The Day He Chose Her, I Chose Myself

tub grew cold,

am not interested in you. I wi

could almost taste blood in my mouth, thou

ayer. He thought I was like all the other

all. He saw a cari

ly as... pure

iff and heavy. The humiliation bur

Ethan was even h

kfast, not even looking at me. "And the water troughs in the west pastur

king work, desi

, dug post holes until my hands were raw, and wrestle

, but I pushed through, fue

break me? Fin

eavy water tank onto the truck bed, two of the

into you last night, Miss Va

r Lily. Always has. Says she saved his life once, or some

confirmed what I already knew: in his eyes, I would

unrequited love, his favorit

driving the rickety truck along a bump

lack spots danced i

truck, needing air, an

taste dirt and something metallic –

saw was Hank, the old cowboy, riding

over here!" Hank's

as being carried. S

opeful second

"She just fainted from the heat. Overdid it

me, but his tone

he was annoyed. I w

Boss, she looks real ba

han cut him off. "It's just a bit o

practical, were laced wi

sofa in the main h

feigning unconsciousnes

as weak, fakin

escaped me. He was carrying me

s Richard Vance's daughter. C

ld and heavy. There was no hid

s, I heard him mov

y eyes jus

id, my voice barely a whisper, ra

ck to me. He didn'

ttling over me. "My father... he

d out without another word, leaving me alone

next thing I knew, I was waking up

rough the window. It

hed, but the diz

a knock on

ened, and Lily Hayes walked

I was so worried when Etha

int I didn't trust. The conflict was far from ov