“You ready to head back?”

Spinning around, I smiled when I saw my mother. “Yeah, I’m thinking of heading back tonight though.” Taking a step into my room, she narrowed her eyes as she looked at me.

“This late, Colt? You wouldn’t get into College Station until after midnight.”

Giving her a weak smile, I nodded my head. “Yeah, that’s crazy of me to even think it.”

Grinning she placed her hand on the side of my face. “Did you and Lauren have a fight?”

Closing my eyes, I sighed. How did my mother always know what was wrong. “I was being a jerk and she won’t answer my text messages or my phone calls.”

Giving me a reassuring smile, she tilted her head and said, “I’m sure she will. She wouldn’t let you leave without saying good-bye to you.”

Nodding my head I smiled. I wasn’t feeling so optimistic about it like my mother was. “Don’t stay up too late, sweetheart. You have a long day ahead of you.”

“Yeah, I’m gonna head to bed now. I’m exhausted.”

Reaching up and kissing me on the cheek, my mother smiled tenderly at me. I could feel the love moving from her body into mine and I instantly felt better. “Get some sleep, Colt.”

I watched as my mother softly shut my bedroom door. Not feeling like doing a damn thing, I stripped out of my clothes and made my way to the bathroom where I took a hot shower. The water felt amazing as it moved down my body, relaxing muscles that I had been working the hell out of the last three days while helping Luke with a fence.

Drying off, I walked into my room and crawled into bed naked. Exhaustion soon took over as I felt my eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

DAMN IT ALL to hell. I couldn’t believe I had lost my phone. I’d spent all day combing through my house, the barn, and the pasture I road in earlier today until I found it in my car. The second I saw all of Colt’s text messages, I panicked. We had a fight the night before so he probably thought I was ignoring him.

Running into the house, I stopped the moment I saw my mother. “Mom, did Colt text you back on your phone?”

Turning and motioning with a head pop she said, “It’s on the table. My hands are full of dough, can you check it? I haven’t heard it go off.”

Pulling up her text messages, my mouth dropped open when I saw the message. “Oh my glitter! Mom! You didn’t even send the message!”

Turning, she looked at me like I was insane. “What? Are you sure?”

Facing the phone to her, I showed her the typed up message that she never sent. “Mom! Now Colt is going to think I’m mad at him.”

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. I must have thought I hit send or maybe I got interrupted. Just send him a text and let him know what happened.”

Feeling the tears building in my eyes, I closed them and pursed my lips together in an attempt to not start crying. “I did. He’s not responding back.”

Glancing at the clock my mother said, “Go see him. I’m sure he’ll be leaving early in the morning.”

My heart felt like it was ripping in two. I wanted to stay here for as long as I could before I had to go back to school, but I wanted to be with Colt also. Worrying my lower lip, I took off upstairs. “Lauren? What are you doing?”

Calling over my shoulder I said, “I’m packing. I’m going back early with Colt.”

STANDING IN THE doorway to Colt’s room, I couldn’t help but smile. He was sleeping like a baby as his mother and I stood there. “Sleep in the guest room tonight, Lauren. That way the two of you can take off tomorrow first thing.”

“Yes, ma’am. Do you mind if I wake him up? Let him know I’m here.”

Ellie smiled and shook her head. “Of course not. He was rather upset when he came home. I’m sure he’d love to know you are here and decided to go back with him tomorrow. Don’t stay up too late.”

Feeling the blush move across my face, I looked away and said, “No, we won’t stay up late. I just want to talk to him for a bit.”

Placing her hand on the side of my face Ellie gave me an all-knowing look. “I was your age once. I remember a certain set of blue-eyes that used to cause the same flush across my own cheeks.”

Placing my hand on the other side of my face, I dropped my mouth open slightly. “The Mathews men have that effect on us.”

Grinning, I whispered, “Yes. Yes they do.”

Ellie kissed me on the cheek and slowly shut Colt’s door as she left the room. Turning, I made my way over to his bed. I’ll just give him a kiss, let him know I’m here, then I’ll head to the guest room.