The other night was a whirlwind of activity. Detective Douglas had gotten Dillon’s message about a truck nearly taking us out on the side of the road and that the man he saw in the drugstore fit the description that I gave of the man that abused my mother. I had no idea Dillon saw the guy with the truck at the drugstore and that he suspected it was him. Detective Douglas then got a call from Ellen Schafer warning them about David Schafer, her son, who was on his way to the ranch to find me. She warned him that David was not well. Candice was able to give Ray and the police a description of the so-called client and his truck that also fit the description of David Schafer. After Ray was able to put all of the details together, he knew where to find us and the police weren’t far behind. David Schafer was taken into custody and Dillon was rushed to the hospital with several cracked ribs. They kept him sedated overnight and sent him home this morning with pain pills. The pain pills I am refusing to give to him. We haven’t talked. I stayed at the hospital with him, but he was medicated and slept most of the time.
“Why was she in your room?” I ask, holding the pills far from his reach.
“Because I was in your room. I slept with you. You were passed out. I didn’t even know Candice was in my room until I got up to take my shower.”
“Why was she in your shirt?”
“I have no fucking idea. That’s Candice. She wanted it and took it and she wanted you to see it.”
“I overheard what she said. She’s right,” I say quietly.
“What is she right about Amy? I heard what she said too and she doesn’t know you and she certainly doesn’t understand me. So, tell me what she’s so right about.” He’s kind of snippy with me. He changes positions again, trying to get comfortable and I start to feel bad.
I know nothing happened with Dillon and Candice. Candice came to the hospital last night while Dillon was passed out and apologized to me for the way she treated me. She said nothing happened between her and Dillon. She was genuinely concerned for both of us. She even hugged me. Even though nothing happened between them, I need reassurance from Dillon about what is happening between us.
“I’m not like her. I’m not good for you. My mother has a mental illness and my father is a psycho. What if something is wrong with me?”
“Amy, there is nothing wrong with you. If you need help to deal with what you’ve been through, we’ll do it together. Whatever you need. You have something your mother never had. You have me, Laney, my dad, friends...we all care about you.”
“I don’t want you to feel sorry for me and feel responsible for me and my freak outs. I’m taking time away from your passion, the thing you love the most.”
“What do I love the most?”
“The ranch.”
“Well, that’s where you’re wrong. Can I tell you something?” He reaches for my hand and gently pulls me closer to him. I sit on the edge of the bed at his side and listen, fumbling with the bottle in my other hand. “I’ve lived on this ranch my entire life. I love it here and there is no other place for me. All through school while growing up, kids would talk about sports, video games and what’s coming on TV that night. I didn’t care. I never fit in. I couldn’t wait to get home and ride the horses and sit by the lake. When I went to college, it was the same story. I didn’t fit in. Listen to this, okay.” He stares fiercely into my eyes. “Candice is normal. She’s like all the rest of the girls, but she doesn’t fit into my life. She’s like my mom. This life isn’t for her. She’s made for fashion and high rises. You, Amy. You are made for this life. You may think you’re broken, but I swear I’m the piece that’s missing. Since the day I saw you behind that fence, I felt this strong pull towards you like nothing I’ve ever felt before. When you ride and feel the wind in your hair, and it makes you smile? That is what makes you different from those other girls and I love that about you. You’re just like me. The trees, the lake, the horses and the sunsets are all we need. And each other. We need each other. I need you. I love you, Amy.”
I can’t breathe. I gasp for air as I wipe the tears from my eyes. I can hear the pills rattle in the bottle as my hand shakes. I pop the top of the pill bottle and hand him his pain relievers.
He tosses them to the back of this throat. I hand him the glass of water on the nightstand and watch him as he washes the pills down without taking his eyes off of mine.
A desperate need suddenly washes over me. I can see the same need in his eyes.
I grab the hem of my t-shirt and lift it slowly over my head. I’m wearing his favorite sheer black bra. He licks his lips as he watches me undress and then climb over him to straddle his waist.