as I shut off the truck and got out.

John stepped out of his house, his face filled with concern as my son approached with a permanent scowl on his face. Christ, he was gonna blow this for us.

“John,” I said, tipping my hat at him.