“I told you I was fine. I’ve been fine for weeks.”
“You weren’t answering my calls and you ignored most of my messages or I would’ve come earlier.”
So basically, it was my fault I got injured and he couldn’t move beyond his phone to check on me? I’d almost had enough, but I couldn’t resist challenging his reasoning. He was a lawyer after all, with a deposition that came before me. “And you waited until you heard my voice before you spared time to come to King’s Creek?”
“After the way you shut me out after your accident? I thought you’d slam the door in my face.” Stomping up the stairs, he loosened his tie and stopped in front of me. “You didn’t tell me that you were staying with your neighbor. I thought you hated him.”
“Hard to hate a guy who pulled me out of a frozen pasture, brought my horse and my dog back, and then took me to the hospital.”
“Fuck the horse and dog,” Marshall snapped and I flinched. “He shouldn’t have wasted time before getting you to a hospital.” He loomed closer. “Have you been with him the whole five weeks?”
Bootsteps hit the stairs. Dawson had remained quiet, but he was getting closer, and I was grateful. After Marshall’s messages, I was a little raw. He would’ve left Bucket and Daisy.
I kind of thought he would’ve left me too.
I folded my arms across my chest. I’d ignored Marshall long enough. I’d held out a smidgeon of optimism that maybe he was the better I’d hoped for. On paper, he was a catch. In person, he was a controlling asshole, and staying with him would make me as miserable as I’d been the last few years. “I don’t see how it’s your business.”
“Bristol, you are my business.”
“I thought I was too ungrateful, selfish, and redneck for you to waste another moment on. How did you put it? ‘Only an insensitive, uncaring ingrate would make my parents drive up from Miles City twice.’ ”
His face burned red. “I was justifiably upset—and I didn’t know you were hurt. Come on, let’s go.”
He was bending to grab my arm when I jerked my elbow out of his way. “Don’t touch me.”
“What the—” He looked over his shoulder to where Dawson stood a few feet away. Marshall whipped his head back toward me. “Are you fucking him? Is that why?”
“Yes, Marshall. All night and day,” I said sarcastically. “We’ve done it right here on the porch, in the bed of his truck, and in every room of his house. Which is none. Of your. Business.”
“You’ve been fucking him all along?” He shook his head. “I should’ve known.”
My brows shot up. “All of a sudden my character is in question? I never raised my voice to you. I never swore at you. I never belittled you in public. Did I cheat on you? Go fuck yourself, Marshall. And wear something nice when you do it. I’d hate for your parents to be embarrassed.”
Marshall drew back. He tightened his tie, one of his douche power moves, and his mouth curled into a sneer. “You’re nothing but worthless trash—”
“All right.” Dawson stepped forward, angling himself between me and my ex. “Get the hell off my property.”
“Listen, you piece of—”
Dawson yanked his phone out. “Look, man. I get that you’re a lawyer. It’s the only reason I haven’t hit you. Dicks like you would sue over a bruised ego. But what I’ll do is call the cops and report a man harassing an injured woman on my property. I’m sure Bristol can show them all your messages when they get here.”
Marshall backed up a step. He sniffed and adjusted his tie again. Then he spun and pounded to his car like a tantrum-throwing child.
Before he got into his car, he yelled, “You were a waste of time, Bristol!” Then he got in and kicked up gravel with a tight three-point turn and sped away. In a moment, nothing but a dust cloud suggested he’d been here.
I sucked in a breath. I’d been called a lot of names. The ones from Marshall’s messages were the most inventive—they almost didn’t feel like insults, certainly not the ones I’d grown up with. But being a waste of time? That hit home.
I grabbed my crutches and stood. Dawson edged closer like he was dying to help but knew I’d rip his arm off and beat him with it if he did. My pride had taken enough of a pounding.
In the house,