Chapter Eleven
RELIEF SWEPT THROUGH Juliette anew as she read Lucas’s text. I’m alive. She stopped pacing her living room and sat down on the couch, trying to calm her racing heart.
“Is everything okay, honey? Was that Doc again?” Wynnie asked.
She shook her head. “It was Lucas.” She showed Wynnie the text. “I’m guessing Seeley told him to text me.”
“Probably so.”
Juliette set her phone on the coffee table. “I wish I knew what Lucas said to him, but I guess I’ll find out soon enough. I don’t know how you survived five teenagers.”
“When we were in the thick of it, there were days I wasn’t sure I would. As the oldest, Doc paved the way for the others. He was a cocky jokester back then. When he was Lucas’s age, he told us he was going to a friend’s house, and he did go see his buddy. But then he told that friend he was going home and went to see a girl. She snuck out, and they fell asleep in her backyard. Tiny had all the guys out looking for him, much like Doc did tonight with Lucas.”
“Seeley told me about that when we were teenagers.” They’d shared so many of their secrets, and he was still the only person who knew hers.
“I expect he did. He tried us good back then. He was the first to come home drunk at sixteen. He stumbled into Birdie’s room thinking it was his and promptly puked all over her floor.”
“ Gross . Poor Birdie.”
Wynnie laughed softly. “Tiny made him clean it up, which made Doc sicker, but it taught him a lesson. Then there was the time he and his friends thought sneaking out to have their own bull-riding contest was a good idea.”
“Ohmygosh. I don’t remember hearing about that. Did they get hurt?”
“No. Thankfully, Buck Waller caught them before they had a chance.”
Buck had been Seeley’s riding coach the summer they were together. Juliette would never forget going to the Waller ranch and watching Seeley ride bulls, rope cows, and barrel race. “Buck is Lucas’s riding coach, too.”
“Then Lucas is in good hands. Sometimes I wonder what kind of trouble Doc would’ve gotten into if what happened between the two of you had never gone down.”
“What do you mean?”
“He took a turn to the dark side after that. He was so very heartbroken, he became angry and secretive. It took years before he came back into his own, and he’s never been quite the same since.”
Juliette felt a wave of guilt. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. None of it was your fault, and all kids go through tough times. Each of ours tried us in different ways. If I’ve learned one thing about life, it’s that nothing has the power to toughen you up or break you down like a child does. But you know that better than any of us, honey.”
Juliette swallowed hard.
“I am so sorry that we didn’t know what your father was doing back then and that you’ve had to deal with everything alone for so long. I know you had Josh at first, and I’m sorry that you lost him. I wish we could have been there to help you and Lucas get through that, and all the years since.” She covered Juliette’s hand with her own, squeezing it reassuringly. “I hope you know we’re here for both of you, and you can lean on us anytime.”
The front door opened, and they both stood as Tiny walked in. “The last of the guys just left. Have you heard anything more from Doc?”
“Lucas texted,” Juliette said. “I assume they’re on their way back.”
“Doc will take good care of him. How’re you holding up, darlin’?” Tiny asked.
“Okay. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for us tonight, and I’d like to apologize for everything my father said and did back then.”
“Honey, there’s no need to apologize,” Wynnie said.
“Yes, there is. I thought about calling you guys a million times over the years. I am so sorry for how awful my father was to you. When he showed up that day to take me away, I was shocked. I didn’t have any warning or anything. I don’t even know how he found out about me and Seeley, and I promise you, I had no idea he had his bodyguards beat him up.”
Wynnie gasped. “He what ?”
“Oh no.” Juliette covered her mouth. “You didn’t know?” Shitshitshit .
“No.” Wynnie looked at Tiny, his face a mask of seriousness. “You knew , didn’t you?”
Tiny nodded curtly. “’Course I knew.”
“And you didn’t stop it?” Wynnie snapped.
“Our boy needed to confront that man to fight for the girl he loved. Stopping him from doing it would’ve left him with an unchecked box, and he would’ve lost his mind. Trust me, darlin’, those bodyguards got their due.”
“And Governor Adkin?” Wynnie asked sharply. “Did he pay for ordering them to hurt our son?”
“No, darlin’. I gave you my word I wouldn’t go after that man. That was one of the hardest promises I’ve ever had to keep, but you were right. We had a ranch full of people who were counting on us. I couldn’t risk everything we’d worked so hard for, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to risk your trust.”
Juliette got choked up. This was the kind of honesty and love she’d never known existed before going to the ranch and witnessing it firsthand. She remembered how affectionate Tiny and Wynnie had been toward each other and the way Tiny had discussed things with Wynnie instead of commanding her, like her own father had done to her mother and everyone else in his life. Tiny and Wynnie had set a standard that Juliette had desperately wanted and she’d known she’d found with Seeley all those years ago.
“Thank you for keeping your word.” Wynnie went to Tiny and touched his chest. “But I might have let that one slide had I known what happened to our boy.”
“I wasn’t taking that chance, darlin’.” He put his arm around her and kissed her cheek.
Juliette wiped away a tear.
“Are you okay, honey?” Wynnie asked.
Juliette nodded. “It’s just been an emotional night. I don’t think I ever told you this, but I never knew what true love looked like until I came to the ranch and saw you two together. The way you treat each other, and everyone around you, is really special. In my family, my father told everyone what to do, and we followed like sheep because we were afraid not to. Or at least I did. I think my mother liked his control.”
Another tear slipped down her cheek, and she swiped at it. “I know Seeley and I were young when we were together, but it’s important to me that you know he never pressured me or coerced me in any way. He treated me with kindness and respect and love like I’d never known. If anything, he was extra careful where my emotions were concerned.”
“Honey, we never doubted that,” Wynnie said softly.
“In this family we cherish those we love,” Tiny said.
“I feel lucky to have been one of them.” Juliette wiped her eyes. “If you have any advice about how to deal with this situation with Lucas, I’d really like to hear it.”
“There is a lot for Lucas to process, and until he slows down enough to understand how and why it happened, he’s going to be angry,” Wynnie said. “He’s going to need a safe place to unload, and I’m sure he knows your love is unconditional, which means you’ll likely take the brunt of it.”
Juliette sighed, not wanting to face it, but that never stopped her before. “That makes sense.”
“Unfortunately, Doc represents the things Lucas doesn’t want to think about,” Wynnie said. “Like his mother lying to protect him and his grandfather being as rotten and devious as he was, and that’s a rocky road you and Doc will have to figure out how to navigate. But I have faith in both of you, and my best suggestion is to continue to be honest with him. That will help rebuild his trust, and it may take time, but you’ll get there.”
“The most important thing that boy needs to hear is that he’s loved and that what your father did doesn’t change that love,” Tiny added.
“Right. Of course. It’s all overwhelming.”
“We know, honey.” Wynnie hugged her. “Would you like me to give you the name of a therapist? For you or for Lucas? Or someone you both can talk to? There are quite a few good ones in this area.”
“Yes, please.” Juliette gave Wynnie her number, and Wynnie promised to text the information.
Tiny nodded toward the window. “The boys are back.”
Juliette’s pulse quickened as she followed his gaze to Lucas leading his horse into the barn. “Thank God.” Seeley was outside the barn, climbing off his horse. She’d know that horse’s markings anywhere. Romeo .
“That’s our cue to leave.” Wynnie took Juliette’s hands in hers, gazing compassionately into her eyes. “You’re a good mother, honey. It’s easy to forget that when you’re in the thick of things, and I’d bet you haven’t been told that often enough. You and Lucas and Doc will get through this, and we are here for you, anytime, day or night, for whatever you need.”
Tears welled in Juliette’s eyes again as Wynnie embraced her. “Thank you. I really appreciate both of you.”
Tiny hugged her and said, “We look forward to getting to know you and our grandson when you’re ready.”
Our grandson .
She soaked in the warmth of those words as they headed for their truck. Lucas and Seeley were making their way up the lawn. Lucas’s eyes were trained on the ground, his expression surly. Seeley was walking his horse, his gaze moving between Juliette and Lucas. She wanted to hug both of them, to know what had been said and what they were thinking and feeling. But she focused on Lucas, closing the distance between them.
“You scared the crap out of me. Thank God you’re okay.” She hugged him. He didn’t reciprocate, which stung, but it was to be expected. “I love you, but don’t you ever scare me like that again.”
“Whatever,” Lucas grumbled, kicking the grass.
Her fraying nerves snapped. “It’s not whatever . Anything could have happened to you out there. Don’t you understand that you mean everything to me?”
Seeley cleared his throat. “I’m going to give you some privacy and get out of here.”
“Can you give me a second?” she asked. “Lucas, please go inside. I’ll be right in, and then we’re going to talk.”
Lucas scowled and stalked into the house.
“What a horrible night.” She looked at Seeley, beyond grateful that he was there. “I hope he wasn’t too awful to you.”
“He wasn’t, but you should know that I found him at Devil’s Bend.”
“Are you freaking kidding me? He is in big trouble.”
“He’s confused, Jule, and he’s hurt.”
“Are you saying he shouldn’t be punished?” she asked incredulously.
“No. I think he needs boundaries. I’m only reminding you because he makes it really easy to see his anger and rebellion instead of his pain, which makes him appear strong. He comes by that naturally to some extent. As you’ve seen, I can be an angry bastard, but my guess is that he’s also watched you hold your chin up for years . He seems like a quick learner, but he’s still only fifteen, and the world as he knew it is never going to be the same. So maybe he needs to be cut a little slack.”
“I know he does. I’m just upset. I hate all of this, and even though I was protecting him, it’s still my fault. I did this to him.”
“We all did, but we’ll get through it.”
“The question is, will he hate us afterward?” The thought killed her. “Did he say anything that I should know about?”
“Not really, but I might have overstepped. I told him everything. He knows what your father did to both of us, and about the letters, and that I confronted your father. The whole shitshow.”
“I don’t know if that’s good or bad,” she said honestly. “Did he actually listen?”
“I think so.” He glanced at the house and raked a hand through his hair. “Is it okay to give you a hug?”
She looked at the windows and didn’t see Lucas. “Yes, please . I need one, and he’s probably locked in his room planning his next escape.”
Seeley held the horse’s lead in one hand and opened his arms.
She embraced him, soaking in his strength and surety.
“Nobody warned me how hard it was to be a parent.” She pressed her cheek to his chest, holding him a little tighter. “You give birth to this tiny baby who’s completely reliant on you, and you build your entire world around them, teach them to be strong and independent, to stand up for themselves and others. I’ve always prided myself on that with Lucas, because of how my parents tried to control me. But tonight, the way he looked at me like I was the enemy , makes me want to tie him down and force him to adore me the way he did when he was little.”
Seeley pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I get it.”
She tipped her chin up, looking at him. “I guess that wouldn’t be a good parenting move, would it?”
“I don’t know about that.” He cocked a grin. “I’ll be happy to supply the rope.”
She laughed and touched her forehead to his chest.
“Do you want me to stick around in case he runs again?”
“No. It’s okay.” She reluctantly stepped out of his arms, but he took her hand, keeping her close, and she loved that. “Maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll be as emotionally exhausted as I am.”
“I doubt it.”
“Okay, Mr. Bearer of Bad News. Right now is the only time it’s acceptable to lie to me. Tell me he will be too exhausted, even if you know he won’t.”
“I will never lie to you, and we both know teenagers never run out of energy.” His brooding eyes softened. “We’ll make sure he gets through this, darlin’. I promise you that. No matter how long it takes, we’ll never stop trying.”
She got teary-eyed again and tried to blink the tears away. “ God , Seeley. Nobody has ever said that to me but you, and I know if anyone had, I probably wouldn’t have believed them. You’re back in my life for one day, and I know you mean it.”
“Of course I do. Is there anything I can do to make it easier?”
She shook her head. “You’ve done enough. Now it’s up to me. Thank you.”
“Call me later? Let me know how it goes?”
“I will.”
He kissed her forehead and glanced at Romeo. “I guess we’ll head out.”
“Can I just…?” She reached up and petted Romeo. “He’s so big and beautiful.” The horse pressed his muzzle into her chest. “I think he remembers me.”
“You’re unforgettable, darlin’.”