Come Home To Me (Wild Creek Ranch Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-Three - Had Rhett Moved On?

The next morning, as Rhett trained his horses, he saw River, Sera, and Rihanna go for a walk around the ranch. They sat far away, watching him at work, and he had the feeling that they were discussing him. Finishing his work and went towards them. "How are you today, Sera?" he asked with concern.

"I'm fine, Rhett. Thank you. You're very good with the horses."

"I love the animals and they love me back," he simply told her with a shrug. He easily shied away from women, but Sera felt like a friend in need and he didn't feel uncomfortable around her at all. "Today, your blood test reports would arrive," he informed her. Sera nodded, thankful to this family for accepting her so open-heartedly when her own family hadn't.

"Rhett, I haven't tasted your cooking for ages. Will you cook for us today? Please?" asked River, expecting him to smile and agree as he always did, but he didn't. There was a time when he had a reason to smile, but not anymore.

"I stopped cooking for anyone, Riv. I don't feel like it anymore. Maybe some other time," he said vaguely. He hadn't cooked since Adelaide had left. For the last four years, he had started each day with a new hope of seeing Adelaide return to him, but when it didn't happen, he lost the will to live. He walked back to the ranch house to freshen up when Rihanna caught up with him and they walked together in silence.

"She won't come back, bro. It's been four years now. You need to move on," said Rihanna, but Rhett turned his head to look at her.

"Did granny Emma tell you that?" he asked her but Rihanna shook her head.

"No, she didn't. Adelaide's mom is deteriorating day by day and she won't leave her and return to Montana. You need to face the reality."

"I'll wait for her till the day she marries Thomas."

"She hasn't agreed to marry Thomas yet." Rhett's eyes sparkled with a newfound hope and he searched hers, fishing for more information.

"When was that?" he asked curiously, his whole body alive with excitement.

"Last week," informed Rihanna. Rhett smiled after ages, having received the information he needed. Adelaide hadn't married Thomas yet, and he could still hope for her.

"Then give me one reason, at least why I shouldn't wait for her?" he asked her with a smile playing on his lips while Rihanna rolled her eyes at her brother.

"I have none," she grinned, relieved to see him grin back at her so candidly, after ages. He was in good spirits throughout the day and in the evening after work, he went to visit granny Emma. She was in tears when she saw him on her doorstep making Rhett repent, for not coming here to see her earlier.

She hugged him close while her eyes filled up with tears. Rhett hugged her back, gently stroking her back to comfort her. "You forgot me, Rhett!"

"No, granny Emma. How can I forget about you? I was a little heartbroken and too scared to come here. I couldn't face the news of her marriage to another," he admitted honestly.

"I understand, Rhett. Even I'm heartbroken. I can't see why Adelaide needs to stay there looking after Karen when it's not helping her. They could employ a nurse trained to take care of her. Adelaide has already wasted four years of her life locked up in that apartment twenty-four hours a day. She should have got a master's degree or a job in New York instead. While Andrew is succeeding in his career, he has crippled his sister's future," said granny Emma, wiping her eyes and looking upset.

Rhett sighed, knowing that no one could help Adelaide, since she needed to stand up for her own rights. If her mom didn't improve for ten years, she would become mentally unstable, taking care of her this way with no respite. "She needs to realize that herself," said Rhett, going inside with granny Emma.