Free Southern Hearts (Southern Love Series) by Ava Thorn Page B

laugh at his
best friend and cousin.
    "It's the truth." Shane shrugged.
    "Did you see her on Snowflake?" Hank said with
admiration. "That damn horse wouldn't let anyone near her after your momma
died. You should have seen my face when I heard Farrah talking to and petting
Snowflake."
    "Even Snowflake knows Farrah is the one for you."
Shane laughed.
    "I don't know how I'm going to break the news to
Rebecca that I'm in love with another woman. She makes me feel these things I
never felt before. Farrah is meant to be with me." Austin stared into the
distance thinking about Farrah.
    "Have you seen her since you asked for more
chicken?" Shane snickered.
    "You what?" Hank asked.
    Austin rolled his eyes. "Shane, you sat there
whispering in her ear, and touching her. I had to get her away from you."
    "Did you notice something today? When I used to flirt
with Rebecca, you didn't care, but with Farrah you get jealous even if I look
at her. I knew the day at the restaurant you cared about her. I only have one
warning to you, cousin."
    "What's that, Ranger Shane?" Austin asked.
    "Don't hurt Farrah," said Hank and Shane
together.
    "She has this vulnerability about her that you just
want to protect." Shane narrowed his eyes at Austin. "If you're going
to hurt her, then do us a favor and leave Farrah alone."
    "I can't leave her alone, and I wouldn't hurt her on
purpose." Austin stood up. "I need to talk to her."
    "You need to close one door before you open another
one," Hank said as Austin walked away from the table.

Chapter Eight
     
    Farrah sat on the sofa drinking a glass of wine and
flipping through her mother's photo album. Touching the necklace around her
neck, she thought of her mother. She remembered sitting in the hospital with
her grandmother as the nurse came out of the room with her mother's
possessions. Farrah saw firsthand how love could hurt. Rose Rue had loved
Reggie Rue with all her heart, but it wasn't enough at the end of the day. He'd
killed her mother and his wife and left Farrah questioning what love even was.
Maybe that was why she stayed with Frederick so long and endured his verbal and
physical abuse, until he beat her so bad that she was rushed to the hospital.
Her momma visited her in a dream telling her to leave Frederick and Louisiana.
    The day Farrah was discharged from the hospital, she vowed
to never look back at the past. She promised herself never to dwell on it all.
The past was what made you stronger. Closing the photo album, she thought about
Austin and the love she had for him.
    Taking another sip of wine, she closed her eyes. Farrah was
afraid to follow her heart; shit, she was scared of the love she had for
Austin. It was just a matter of time before love hurt her again.
    Times like this she wished she had her mother to talk to.
Her heart was heavy as she thought about Austin.
    She couldn't ask him to make a decision regarding them; it
was a decision that she would have to make for them. Farrah decided she would
learn how to let go of him even though it hurt so badly.
    A knock on the door startled her. Getting up, she placed
the photo album in the cabinet and checked her appearance before opening the
door. "What, McBride? Did you get the chicken?"
    "I said something tonight that I want to apologize
for." Austin looked at Farrah closely; her eyes were red from crying.
"Is there something wrong?"
    "Austin, we can't do this anymore," she said
softly.
    "I need you in my life." He stepped inside her
house and closed the door. "I can't lose you."
    "Austin, this is not fair. I can't continue to do this
to Rebecca, and she loves you." She stepped away from him. Leaning against
the wall, she folded her arms and looked at him.
    "Farrah, please don't do this." He pulled her to
him and hugged her tight. "I am going to remind you that I love you. I'm
going to do whatever it takes to show you that I love you."
    "You are making this hard for me," she cried in
his arms.
    "I'm never going to lose you," he whispered as