“Don’t worry baby. I promise you it will all be okay.”

She sniffled and shook her head. “Walker…what if?”

Capturing her lips with mine, I kissed her. She ran her fingers through my hair and kissed me harder. I had to admit my heart burst with the idea of having a child with Liza someday. I moved inside her as my dick came to life again. Liza moaned softly as I pulled out and pushed back in. Our kisses were gentle and sweet, but I longed for more passion. For now, though, I knew she needed sweet and slow. As I moved in and out I realized why earlier had felt so amazing. I’d never had sex without a condom before.

“Walker. We…need…condom,” Liza panted.

I pulled out and quickly kissed her on the nose before running over to grab my wallet from to the table—my father had always told me to keep a condom in my wallet. I made my way back to the bed, ripping open the condom. I slipped it on and watched the love of my life as I pushed myself back into her, eliciting a long, soft moan from her lips.

I rolled over, pulled Liza on top, and watched her ride me to another orgasm. She held her breasts and called out my name as she came—it was nearly my undoing. I flipped her over and pumped in and out of her.

“Walker, I love you so much.” Liza said moving her hands up and down my body.

I bit her lip and sucked it into my mouth, moaning. “I love you too, baby.”

She arched her back and cried out my name as I came hard and fast. I leaned over her, trying to catch my breath as she traced her fingers lazily up and down my back. I pulled out, took the condom off, and threw it in the trash. One quick clean up and I crawled back into bed and pulled her close. She fit perfectly in my arms. Miranda Lambert’s “Holding On To You” played in the background as we both drifted off to sleep.

WALKING UP TO the track, Layton and my father waited for me, staring. My father smiled that big ol’ smile of his. Layton gave me an odd look.

“Y’all called?”

My father slapped me on the back and laughed as Layton gave my dad a dirty look.

Layton came closer to me, his smile slowly fading away. “I’m going to pretend that I didn’t see my daughter break up with a guy last night, only to head somewhere in the ranch Jeep last night. Somewhere I’m pretty sure you were.”

I swallowed, peeking over to my father. Layton cleared his throat. I looked into his eyes.

“I’m also going to pretend that she didn’t come back home just an hour ago with a glow on her face like I’ve never seen.”

I instinctively took a step back as my father laughed. I removed my baseball cap and ran my hand through my hair and was about to plead my case when Layton put his hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t break her heart, or I’ll break your legs.”

I nodded, put my hat on, and forced the words out: “Y—yes sir. I’d never hurt her.”

Layton smiled and slapped my back much harder than normal.

He turned and pointed to Love Story, one of the new horses we’d brought back from Kentucky this summer. “Get up on him,” he said with a shit-eating grin. “You know how to pick ’em. But do you know how to ride ‘em? Big difference, riding a racehorse.”

“Hell yes, sir, I do.”

I walked over to Jerry. He was the trainer my father and Layton had been working with over the last ten years.

“He’s feisty son,” Jerry said. “Don’t push him. You don’t need to prove anything. Your daddy and Layton both know it’s in your blood, boy.”

I nodded at Jerry. “I got it. Feisty, don’t push.” I jumped up onto Love Story.

Jerry held the reins in his hand. “Walker, be careful.”

I turned Love Story and made my way onto the track. I could practically feel the horse vibrating with excitement as we made our way around. He was getting edgy, so I pulled him back. We made a few circles to calm him. I looked over at my father and he smiled and nodded. I gave Love Story a small squeeze with my legs and he bolted.

“Holy shit!” I yelled as the horse took off running.

He was indeed a natural on the racetrack. Why they hadn’t ever raced this horse was beyond me. As we approached turn two, he picked up his pace. I let him go for a bit until we came to turn three. I pulled back some, but he wouldn’t listen. Giving him a bit more force, he almost stopped on a dime, forcing me forward. One foot came out of the stirrup as Love Story reared up. I lost balance and saw exactly what was going to happen. I fell back with one foot in the stirrup, but the horse didn’t care. My head hit the ground and I cried out. The last thing I saw was Love Story headed for turn four. Everything went black.

I OPENED MY eyes and all I saw was people moving around me. Where the hell am I? It sounded like wind roaring through the mountains. Voices. I heard voices. It was loud. My head throbbed and my back had never hurt so much in my life. I tried to talk, but couldn’t. I looked from one person to another. There was a guy and a girl.

The girl glanced down, smiling. She hit the other person and said, “He’s awake.”

I managed to say the word “loud.”

She nodded. “You’re on a helicopter. I need you to keep calm sir.”

Helicopter?

My eyes grew heavy again. As I closed them, all the loud sounds faded away.

Liza. I love you so much, Liza.

I PULLED UP and put Walkers truck in park as I leaned back against the seat. My parents had finally convinced me to leave the hospital. I’d headed to the hotel to shower and get some sleep. But I couldn’t sleep. I hadn’t slept in three days. I looked down at the ring on my finger as I cried.

“You promised you wouldn’t leave again. You promised.” I thought back to this morning, when Walker had pushed me away.

“WHAT ARE YOU saying?” Walker asked.

The doctor looked down at Walker. “Mr. Moore, you could possibly have damaged your spinal cord. We won’t know until the swelling goes down and we’ve run some tests. I’m just saying I need you to be prepared.”

Walker turned his head. The doctor talked for a few minutes more before leaving. I went to the side of his bed and reached Walker’s his hand.

He pulled it away. “Please just leave me alone.”

I swallowed hard. “It’s going to be okay. The sedative they gave you will wear off and you’ll be able to move your legs. I feel it in my heart,” I reached for his hand again.

He turned to me. “I want to be alone. Please leave, Liza.”