#rhettabbottrecs

Rhett was pacing the length of his porch back and forth.

His boots scuffed against the wood, while he held his hat firmly in his hands, his jaw tight and clenched.

He’d been pacing like this all morning. He didn’t head into town, he didn’t respond when Perry asked what his damn problem was. Just muttered some excuse about having a problem with his truck. But the problem definitely wasn’t his truck. It was you.

You had been walking down Main Street. You were wearing a sundress, the one that always made Rhett’s heart beat ten times faster. But it wasn’t the sundress that had caused this, no. It was the fact that there was a guy walking next to you, you were laughing, your shoulder’s occasionally bumping while the guy was carrying a bag like he’d just taken you shopping.

It had stopped Rhett dead in his tracks and made him feel like he was shoved underwater. He’d been halfway to the hardware store, a list in his hand when he saw you. And everything else just disappeared from his mind.

You didn’t even see him, too busy laughing at something the man next to you had said. And that had hurt him more than anything.

He’d liked you for years.

Hell, maybe he even loved you. But he never told you because you were his absolute best friend. You were the one person in town who didn’t see him as a complete mess or a rodeo star, you saw him for him, and you never made him feel like he had to prove himself around you.

With you, he felt like he could breathe. He didn’t want to screw that up, he didn’t want to lose the one good thing that made sense in his life.

You’d always show up on the ranch with two coffees and a bag of mini donuts. You’d dragged him to a county fair once just because he’d never been. You took him out of town and made him go shopping with you while he grumbled but the smile never left his face. But yet you never made a move. So neither did he.

And now? Now he was pretty damn sure he’d waited too long to tell you.

It was Thursday, the day you and Rhett have met for lunch at the same time for over a year.  

You sat at the diner table alone, the same booth the two of you always claimed in the corner of the diner. You had two coffees on the table while your stomach sat in knots that twisted tighter every time the door chimed open and Rhett wasn’t the one walking in.

You checked your phone, there were no texts, no calls, not even a voicemail. There was just nothing. Your mind raced with thoughts of what could’ve happened. Did something happen? Was he hurt? You knew he could be reckless sometimes, riding too fast, driving too far without saying anything.

But something in your gut said this wasn’t that, because no matter how reckless Rhett was, he always came back to you. This was something else, and something you didn’t understand.

You sat there for twenty more minutes. The waitress coming by and gave you a sympathetic look as you pushed your fries around your plate without really eating. You smiled through the ache that sat heavy on your chest and said “I guess he’s just busy.” But the truth? It really fucking hurt. It felt like something in you had cracked open, and now all the doubt and worry was rushing in, swarming your thoughts about what happened. What you did wrong. Because Rhett never skipped lunch, not once in an entire year.

That night you didn’t sleep. You stared at your ceiling, wide awake while your heart pounded in your chest thoughts running the worst scenarios through your head. Was it something you had said? Something you didn’t say?

Had he finally gotten tired of you and your chaotic antics? You didn’t even realize you were crying until you felt the wetness on your pillow, and felt the burn in your eyes.

The next morning you found him by the stables, tossing hay like it had personally wronged him in some way. He looked exhausted, dark circles lined under his eyes, his shirt damp with sweat and his jaw clenched like it was whenever he was upset. You walked closer, softly muttering “Hey.” Your voice quiet, but not weak.

Rhett turned slowly, wiping his hands on his jeans, his gaze not meeting your eyes before muttering back a  “Hey.”

“I brought lunch,” you said, lifting the bag, a small smile crossing your face as you looked at him. He nodded, still not looking you in the eye, before responding. “You didn’t have to.”

You stepped closer, your eyes softening as you felt that heavy weight on your chest “You skipped yesterday, Rhett.”

Rhett sighed, trying not to lose his temper as he mutters back “Was busy s'all.” before throwing another haystack.

You exhaled sharply, feeling his temper beginning to rise, something he was always careful to watch around you. You softly muttered “Rhett, come on. Don’t lie to me, we tell each other everything.”

That finally made him look up, and that’s when you saw it in his eyes, hurt, jealousy, anger. He laughed, but it held no amusement. “Figured you had other plans with your boyfriend.” he said as his eyes darkened

Your stomach dropped entirely as you stared back at him, your mind baffled softly muttering “My what?”

He shrugged his shoulders with a scoff “That guy you were with. You looked pretty cozy together.”

Your throat tightened, as you managed to get out, “You mean Caleb?” Rhett didn’t respond. Just turned back toward the haystack like the conversation was over.

You stepped forward, your voice sharp as you exclaimed “Rhett Abbott! Caleb Parker is a family friend. His uncle and my dad went to high school together. I was showing him around town while he and his uncle were visiting. He has a girlfriend!” 

Then complete silence before you continued, your voice still sharp and thick with emotion now. “You really think I’d be with someone and not tell you?” He didn’t say anything, the silence deafening to your ears.

You kept going, your voice trembling as you spoke. “I waited for you Rhett. I sat there by myself for almost an hour, waiting for a call, a text, anything. Do you have any idea how that felt? I felt like I didn’t matter to you, like I was discarded and thrown away.”

His shoulders tensed as he turned around and looked at you. The guilt shining through his blue eyes.“M’sorry. M’so Sorry. I just, I saw you with him, and God. I didn’t know what to do. I thought you’d moved on and found someone who actually deserved you, more than I ever did.”

Your eyes stung with tears, your body leaning in on itself as you stared at the man you’ve had a crush on for years. “I never moved on, because I never had anyone to move on from. I’ve only ever had eyes for one person.” you said softly. Rhett’s head snapped up comedically quick. And you stared straight at him before softly whispering. “You.”

He blinked as you stepped closed and said “It’s always been you Rhett. I just didn’t say anything because I thought maybe you didn’t want more than this, and I didn’t want to lose what we had.”

Rhett looked at you, his voice full of guilt “I was scared. Scared if I said something, you’d run away, that I’d ruin the only thing that’s ever made sense in my life.”

“You’ve always had me Rhett” You mutter softly, tears streaming down your face, while Rhett looked like he might cry too. He took a few steps forward and pulled you straight into his arms.

His hands wrapped around your shoulder blades and low back, while your arms wrapped tight around his middle and you stood there holding each other tightly as he mumbled a soft “M'so sorry, darlin'” Over and over, like he needed to make up for every second he made you doubt your worth.

“I know Rhett. But you’re here now, that’s what matters.” You whispered, pressing your face into his chest. He softly grasped your chin making you look up at him as he peered down at you, before pulling you into a soft kiss. A kiss that felt like home.

A week later you slid into your booth and smiled at Rhett who was already there with two coffees and a small bouquet of flowers.

“Hey, Darlin’ thought I’d beat you for once.” He said with a soft grin on his face.

You grinned widely looking at the man in front of you, softly muttering “You trying to impress me, Abbott?” He leaned closer, lacing your fingers together over the table. “Always, Darlin’.”