Cowboy Love

Chapter 1

"Do you have everything in your truck that you're taking?" mum nervously asks as we stand in the driveway by my black, 2015 Chevy Silverado. 

"Yeah," I mumble, avoiding her green eyes. "Look, we need to go, it's a five hour to the ranch, and it's already late. Bye, and I'll text you when we get there. Come on, Carson, we need to go."

"Right, bye Miss MacIntyre," he mumbles to my mum as he climbs into the front seat. 

"Bye baby, I love you," mum sadly tells me as she tries to hug me. 

Key word is 'tries', as I step away from her with a shake of my head.

"No, I can't do that right now," I mumble angrily. "I gotta go."

"Remember to text me when you get there," she requests softly as I climb into the drivers side seat of my truck.

Starting the truck after buckling myself in, I glance in the back seat to check on my 8-year-old brother, Emery, who is sound asleep lying across the back of the seat. Backing out of the driveway, I drive us toward our new home in Cheyenne where our granpa's live on their ranch. 

"This is the best for you and Emery, and you know it, Echo," Carson softly says after a few minutes of silent driving. 

"I know, but I hate that we have to runaway in the middle of the night," I sigh. "Em doesn't even know what we're doing or why."

"Echo, you guys need to be somewhere safe, and loved. Both of you need this, especially if Evelynn won't leave Kyle to protect you both from him," Carson gently says, but I can hear the anger in his voice. 

"Mum stays because Kyle pays for everything, so she takes what he dishes out, even if it is to me," I mumble. 

I love my mum, even if I didn't make eye contact with her or even hug her before we left. 

"Don't defend her horrible behavior, Echo!" he growls lowly, so he doesn't wake Emery. "She allowed Kyle to repeatedly, and he did a number on you this time! She wouldn't take you two and leave! Instead she sends her only two children away to make him happy!" 

"Carson, I love you like a brother, but you need to calm down for me," I softly plead with him as I feel a headache coming on. 

"Fine, but only because you asked," he grumbles, shifting in his seat slightly.

"Thank you," I mumble as I flip on the blinker to merge onto the highway.

"I'm gonna nap until it's my turn to drive," he says, pulling the lever to recline his seat back, and gets comfortable. 

Turning the radio volume onto low, I drive the next two-and-a-half hours in silence except for the radio. Finally, I pull off the highway to stop at the nearest gas station to top off the gas tank, pee, grab snacks and drinks, and let Carson drive for a little while.

Pulling next to a pump, I turn the truck off before waking Carson; "Hey, we've stopped, and you need to get up."

"Yup," he grumbles as he stretches his arms toward Emery with a loud yawn before sitting up along with the seat. 

"I'm gonna use the bathroom, and grab snacks and drinks before you pay for the gas," he says as we climb out. 

"Okay," I reply with a small nod of his head as I check on Emery; once Carson is back inside the car with Emery, I head inside to pay for the gas. 

Climbing back into the car in the passenger side seat, I check on Emery again, and he's still blissfully sleeping. Picking up a 20 ounce bottle of Mt. Dew, I crack the cap off to take a long swig before recapping it with a sigh of content.