LOGINShare
Chapter Thirty Two
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 12:53:59Related chapters
Bitter Love Chapter Thirty three
Chapter Thirty-threeJacob“Hey, buddy,” I say softly as I undo the latch and step into Pongo’s stall. The gelding nickers to me, coming over and nosing my pocket for treats. “Wanna take a walk outside?”Pongo has made a lot of improvement in the last few days. He still has a long way to go but I'm feeling almost confident enough to say he's almost out of the woods. People fail to realize just how motivating and inspiring it can be to see an animal like this, who has known nothing but cruelty the last few years of his life, fight so hard for a chance to keep going. This horse has a will to live.He's lucky that Kim got to him in time.After giving him a quick exam, I unhook his IV and cap the port. I clip a lead rope to his halter and give him one of the treats from my pocket. Walking slowly, I lead him outside and he holds his head high, nostrils flared, eyes wide. “You're all right buddy,” I soothe, petting his neck.I lead him around the back of the barn, taking him to a grassy spo
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Bitter Love Chapter Thirty four
Chapter Thirty-fourJosieI don’t know how the hell I’m going to pull this off.Stepping on the gas, I check the review mirror, making sure there aren’t any cops behind me. I’m on my way home from the feed store with three hundred pounds of horse feed in the back of the truck. I have three hours before I need to leave for the gala, and I still need to shower, dry my hair, and then get dressed.I already picked up the dress from Mrs. Harris this morning and have been on the go ever since. I want to blame Louisa, who insisted we go out for breakfast after the horses were fed and turned out, but, really, there’s just not enough hours in the day.Gunther took off again this morning, and Riley stood by the gate waiting for him to come back all day. I took him with me to the feed store, hoping to perk him up so he doesn’t get depressed again.“Good boy,” I tell him, reaching over to pet the top of his head. He has his nose sticking out of the window, feeling the warm air as I tear down this
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Bitter Love Chapter Thirty five
Chapter Thirty-fiveJacobI can’t help it and steal another glance across the room at Josie. Fuck, she’s so beautiful. Her dark blue dress fits her body perfectly, with delicate straps that rest slightly off her shoulders. I lack the control to keep from thinking about sliding those straps down her arms, reaching around to undo the zipper, and watching the dress cascade to the floor around her feet.Where her stubbornness annoyed me before, I admire it now. She’s here, at this over-the-top gala just so she could make connections in the horse world to better help those she has in her care. Yes, it’s a hard business to be in, but I’m starting to see that Josie does have what it takes. I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a long fucking time, but if anyone can make my heart beat for another again, it’s her.It's Josie.Somehow able to sense her drawing closer, I turn, heart hammering in my chest when I see her striding over. She looks like a fucking goddess, and, right now, she’s walk
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Bitter Love Chapter Thirty Six
Chapter Thirty-sixJosieThe screen door slowly creaks open, and I wince, hoping I didn’t wake anyone up. Louisa and Everly are both asleep upstairs, and it looks like they fell asleep while watching a movie on Ev’s laptop. It’s nearing three in the morning, and I can’t fall back asleep.I sat in my car in the parking lot for as long as I could stand it before leaving the gala. If I came home too early, it would be obvious something is wrong, and I didn’t want to come home and explain everything.Because it hurts.And I feel stupid.But mostly…mostly because of how my heart feels like it’s been stabbed right there in my chest.“I don’t think your buddy is out there tonight,” I tell Riley as he runs around the yard, tail wagging. I pull the blanket tighter around my shoulders and sit on the porch swing, looking out at the dark yard. It’s another beautiful night, full of stars and an entire orchestra of crickets and katydids, singing their nighttime lullaby. Pushing off the porch with
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Bitter Love Chapter Thirty Seven
Chapter Thirty-sevenJacobI close the trailer door and step back, giving the driver a wave so he knows he’s good to go. It’s getting late in the afternoon, and I’m more than ready for lunch. Dr. Brenden and I teamed up with three other vets and have been working with another rescue to purchase the worst of the worst here. Once in our care, we can ensure they meet their end peacefully instead of being shoved in a trailer and shipped to either Mexico or Canada where they’d meet a grueling fate.And I just paid out of my own pocket for the two donkeys that we loaded into the trailer, who are on their way to a local vet clinic not far from here. They’ll go to a sanctuary in southern Illinois after they’re treated and quarantined, where they’ll live out the rest of their days happy and safe.This isn’t my first auction; yet, it’s as emotionally draining as the first time I went to one. Being a vet is so much more than treating sick animals, and it’s a never-ending battle to educate people
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Bitter Love Chapter Thirty eight
Chapter Thirty-eightJosieWell, shit.I step inside the room, wanting out of the rain. Jacob steps in right behind me, and we’re both thinking the same thing. Because there is only one full-size bed in this room, not two.“Maybe that’s a pull-out couch.” Jacob strides in, going right to the little sofa next to the bed. “Nope. You take the bed, I’ll take the couch.”Shivering, I take my coat off and hang it on the back of the door. My torso is dry, but the rest of me is soaking wet and I’m freezing. “I’m smaller. I can sleep on the couch.”“It’s fine,” Jacob presses. “I’ve spent many nights on hay bales using horse sheets as blankets.”“In comparison, the couch isn’t so bad.” I set my purse and the little bag of supplies I bought from the motel office down on the small table, and then lean over to unzip my boots. I stepped in a puddle on my way into the office and just one sock is soaked, which annoys me more than having them both being wet. “Do you mind if I turn the heat up?”“No, g
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Bitter Love Chapter Thirty Nine
Chapter Thirty-nineJosieJacob holds my hands above my head, pinned against the door behind me. His lips press against mine and I stand there, too shocked to move, too stunned to react. In the back of my mind, a voice tells me to push him away, to tell him to stop.Because he still vexes me and I’m not done being mad at him yet.But my willpower is gone, resolve chipping and crumbling at our feet. Why would I want him to stop when it feels this good, and each fleeting second that passes by makes it harder to forget just what I was so angry about in the first place.My eyes fall shut and I part my lips, kissing him back. Jacob lets go of my wrists, sliding his hands down my arms as he moves his mouth from my lips to my neck. I gasp, feeling heat flood my veins and my heart pounds in my chest.“Josie,” he breathes, stepping in closer. His hands land on my waist and he grabs the hem of the scrub top in both fists, balling it up. “Tell me to stop and I will.” He brings his face back to m
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Bitter Love Chapter Forty
Chapter FortyJacobA loud crack of thunder rattles the window, waking me up. Josie is still asleep in my arms, and it feels so fucking good to have her here with me like this. It’s more than just that…it feels so fucking right and I can’t explain it.The wind presses against the side of the motel, shaking the door. The worst of the storm was supposed to get here around midnight, and it seems like it’s right on schedule. We fell asleep with the bathroom light on, and it flicks off along with the rest of the power when another gust of wind blows. This time, Josie startles awake, sitting up a bit with a gasp.“It’s okay,” I tell her. “The power went out.”“Oh. Right. It’s storming.” Her voice is thick with sleep, and she lays back down, resting her head on my chest. I tighten my grip on her and she hooks one leg over mine. I kiss her forehead, listening to the storm. Josie slides one hand across my chest, running her fingers up and down my arm until she falls asleep again.I’m tired and
Last Updated : 2024-10-29
Latest chapter
Bitter Love Epilogue
EpilogueJacobNew Year’s Eve…“Do you have it?” Rory asks, eyes wide.“I regret telling you anything,” I hiss, kicking her under the table.“You needed to tell me so I could help,” my sister counters and eyes Everly, who’s about to burst with excitement. “Do you have it?”“Yes,” I whisper-yell back. “I didn’t set this whole thing up only to forget the ring.” We’re at Josie’s house, and a glistening blanket of fresh snow fell overnight, giving me a perfect excuse to go on a trail ride through the woods.Where I’m going to propose to Josie.I’ve known she’s the only one for me since the moment I first kissed her and not long after that everything became clear to me. We tried taking things slow, figuring out our lives together, but being apart is painful and any night I lay down to go to sleep and Josie isn’t next to me fills me with a sense of emptiness.I love the nights when Josie, Everly, and I sit around the living room, playing a game or watching a movie together. And getting up a
Bitter Love Chapter Forty Five
Chapter Forty-fiveJosie“Am I doing it right?” I take a few quick steps forward, moving my hands above my head.“No.” Everly shakes her head. “That’s not even close. Watch and follow me.” She shows me the dance move again and I can’t for the life of me follow along. I’m not very coordinated when it comes to any sort of dancing.Everly and I both laugh when I trip and almost fall, catching myself at the last minute on the pasture fence. We’ve been out here for the last half-hour or so filming videos for social media. Phoenix Horse Rescue and Rehab is official now, though we’re still waiting for our tax exemption paperwork to come back from the IRS. Louisa helped me file everything before she left two weeks ago, and while I read online that some charities got their paperwork back within weeks, it’s most likely going to take at least three months before we see anything.“Just watch, by the end of summer. I’m going to be a TikTok dancing sensation.”Everly laughs a little too hard and th
Bitter Love Chapter Forty Four
Chapter Forty-fourJacob“Is everything okay with the horses?” Crystal walks swiftly back to the desk in the barn. “I saw Josie leave in a hurry and she looked like she was holding back tears. Did we get blood work back already and it wasn’t good news?”Fuck.I didn’t want to lie to her. I didn’t want to start something with anything less than total honesty. But now…now I think I ruined things before they had a chance to even blossom.Swallowing hard, I keep my face neutral. “Nothing has changed since this morning with the horses.”“Oh, good. That scared me. Did Josie just get emotional?”“Yeah. She got upset,” I say and I’m telling the truth. I need to focus on my job, but my mind is blanking. It takes me a few seconds to get my brain working again, forcing myself to think about anything but Josie. “Pongo can go for a walk and the thoroughbred can go in an outside run next to the gray mare. Put her out first and bring her in last. He was very buddy-sour at the auction and got upset w
Bitter Love Chatper Forty Three
Chapter Forty-threeJosie“Time for bed,” I tell Everly, plucking the TV remote from her hands. “It’s late and you should have showered and packed your backpack for the morning already.”Everly goes to protest but yawns instead. Both Louisa and I see it, so she knows there’s no point in arguing.“Can I borrow something from your closet?” Ev asks as she starts up the stairs. “I’ve worn everything I brought a million times already.”“You haven’t been in school for a million days,” I counter and turn my head as I sit on the couch. I’m exhausted and ready to crash into bed myself. “But yes, you can borrow something.”“Thanks, Mom.” Everly hurries up the stairs and I take a mini break on the couch. I lean back, letting my eyes fall shut. I can hear Louisa in the kitchen, struggling to get the cork out of a wine bottle. I only have an old-fashioned corkscrew here, not a fancy electronic one like she has at home.“Hey, Mom,” Everly calls from the top of the stairs.“Yeah?”“Why do you have D
Bitter Love Chapter Forty Two
Chapter Forty-twoJacobMy ringing phone stirs me from my sleep. Blinking my eyes open, I reach for it on my nightstand and then realize it’s not there, but in the pocket of my pants which I discarded on the floor. It hurts to pull myself away from Josie, who’s still sound asleep. Not wanting to wake her, I practically fall out of bed to grab my pants, dragging them over so I can get my phone from the pocket. It’s an unknown number, and I send the call to voicemail. If it’s an emergency, they’ll be directed to a call center who will then, in turn, call me back. That number is one I do know, and I’ll answer.But it’s a holiday, for fuck’s sake. All I want to do is sleep next to Josie, feeling her small body against mine. The second before I flop back down, I look her over. She looks so fucking good in my bed. I want to wake up to this every damn morning. Her hair is messy, and she has pillow creases on one side of her face. Wanting to remember this moment, I scan my eyes over her again
Bitter Love Chapter Forty one
Chapter Forty-oneJosieI glance in the rearview mirror, gripping the steering wheel tightly. The roads are still wet from last night’s storm, and there are branches and leaves scattered on the pavement. But, despite my nerves, my hopes are soaring high right now.I’m on my way home with my first official personal rescues—and my new thoroughbred is related to my childhood dream horse. If that’s not fate, then I don’t know what is. I decided to name him Loki, continuing with Aunt Kim’s Norse God theme, and Everly wants to run an online contest for the rescue’s social media followers to name the gray mare.We’re taking them, along with the three ponies Jacob is hauling, right to the clinic. He already talked to Crystal, who set up stalls. They’ll stay there until we can be sure they’re healthy and not contagious; though, Jacob told me not to be surprised if the mare needs to stay longer. She’s in rough shape and lacks the light in her eyes Pongo has, looking like she’s completely given
Bitter Love Chapter Forty
Chapter FortyJacobA loud crack of thunder rattles the window, waking me up. Josie is still asleep in my arms, and it feels so fucking good to have her here with me like this. It’s more than just that…it feels so fucking right and I can’t explain it.The wind presses against the side of the motel, shaking the door. The worst of the storm was supposed to get here around midnight, and it seems like it’s right on schedule. We fell asleep with the bathroom light on, and it flicks off along with the rest of the power when another gust of wind blows. This time, Josie startles awake, sitting up a bit with a gasp.“It’s okay,” I tell her. “The power went out.”“Oh. Right. It’s storming.” Her voice is thick with sleep, and she lays back down, resting her head on my chest. I tighten my grip on her and she hooks one leg over mine. I kiss her forehead, listening to the storm. Josie slides one hand across my chest, running her fingers up and down my arm until she falls asleep again.I’m tired and
Bitter Love Chapter Thirty Nine
Chapter Thirty-nineJosieJacob holds my hands above my head, pinned against the door behind me. His lips press against mine and I stand there, too shocked to move, too stunned to react. In the back of my mind, a voice tells me to push him away, to tell him to stop.Because he still vexes me and I’m not done being mad at him yet.But my willpower is gone, resolve chipping and crumbling at our feet. Why would I want him to stop when it feels this good, and each fleeting second that passes by makes it harder to forget just what I was so angry about in the first place.My eyes fall shut and I part my lips, kissing him back. Jacob lets go of my wrists, sliding his hands down my arms as he moves his mouth from my lips to my neck. I gasp, feeling heat flood my veins and my heart pounds in my chest.“Josie,” he breathes, stepping in closer. His hands land on my waist and he grabs the hem of the scrub top in both fists, balling it up. “Tell me to stop and I will.” He brings his face back to m
Bitter Love Chapter Thirty eight
Chapter Thirty-eightJosieWell, shit.I step inside the room, wanting out of the rain. Jacob steps in right behind me, and we’re both thinking the same thing. Because there is only one full-size bed in this room, not two.“Maybe that’s a pull-out couch.” Jacob strides in, going right to the little sofa next to the bed. “Nope. You take the bed, I’ll take the couch.”Shivering, I take my coat off and hang it on the back of the door. My torso is dry, but the rest of me is soaking wet and I’m freezing. “I’m smaller. I can sleep on the couch.”“It’s fine,” Jacob presses. “I’ve spent many nights on hay bales using horse sheets as blankets.”“In comparison, the couch isn’t so bad.” I set my purse and the little bag of supplies I bought from the motel office down on the small table, and then lean over to unzip my boots. I stepped in a puddle on my way into the office and just one sock is soaked, which annoys me more than having them both being wet. “Do you mind if I turn the heat up?”“No, g
