Free Wild Wyoming Nights by Sandy Sullivan

“Yeah, Mom, I’m fine.”
    “You’ve been crying. Why?”
    The tears came again in a heavy sob. “I’ve betrayed Josh, Mom.”
    “How could you betray Joshua, Abby? He’s not there anymore.”
    “I know that, but Chase…I let him kiss me and…I kissed him back. I feel like such a slut. I still have on Joshua’s ring and I let another man kiss me.” She curled her feet under her and wiped at the tears lingering on her cheeks.
    “Maybe it’s time to take the ring off.”
    She shook her head. “No! I can’t.”
    “Abigail, listen to me. You loved Joshua and a small part of your heart will always belong to him, but that doesn’t mean you can’t love someone else, too. You have to open your heart, sweetheart. There is room for more than one man there. Trust me, I know.”
    Twisting the phone cord around her finger, she said, “I don’t know. I don’t think that’s what Chase wants, either. He was married, too, and lost his wife in a car accident two years ago.”
    “Well, then, you have something in common, sweetie. You both need to learn to love again.”
    Her mother always sounded so sure of what should happen, but she didn’t think she could move on with anyone besides Josh. Abby inhaled with a shaky breath. “I just don’t think I can.”
    “Give it time. If he’s the right one, you’ll know.”
    She sniffed again and wiped the remaining tears. “Thanks, Mom.”
    “You’re welcome sweetie. Tell Chase ‘hi’ for me.”
    Abby laughed. “Of course. He already thinks I’m crazy because I told him about you warning me to check on him the other day.”
    “Well, he’ll learn about me as time goes along. I’m not worried about it. You haven’t told him about your gift, have you?”
    “No. I can’t do that. Not now, anyway. He would think I’d really lost my mind.” She paused and shifted in the chair. “I’ll talk to you later. I have some things to do around the house.”
    “All right. I love you, Abigail.”
    “I love you, too, Mom. Talk to you soon.”
    For the rest of the day, she puttered around her house cleaning, doing her own laundry, and fixing herself something to eat.
    When she completed her list of chores, she stood in her kitchen pressing her fingers to her lips when she remembered the pressure of Chase’s mouth on hers. No one had kissed her since Joshua did the last morning they’d been together and it felt strange. The two men were so different yet so very similar. Thoughts of her sexy neighbor raced across her mind more every hour, and the dream of Joshua hadn’t returned since she had met Chase. She didn’t think she was prepared to move on with someone else, not yet. Besides, he obviously didn’t want anything more than a physical relationship and that just wasn’t an option.
    The diamond on her left hand sparkled in the light when she lifted her hand.
    I’m just not ready.
    She sighed before she tucked a strand of her behind her ear and set about making dinner. A soft smile played on her mouth a moment. I’ll just fix dinner and take it over there. I need to feed the animals, anyway.
    Abby whipped up some lasagna, garlic bread, and salad, packed it in his truck and drove to his house. She went to the barn first and fed the animals, but she knew he watched. She was sure he expected her to leave once the feeding was done, but that wasn’t her plan. She wasn’t about to let him bully her into leaving him alone. He needed her after all, right?
    After driving the truck back to the house and parking it in the rear, she slid out of the driver’s side door, and grabbed the food from the seat. She almost dropped it when she turned and met Chase’s penetrating blue eyes as he stood in the doorway. Plastering a smile on her face, she shut the door with her hip and walked toward him.
    “Dinner?” She reached his side and waited for him to make room so she could pass by. He moved aside, and she slid between him and doorframe.
    Once she passed him, she headed for