“I am pissed off at you, Gray.” Her eyes flashed.
“Why don’t you say the real reason you’re angry?”
“Carter—”
“This isn’t about Carter.” I lowered my voice. What I was about to say would sting, but I couldn’t hold back any longer. “You’re upset because I’m willing to sacrifice the ranch—the one thing I used as an excuse for us not working out—for someone else.”
The angry lines in her face softened, and when she inhaled, her chin quivered. My stomach tightened. Me falling in love with Ozzie had hurt her, but I’d never intended that to happen. There was just no getting around it. Our relationship would always hurt the people we cared about.
“Why wasn’t I good enough?” she whispered. “You gave so many excuses why you couldn’t leave the ranch, why youcouldn’t leave Bristlecone Springs. But it was never about the ranch, was it? It was always me. You didn’t love me enough.”
“But can’t I say the same about you, Em? That you didn’t love me enough to stay? That Denver meant more to you than me?”
The truth stretched between us, unmasked and raw. Still, to have it out in the open felt like a relief.
“I guess that means neither of us loved the other enough to make the sacrifice necessary to keep us together.”
“We had good years together. It just didn’t work out. We don’t need to blame anyone for that. I truly wish you well, Emma.”
She glanced away, shaking her head. “This isn’t about me. It’s about them.” She pointed toward Matty’s truck. They were home. “I’m going to support my son in this.”
“Of course. I’m glad he has you at a moment like this when I’m the villain. The only thing I want to ask of you is not to make it any more difficult than it will be. Allow us to talk father to son.”
“And the man who stole his fiancé.”
I groaned, squeezing the armrests to control my frustration. “Please, Emma. You think I don’t know I’ve done him wrong? I can only beg for his forgiveness and hope like hell he still allows me to be a father to him. That’s all I want.”
“Then do what you need to.” Emma entered the house, closing the door quietly behind her. The truck drew nearer, the dust kicking up behind it ominous. My heart pounded as it pulled into the yard. The engine died, and for seconds, nothing happened.
Matty emerged from the driver’s side. I took my cues from him, the quick shake of his head, the tension in his shoulders. Things hadn’t gone well. Torn between opening Ozzie’s door and greeting my son first, I stood rooted to the spot.
Matty opened the door for Ozzie, and I breathed easier. At least someone else in the family treated him kindly. Ozzie made a beeline for me, his smile resembling a grimace. A few inches away, he stopped as if uncertain how we should proceed. He’dalready made the first move approaching me. I took the step of bridging the gap between us and taking his hand.
“How did it go?”
“As well as expected. It’s not a pleasant situation to be in for anyone.”
“I’m sorry you had to do it alone.”
“It’s okay. I know you wanted to come with us, but there are certain things I needed to say to Carter alone. I’ll go in and give you two some privacy.” He pressed a kiss to my cheek. Although it was a chaste kiss, it wasn’t that of a friend but of a lover.
Carter got out of the truck, his movements slow as if every step sapped him of strength. He clenched his jaw, his gaze on where Ozzie’s lips had met my skin. Eyes so similar to mine darted between Ozzie and me, then fell to our intertwined hands.
“At least we’re not pretending anymore,” Carter said, his voice rougher than I’d ever heard. “My fiancé and my dad, how rich!”
Ozzie trembled against me. I squeezed his arm. “It’s okay. I’ll talk to him. Go on in and rest. You look a little flushed from the heat.”
With a nod, Ozzie slipped into the house. Turning my attention back to Carter, I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what would be the hardest conversation of my life.
“Carter, how was your flight?”
“You mean the flight I was on, making preparations for a wedding that won’t happen because you thought my fiancé was fair game?”
34
GRAY
Afew of the ranch hands had stopped to watch the drama unfold. The weight of their stares, their silent judgment, stung more than I was willing to admit.
