Page 105 of Strung Along
“I’m comin’ home. I’m not okay with you gettin’ accosted by the media because of me. I can’t just sit back and let your life get mucked up by this. Don’t fight me on it. I’m comin’,” he declares, and I know I’ve lost the battle.
I’m not stubborn enough to keep fighting him on it, especially not when the annoying part of me wants to beat my chest with pride, knowing he wants to come home early.
“Please give them a heads-up, then, Brody. I want to make sure they’re okay with me being there before I just show up.”
“I’ll call them right now and then call you back.” He pauses then, a shaky inhale loud in my ear. “I’m so fuckin’ sorry, baby. I didn’t think they’d show up there. Should have known better.”
“Don’t. This isn’t your fault, and I don’t blame you for it. Get all that out of your head.”
Poppy drives another lap around the same block, stalling leading the reporter anywhere close to where either of us lives.
“Yeah, alright. I’m going to call them now. Tell Poppy to head to the ranch, and I’ll call back in a minute.”
“I love you, Brody,” I say sternly, making sure he hears it before dropping the call.
“I love you. I’ll be right back.”
When he ends the call, I swipe a hand over my hair and mutter, “He wants me at the ranch. You’re welcome to stay too.”
Poppy nods and changes direction, heading out of town. Spencer’s headlights follow.
“Let him come home, babe. I know you’re sitting there stirring about it, but trust me when I say that that man won’t know peace until he knows you’re taken care of. He’s not going to want to hear it from anyone else either. I doubt you’ll ever be able to convince him otherwise,” she says.
“What if he resents me for dragging him back so soon?”
Poppy laughs, but it isn’t a warm sound. It’s sad. “Something tells me that if he never had to leave, he wouldn’t. He’s probably relieved to have an excuse to come back.”
“His career is important,” I whisper.
“That ex of yours really skewered the way you see relationships, Anna. Sometimes being with the person youlove outweighs everything else. Even important careers. I’d do anything to have what you two have. To know that I had someone who would drop absolutely anything they were doing to come take care of me when I needed them to.”
I reach across the car to touch her hand, my mouth lifting at the corners. “You’re very wise, Poppy. Wise and sweet and smart and drop-dead gorgeous. You’ll find someone who appreciates you the way you deserve.”
She offers me a weak smile. “Thank you. But don’t worry about me. I just want you to start accepting more from people. More support and care and love. You deserve it, okay?”
“I’ll work on it.”
“Good girl,” she says, shooting me a wink across the dark cab. My laugh isn’t as strained as I anticipated.
The familiar Steele Ranch gate appears up ahead, and I let some of the tension drain from my muscles. It pisses me off that this reporter is going to be anywhere close to this place, but knowing there’s no chance in hell he gets on the property is enough for now.
Poppy slows the car as we turn onto the small section of road leading up to the gate and blows out a breath. “Uh-oh. Grandpa Steele is ready to kick some reporter ass.”
It takes me a beat to make him out in the dark, but when I do, it’s to find him standing in front of the gate, his arms crossed and scowl cold. His usual hat is tipped low over his forehead, and if I didn’t know the man the way I do, I’d turn and run for the hills the moment he takes a step toward Poppy’s car and waves us through the gate.
Brody hasn’t called back yet, and if I had to guess, I’d say he’s still speaking to his grandma.
“Do you think Spencer will turn and leave?” I ask her.
“No. If he’s stupid enough to try and back Brody’s girlfriend into a corner while knowing damn well he’s in another country, there’s not much help for him.”
“I want to hear what happens,” I admit.
Poppy stops the car right then and there. Pulling out the keys, she pushes open her door, and I follow suit, the wind harsher in the openness of the ranch.
Deep male voices ripple through the night.
“You’re lucky to be dealing with me and not my grandson after cornerin’ his woman like that and followin’ her back here,” Wade barks, voice like a whip.