Love Means_. Freedom - Andrew Grey

head before gathering his coat and pulling it on his arms and over his shoulders.
    "Thank you all for everything." Somehow Preston kept his voice from breaking.

    "You don't have to go," Eli soothed as he brought food to the breakfast table. Preston almost accepted Eli's offer to join them. That man was so nice it was hard to say no to anything he asked, but he just needed to be alone.
    "Yes, I do." He had no appetite, and he wanted to hide and lick his wounds.
"I'll help you." Joey got up from the table and helped him down the step and out to his car.
"It'll be okay."
Preston wished he could believe that. "Did he say anything?"
Joey shook his head. "I think he went to the barn. Do you want to go see? Try to talk to him?
"No. He made his feelings very plain."
Joey opened the car door, and Preston shifted inside, throwing his bag on the passenger seat.
His chair was folded and slid behind his seat. Closing the door, Preston started the engine and eased his car onto the road. He wanted to yell, scream--fuck, he wanted to hit someone, make them hurt as bad as he did.
    "I didn't even say anything!" Preston pounded the steering wheel, bouncing back and forth in the seat. Pulling off the road, he shouted inside the car, screaming out his rage and hurt in nonsensical sounds that threatened to blow out the windows, until the tears came. Wiping his eyes harshly, Preston pulled himself together and pulled back onto the road, driving toward home.
    As he pulled into the drive, helplessness overwhelmed him. Everything seemed beyond his control, and he didn't know what to do. Stopping the car, the feeling intensified. He had to get away from here. Pulling out his chair, he shifted into it and glided toward the door and into the house. "Have you decided?" No preamble, just his father standing in the hallway.

    Fuck it. At least he'd be away from everyone. "Tell them I'll leave on Monday." He saw the smile on his father's face. "Have someone find me a hotel room and make the arrangements."

    Somehow, he made it to his room without seeing the smug look on his father's face.
    AFTER leaving the bedroom, Stone raced down the stairs and grabbed his coat before fleeing to the barn. He ignored the snow and the cold; nothing reached him. Crossing the yard, Stone pushed open the door and walked right to Buster's stall. His big friend looked up from his munching and turned toward Stone, bumping his chest in greeting. "No treats, sorry, boy." Stone rubbed the long nose before letting him go back to his hay, feeling more and more alone.
    Stone heard voices outside and peered out from the stall door. He could see Preston getting into his car, talking to Joey before driving away. Those taillights leaving the yard were the final straw. Preston was leaving; he'd gotten what he wanted. Then why did he feel like such shit? Turning around, he draped his arms and head over Buster's back and stood there, feeling the horse's heat through his clothes.
    When he knew Preston was truly gone, he patted Buster's back before closing the stall door and walking back toward the house. The sun on the snow was blindingly white, but to Stone, the world looked dull and lifeless. Opening the back door, he snuck back in the house, not seeing if anyone else was there. He simply walked through the kitchen before flopping down on the sofa.
    It was then he realized that the house was nearly empty, as empty as he felt.
"What happened, baby?" Adelle startled him as she sat down, taking his hand.
    "I did what I had to do." Stone felt his lower lip start to tremble and he turned away, unable to look her in the eye. Putting his hands over his face, he felt himself start to tremble. Gasping for breath, he tried to keep himself together. But the harder he tried, the more his control slipped through his fingers. Finally, he completely fell apart, falling toward Adelle, who caught him in her arms and hugged him as he cried his eyes out.
    "STONE." He looked up from the cup of coffee in front of him, pulled out of the thoughts he just couldn't seem to get away from. "Eli and I are going riding. It's a beautiful day, and with the snow, the horses haven't been out much."

    He watched Geoff's lips moving and hoped that he was getting everything Geoff had said.

    "Buster could use a ride, that's for sure. What did the vet say when he was by yesterday?" Stone found he couldn't remember shit for more than three seconds lately.
    "His hooves are almost back to normal, and the vet said some