Colorado Skies

Chapter 27 {The Benefit}

2 Weeks Later

Bonnie angrily neighed at me as I tried to get on her. "Come on Bonnie, what's the matter?" I sighed and let her alone. For weeks now she hasn't let me touch her, ride her, or even feed her. I closed the barn doors, and almost walked right into Ryan, our ranch hand. "Sorry Bryn." "No, it's alright. Could you call Dale and get him down here to check out Bonnie?" "Yeah of course." She nodded. "Alright, I'll see you later at the benefit." "Bye!" She waved, and I walked down to our house.

I walked into the house and took my boots off. I was greeted by Boone and our new puppy Gracie who is an Australian Shepherd. "Hi guys, where's dad?" I walked up the stairs and they followed me. Riley was in our bedroom getting ready. "Hey baby." He had wet hair, jeans, and a t-shirt on. I gave him a quick kiss before I went over to our closet to get clothes. I grabbed a tank top, and a new pair of jeans. "Bonnie warming up to you again?" He asked. I shook my head no. "I have no clue why, and I'm going to the NFR again this year, and I can't do it without my horse. Up until four weeks ago she had been practicing fine, and now she won't let me touch her." I sighed. I was so stressed with this stupid horse it wasn't even funny. Riley put his hands on my shoulders, this was something he did when he knew I was stressed, and it was one of the many things I loved about him. "We are gonna figure this out." I nodded. I put my hair into a low ponytail and put my boots on. "Ready to go?" I nodded. We put the dogs' harnesses on and got them in his truck.

By the time we got to the bar, there was already a lot of people there, listening to music and having a fun time. I put leashes on both dogs and got them out of the truck. Brooke had texted us to come inside the bar when we got there. Reese, Blake, and Brooke were the only people in there. "Hey guys!" "Hey!" Brooke looked happy, and relaxed. This was the first time in a while that I've seen her look like that. "We actually have something to tell you guys." Blake started. "What's up?" "We've decided to sell the bar." I was shocked. This bar has been in Riley's family for years, and it was Brookes whole life. Sure, Blake worked here when he can, but he is a construction worker. "When its going on the market?" Reese asked. "It's already up." I nodded. "Well, we can't dwell on the past, but we can get this benefit going." Riley said changing the conversation. I followed him out the back door of the bar, but before we could go and talk to anyone, I pulled Riley aside. "This is gonna sound like a crazy idea but hear me out." "Okay." "I have some savings in the bank, and a couple thousand dollars in cash, what if we bought the bar, and kept it in your family. I'm 21 now, legally I could run it, and Brooke could still work there if we owned it." "Thats not a crazy idea, but I'm not letting you buy it alone. I've got money too." "Your sure?" He nodded. "Let's do it." "Alright. Guess we're buying a bar."

A Couple Hours Later

"I see you got yourself a new puppy." Colton came over to where I was sitting with Gracie. Riley was off talking to his friends somewhere with Boone. "Yeah, she's a good girl." He sat down next to me, and was about to say something else, but Blake yelled over the crowd. "Can I get everyone's attention?" Everyone settled down and looked over at him. "We want to thank all of y'all for coming out to support Brooke tonight, we appreciate it more than you all know, as of ten minutes ago we reached our goal of $10,000, and we can pay for Brooke's medical bills, thank you all, and continue to enjoy yourselves tonight!" We clapped, as Blake got quiet. My eyes caught Riley's in the crowd, and he looked annoyed. I didn't pay any attention to him and continued talking to Colton.

"I'll see you guys later. Bye!" I hugged Charlotte and Krew and walked over to Riley's truck. I had his Carhartt jacket over my shoulders. "Hey baby." He muttered a small hello and got into the driver's seat. "You okay Riley?" "Yeah, I'm fine." I nodded. It was a quiet ride back to the house. When we got home, Riley went right inside. I got the dogs out of the truck, and followed him in. "Riley! Talk to me!" "Why don't you go talk to Colton? You know I've seen it since I got back, just never mentioned it. Did you sleep with him while I was gone?" "Are you serious?" "Could you have made it any more obvious. He was here when the house was broken into, I'm sure that couldn't have been a coincidence?" "He's a cop!" "And he just happened to be working that night!" I had never seen Riley like this before, never seen him this jealous. "I didn't cheat on you Riley!" "Well, I cheated on you so, you still wanna lie to me?" He blurted out like it was the most normal thing. "What did you just say?" I asked, now emotionless. "I cheated you on overseas. Now stop lying to me, and admit you fucked Colton." "Fuck you, Riley." I grabbed my keys, took the engagement ring off my finger and put it on the table, then walked out to my truck, tears falling down my face. I saw him run out to the front porch. I could tell her regretted it. Whether he was drunk or just angry I'm not sure, but I wasn't gonna stay here and find out.

I knocked on Dixies door again. I didn't know where else to go. It was 11 at night, Krew and Charlotte had taken Adelaide to visit Charlottes parents, and I couldn't go to Reese for obvious reasons, but Dixie was home. "This better be important." She said opening the door. She didn't realize it was me at first, but when she did her expression changed. "Brynlee what's the matter?" "He cheated on me, I need a place to stay." She nodded. "Come in." I followed her to her guest room. "Are you okay?" "I will be." "I'd give you some advice but, I promise I'm the wrong one to be getting relationship advice from... me and Zach are on the rocks right now and I don't think were gonna make it." "I'm sorry, I should've gone to Reese. I don't want to get in the middle of you two." "No, it's fine he's not even here. He's at a motel." "Oh, I'm sorry Dix."  "Just get some sleep and promise me you'll talk to Riley tomorrow. I don't want you guys to end up the same way that Zach and I are." I nodded.

The next morning, I drove down to the house. I could hear distant gun shots. Riley must have been up in the woods shooting targets. He always did that when he was mad, but it was the perfect chance for me to go and get my stuff. I packed a bag of clothes upstairs. I hadn't even heard the door open, but I walked downstairs and found Riley unloading his gun. He stared at the duffel bag that was hanging from my shoulder. "Hey Bryn." "I only came here to get clothes Riley." "Please let me explain." "What's there to explain? You cheated on me." "I didn't cheat on you." "Oh? Thats your story now, pretty funny considering you basically screamed at me last night that you did." "Let me explain. Please." "You have five minutes, or I'm leaving." He nodded. "There was this nurse, I had just been injured and I guess she thought that I was flirting with her, and she leaned in to kiss me. I pulled away. The only reason I said that was because I was pissed and needed a reason for you to be mad at me." "Are you lying?" "I promise I'm not." He pulled the engagement ring out of his back pocket. "Do you still wanna marry me?" "Ask me again." He kneeled down on the ground. "Brynlee James Matthews, will you make me the luckiest man in the world, and marry me?" I nodded. "Yes."