Surrender to Fate (Fate's Path Part One: A New Adult Romance Series) (14 page)

If Sarah found it difficult to stick with her resolve, Adley sure didn’t. Initially Sarah thought that Adley would eventually come around and relent on his decision to break off all contact with her. It had been weeks since their last conversation, and Adley had made himself scarce. Sarah realized how much time they had actually spent together in the stark comparison of now, not seeing him at all. She still went about her duties of taking care of the garden and the hens, and she even tried to time her chores around when Adley would usually be out in the yard doing his. But somehow, he had managed to carry on with his chores without having to cross paths with her.

The days were getting shorter and colder, and fall was upon them. Sarah’s birthday was only a couple of days away and it made her so homesick for Colorado and for Will that she hardly felt like celebrating. Her last birthday was spent with Will, at the movies, and then just the two of them at Myron’s Soda Fountain. Well, just the two of them until Margaret had appeared and spoiled everything, Sarah remembered. She knew all about Margaret and her motives, and her obvious attempt at ruining her time with Will. But sweet, sweet William. He had assured her that nothing was ruined, and in fact, she knew that the bond that the two shared was even stronger after that night.

Now that the majority of her time was being spent by herself, and occasionally playing a game of cards with Matty, Sarah was left with only her memories to keep her company. She stood at the window in her parents’ room, staring out at the horizon as the sun was setting against a magnificent pink sky. She remembered watching the sunset while she and Will sat on the knoll on the day of the community picnic. She cringed at the memory. That was the night her whole life changed, and turned upside down with just a few words spoken by her father. She wondered if by some chance, that Will might be watching the sunset tonight as well. She walked from the window to the trunk and found the box that Will had made for her. She traced the circles with her finger, wondering how a year could seem like so long ago, and yet still feel like yesterday. So much had happened in that year, and now with her head not so clouded with the antics of Adley, Sarah knew she was ready to use the stamp, and pour her heart out to Will.

She opened her mother’s side table drawer and pulled out several sheet of paper and a pencil. Now, where to begin? She stared at the blank paper and wondered how she could possibly write everything that she wanted to, and needed to. She tried to remind herself that it was the same Will who had been her best friend for her whole life, that she was writing to, and she knew she could tell him anything. Just because there was now the issue of time and distance between them, it didn’t mean that it had somehow changed who they were. She traced the circles over and over. Yes, it was time to write.

Dear, dear Will,

What I wouldn’t give to be able to have this conversation with you in person. I hope this letter finds you and your family happy and doing well. I know that you have waited longer than you should’ve to finally receive this letter from me and all I can say is that I’ve wanted to write you every single day. This one stamp has been my link to you, and I’ve always been afraid to actually use it, and then maybe feel that my tie to you is gone. But, now more than ever, I need you to know how I am feeling, and that will, I hope, keep us connected even though my one stamp will be gone.

Our trip to California was dreadful. We all tried not to complain, but it was a long, long trip that seemed to never end. Once we arrived here at the Somerton’s Ranch, we all attempted to get settled in to our new life in California. The owners, Oscar and Ellie, have been welcoming and kind to us all. We are living in a little house not far from their house, and though our house is not made for a family of four, for the most part, we are comfortable here. We are thankful to have our own place, especially knowing that most families sharing the same misfortune to our own, are fairing far worse in camps along roads and along the vegetable fields. Dad is usually gone all day long managing all of the workers and working on the farming equipment. He is always tired, but I’ve still not heard him complain a day in his life about that. Mama is kept busy with chores of keeping up the little house and other duties that Ellie needs help with. She and Ellie seem to get on all right, but I know how much Mama misses your mother. Matty is content with his tasks of taking care of the animals and the barn upkeep. He and Riley keep each other company and are inseparable, and I’m thankful that Riley was able to make the trip with us.

Sarah lifted her pencil from the paper and stared into the quiet room. And now, for her. What does she tell Will about how
she
has been doing in California? And the question that plagued her before, returned.
Do I tell him about Adley?

She put the tip of the pencil back to the paper, but then lifted it again. Could she really avoid telling Will the truth about who else lived at the ranch? By not telling him, it would be like admitting that there was something to hide. She would never want to hide anything from Will. She knew that a partial truth was no truth at all. But still, what did it
really
matter if Will knew about Adley or not? Sarah had told Adley about Will, how she felt about him was not a secret, at least not anymore. And Adley had made the decision that they would have no interaction to speak of anymore...so really, there was nothing to tell. In fact, Sarah reasoned, that by not telling Will, it would spare him any undue concern about what was going on in California. All he needed to know was that she still remembered their promise, and that more than anything, still felt the same about him as the day she left.

She felt mostly settled about her decision not to tell him about Adley and tried to ignore that gnawing feeling in her gut that she was somehow lying to Will. She shook her head, and decided not to spend any more time debating the issue.

I’ve been given chores that are to my liking, as well. There is a hen house and a large garden that demands daily attention to keep it neat and orderly. I am in charge of collecting the eggs, which always reminds me of our little henhouse back home. The garden is peaceful and has been a Godsend for me, as I find that it gives me a place to be alone with my thoughts.

Sarah stopped her pencil in that exact place and contemplated her last sentence.
A place to be alone…

That is, until it became the place where she wasn’t alone. Until it became the place that she and Adley experienced the culmination of their growing desires for each other. Every thought in Sarah’s head was screaming at her to stop reliving what had happened in the garden…with Adley’s mouth on hers, and his hands pressing her body to feel his.

Sarah dropped her pencil to the stack of papers and ran her hands over her face and through her hair. She exhaled loudly and wondered how on earth Adley could still possess the power over her that he did, and they hadn’t even seen each other for weeks.
Darn you, Adley!

Picking up her pencil, she forced her thoughts back to Will and continued where she left off.

But whether I am in the garden, or anywhere here in California, my thoughts always bring me back to you. I hope you know that there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about you, and more importantly, our promise that we made to each other the day we said goodbye.

Sarah stopped, and realized what she had just written.
The day we said goodbye.
No! They hadn’t told each other goodbye. They had refused to say those words. She hastily erased her last few words, fearing that if she didn’t, they would somehow come to life and actually become the reality of their situation…that they
had
said goodbye to each other.

…
our promise that we made to each other, the day at Coon’s Cove. I remember that so clearly, Will. Please tell me that you do, too? I’ve realized that the time that we have been apart, and the hundreds of miles that are separating us, have not changed how I feel about you. If anything, I’ve realized even more what is most important to me, and it is the people that are in my heart that give me hope. Hope for the future, and hope that someday, we can keep our promise to each other.

While this letter will end, know that my heart is yours, and it will remain yours, and that will not end. Time or distance from you can never take away everything that we’ve shared together. I anxiously await your letter, but until then, I keep the memory of what you said to me, Me Ware Wo, playing over and over in my mind. I only hope you can hear me saying the words to you, and know that I mean them now, more than ever. Me Ware Wo, Will .

Love always,

Sarah

Sarah reread her letter and wished that she could tell him so much more. But maybe, if she could scrape enough pennies together, she could write to him again before too long. She folded the letter gingerly and sealed it in an envelope. After carefully printing Will’s name and address, she lifted the stamp from the box and gave it one last look. Kissing the face of the stamp, she gently licked the adhesive on the back and applied it perfectly straight in the corner of the envelope. She sighed as she realized that after all of this time of waiting to use the stamp, that it was now gone. There was something about sending the letter that made her uneasy. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she could only hope that it would reach him and she would be getting a letter from him soon with the same message--that he remembered their promise, too.

William turned the ignition off of his dad’s farm truck and stared out of the windshield at the Thornton’s house. Despite it being just a few miles down the road from his, he couldn’t help but notice how different it was. Everything seemed new, in perfect shape, and a little out of place for being out in the country. It would’ve fit in better in town. But, the Thornton’s owned hundreds of acres that spanned across hayfields and up into the surrounding valley and mountains. It actually made William feel a little uncomfortable; there was a big difference between the lifestyle of the Thorntons and the Harstons.

He slammed the truck door and wondered what to do next. Would he walk to the door, and be faced with his employer questioning why he was at his home on a Saturday? Or had Margaret told her father he would be coming by? William’s palms were becoming very clammy and he contemplated calling the whole thing off and going home.

As if she had been reading his mind, Margaret suddenly appeared from behind the front door of her house.

“I’ve been waiting for you, William,” she called out. “I’m not used to having to wait for anything, you know.”

William nervously cleared his throat and yelled back, “Sorry, am I late?”

She closed the gate to the yard and glided right up to him. She put her hands on his chest and looked at him. “A little, actually. But something tells me you’re worth the wait.” She smiled at him with a look in her eye that made William’s palms sweat even more, and he somehow knew that leaving now was out of the question.

She smiled and took his hand, “Let’s go.”

William couldn’t help but feeling that by accepting her invitation, that things would never quite be the same from then on. He hesitated, still not sure about blindly following Margaret into who knew what, and said looking toward the truck, “Uh...do I need to get anything?”

“No, William. I have everything that we need, you don’t need to worry about a thing.”

“Okay,” William said slowly, “If you say so.”

They walked to an impressive barn and stable where two horses were saddled and tied to the corral. William couldn’t help but notice that even the horses looked new and perfect, just like Margaret’s house. Their coats were shiny, their manes brushed and groomed, and both were saddled with clean, brightly colored horse blankets and saddles that looked like they had never been ridden.

“This is Bourbon, your horse.” Margaret said as she patted the rump of a handsome, dark amber colored horse with a black mane. “He’s my favorite, quiet and calm, but not afraid to let loose when I ask him to.”

William walked over the horse, and rubbed his large circular cheeks. Bourbon turned and sniffed and snorted into his hand. “Hey, boy.” William rubbed his hand down Bourbon’s long face and looked into his big, brown eyes. He instantly liked Bourbon. He had been around plenty of horses, and could tell that this one had a good disposition.

“And this is Lashes.” Margaret walked to the beautiful gray dapple tied next to Bourbon. Unlike Bourbon, Lashes was fidgety and anxious now that Margaret and William had arrived. “Isn’t she pretty?”

William gave Lashes the same loving rub down as Bourbon, and looked into her big brown eyes that were shielded with the longest lashes he had ever seen on a horse. He smiled, understanding her namesake. “She seems like a feisty one, to me.”

“Oh, she is.” Margaret said matter of factly. “But, don’t you think that just adds to her beauty?”

William stopped petting Lashes and looked at Margaret. Her hair was braided into a single braid that wrapped around and draped over one shoulder. She wore a simple, white button down blouse, tucked into brown riding pants that hugged every curve, and black riding boots that came to just under her knees. He couldn’t deny that she had every base covered when it came to her looks. And as far as her personality, he thought she was a lot like Lashes, feisty.

“Yes,” he answered, but wasn’t quite sure if she was still asking about the horse, or something else.

“Yes, what?” Margaret prompted.

“Yes, she’s feisty…and beautiful.” William knew he just answered a loaded question, but in all fairness, it was the truth. And he wasn’t talking about Lashes.

Margaret smiled, “Shall we?”

William nodded and helped Margaret up into her saddle. She was confident, he liked that about her. He could tell that she had been riding for a long time and felt comfortable taking control of her horse. He quickly mounted Bourbon and said, “Lead the way.”

With a few clicks of her tongue and a gentle nudge, she and Lashes turned from the corral. Bourbon knew what to do, and William had to smile at the horse’s understanding to follow the beautiful and the feisty. Margaret led them to a heavily wooded path through the aspen trees that began just beyond the barn and the corrals. The path was only wide enough for one horse at a time, and William realized his view from Bourbon was not too shabby at all. The forest was magnificent and quiet, but William hadn’t noticed. His eyes were locked on watching Margaret. Her straight back gently swaying with Lashes gait, and the view of her straddling the saddle, was more than he had bargained for. He couldn’t help but stare at her perfect, round ass that gently pressed up and down into the saddle with each step. William took a deep breath. He could feel his body reacting to the vision and had to stand up in the stirrups to adjust himself against his trousers.
Ah shit, I’m in trouble.
But despite his admission to himself, it didn’t matter how beautiful the scenery to the left and to the right was, he didn’t take his eyes off her. And as much as he liked Bourbon, he wished they were riding the same horse, with her sitting in front of him, and he wouldn’t have to wonder what that ass felt like as it pressed up and down in a saddle.

He had become so entranced with the rhythm of her riding that he almost didn’t notice that she had twisted her body around and put her hand on the back of Lashes’ rump to look at him. Margaret couldn’t have been more pleased to see that William was most definitely noticing, and by the way he was transfixed, quite enjoying the view. His eyes bolted up to hers, knowing he had been caught. “How are you guys doing back there?”

“Uh…oh, good. We’re good.”

Margaret just smiled and turned back around to resume her intoxicating sway. William wasn’t sure how long they had been riding when the trail finally widened enough for the two horses to walk side by side. He actually wouldn’t have minded bringing up the rear for the entire ride, but he rode up along side of Margaret when she and Lashes slowed for them to catch up.

“Well, what do you think?” Margaret asked as he looked over at her.

“Think about what?” He was starting to feel embarrassed at the question, considering all he had been thinking about on the ride so far.

“The ride. Are you enjoying the ride?”

“Oh! Yea, it’s really…” William stopped, trying to find something to say other than how amazing it had been to watch her ride a horse. “…a great day for ride.” He managed to say.

“I agree. I try to ride as much as I can. But, it’s not much fun to ride by myself. And since you are here to ride with me, I am especially happy. In fact, I have a feeling that this will be one of my favorite days of riding.”

They rode on the path for quite awhile, making small talk about the horses and how the leaves were starting to change colors. William was just simply trying to keep his eyes on the trail in front of him, knowing how good Margaret looked sitting in that saddle.

The trail ended and opened up into a lush, green pasture that was lined with aspens and pines all around the perimeter. “Here we are. The Texas Field.” Margaret announced.

“The Texas Field? Why Texas?”

“Someone once flew over it and told Daddy how it was shaped like Texas, and the name stuck.”

“Well, I guess that makes sense then.”

“It’s actually my favorite place on Daddy’s land. I come here all the time. But, you’re the only person I’ve ever brought here. I was thinking that maybe after today, it might be a favorite place of yours, too.”

William slowly nodded, but didn’t quite know what he was agreeing with. Other than he was certain that this would be a day he wouldn’t forget. He looked around the field and then back to Margaret. “Well...it is a beautiful field, that’s for sure. But, you said that you had something to teach me?” William’s eyes scanned back and forth. “Is that something out
here
?”

Margaret giggled, “You’re awfully impatient, William. But, yes, as a matter of fact, it is out here. Follow me.” With another click of her tongue, she held the reins against Lashes’ neck and urged her on. Bourbon again obediently followed as they walked along the edge of the field to a grove of aspens. Margaret led them to a tree that had fallen with age but had gotten caught by the other trees and had formed an almost perfectly horizontal hitching post. She swung her leg over the back of Lashes and hopped out of the stirrups. William followed her lead and tied Bourbon to the tree with enough slack in the reins that the horses could graze on the long grass beneath them. “There’s a spring not far from here. We can water the horses when we’re done.” Margaret said as she ran her hand down Lashes’ neck.

Margaret walked to the side of Bourbon where two large saddle bags were fastened behind the saddle. As she unlatched the buckle, William asked, “Can I help?”

“Sure, you’re such gentleman, William. I just love that about you. Here, can you take this and spread it out under the trees over there?” Margaret handed him a folded, thin, blue blanket. William looked at her, obviously not expecting a blanket for some reason. To answer his questioning expression she explained, “I thought it would be nice to have a picnic under the trees.” She raised her eyebrows and looked at him in complete innocence.

“Oh, okay.” William turned and walked to the clearing, shaking his head at himself for jumping to conclusions about a blanket, which was apparently for a picnic. Although, to his defense, he was still having a hard time getting the vision of Margaret riding in front of him out of his head, and the last thing on his mind was eating.

By the time he had cleared away the sticks and rocks and smoothed out the blanket, Margaret had brought the rest of the supplies from the saddle bags. She had two large cloth sacks and a canteen. “I don’t know about you, but I have quite an appetite after that ride. How about you, William, are you hungry?”

William looked at her and slowly nodded his head.

“Good, then let me take care of that.” She took his hand and pulled him down with her onto the blanket next to the sacks. Margaret began pulling wrapped items from one of the sacks, “I have sandwiches, does that sound good?”

Again, all William could answer with was a nod of his head. Although he was always hungry and his mother often joked that he was going to eat them out of house and home, he actually was having a hard time concentrating on food. But amazingly, he somehow managed to eat, all while making Margaret laugh at his various stories. He was finding that he loved it when she would touch his chest gently push him when she heard something that was especially funny to her. He realized that he had been laughing a lot too, something that he hadn’t been doing for a very long time.

“Thank you, for lunch. It was good.” William said when they finally stopped laughing at his latest story.

“Well, William,” Margaret said as she began to untie the ribbon at the end of her braid and looked back to him, “You’re very welcome. I like that I can give you what you like.” She ran her fingers through her hair, loosening the braid so that her hair fell freely into waves that covered her shoulders.

William watched the whole process, and couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to run his fingers through her hair. She gently shook her head, and looked at him with eyes that seemed to be trying to tell him something.

He cleared his throat, “So...what exactly did you plan on teaching me?”

Margaret smiled, “I thought you’d never ask. Come with me.”

She stood, grabbed the other cloth sack and beckoned for him to follow her. They walked through the grove on what appeared to be a game path when Margaret turned to him, put her hand on his chest and whispered, “Wait here.”

William nodded, confused but definitely intrigued. Margaret quietly veered off the path and made her way toward a broken and jagged pine tree that looked like it had been struck by lightening years ago. She approached the tree carefully, making very slow and deliberate movements. William watched as she set the sack on the ground and pulled something out of it. With her other hand, she slowly reached into a large serrated hole in the trunk. He furrowed his brow, trying to figure out what she could possibly be doing. His eyes widened as he watched her carefully pull her hand out from the hole, holding a pale yellow honeycomb, dripping with honey. In slow motion, she moved the honeycomb to what he could see now was a mason jar, and gently placed it inside before placing the lid over the mouth and twisting it closed. She turned and smiled at William, who was beyond shocked at what he just witnessed. Bees were buzzing all around her, landing on her, and yet she was perfectly calm and clearly not being stung.

She gracefully made her way through the tall ferns and back to William without so much as a single bee in tow. “This, William, is for you.”

William held out his hand and took the jar. He looked at the pleased look on her face. “I…I…can’t believe you just did that. How did you learn to do that?

“Well, I’ve been doing it ever since I was little so I really don’t know. I guess I’ve never been afraid of bees, so it’s never seemed like that big of deal.”

She stepped onto the trail in front of him and motioned for him to follow. She knelt down on the blanket and patted it for William to join her. He was still in shock, and gazed into the little jar which, by now had been almost half filled with honey oozing out of the comb. He handed her the jar and sat down next to her. “Well, I have to say, that is definitely something that I didn’t know how to do.” He smiled and looked at her.