Chapter Twenty-Four
“THIS IS AWESOME ,” Lucas exclaimed, petting his new best four-legged friend, Sadie.
It was late Saturday afternoon, and Seeley was showing them around the ranch. They’d just come from the rope-climbing course that Tiny had built for Dare and Billie when they were kids, which Lucas had thought was the coolest thing he’d ever seen, until he saw the five-acre motocross racetrack Dare had built for Billie after he’d graduated from college.
“I can’t believe he built an entire racetrack for Billie when she wasn’t even speaking to him,” Lucas said. “I know you said they were both messed up after losing their friend, but if he built this for me , I’d talk to him again no matter what.”
“Sometimes it’s not that easy to move on,” Seeley explained, looking unfairly handsome in a dark tank top and jeans, his strong arms and tattoos on display, his cowboy hat perched on his head.
“But if she wasn’t even talking to him, why build it for her at all?” Lucas said.
“Because on Billie’s thirteenth birthday, Dare promised he’d build her one, and a Whiskey’s word is as good as gold.” Seeley gave him a serious look. “You need to remember that. You’re half Whiskey. If you make a promise, you stand behind it. No matter what happens with the other person.”
“Even if they want nothing to do with me?” Lucas asked.
Seeley nodded. “That’s right. It’s not about what anyone else does. It’s about being true to your word. But in Dare’s case, he fell in love with Billie when they were kids, and when a Whiskey gives away his heart, it’s forever. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for her.” He winked at Juliette.
Her heart skipped.
It had been a busy, wonderful week since they’d gone on their date at the Roadhouse and she’d had the sheer pleasure of waking up in his arms, and it felt like they’d all turned a corner. She and Lucas were back on solid ground, talking more and even joking around a little like they used to, and Lucas and Seeley were enjoying their driving lessons.
Juliette was enjoying getting to see Seeley after those lessons, when he’d stick around to spend time with them. Lucas usually headed off to do his homework and text with his friends, but that was fine with them. It gave them time to talk and steal a few kisses. They’d even managed to sneak in two lunch dates at Grandma’s Kitchen, a local diner they’d gone to as kids. They’d ended up back at his place tearing off each other’s clothes, which she’d also thoroughly enjoyed, and when Lucas went to hang out at Layla’s house last night, they’d stolen another few hours alone.
Things were looking up.
“So Dare fell for Billie when they were kids, and you fell for my mom when you were teenagers,” Lucas said, petting Sadie as if he hadn’t casually mentioned Seeley’s feelings for her.
They’d been careful not to even hold hands in front of him. Juliette didn’t think he knew they were a couple, even if they were spending a lot of time together. But they were already in so deep, maybe it was time to clue Lucas in, so he didn’t feel duped. She’d have to talk to Seeley about it later.
“That’s right,” Seeley said.
“Is that a Whiskey thing, too?” Lucas asked, drawing her from her thoughts. “Falling in love when you’re young?”
“Guess so.” Seeley laughed. “Sasha and Ezra shared their first kiss as teenagers, too, and neither of them ever fell for anyone else.” He glanced at Juliette, and he didn’t have to say a word for her to hear, like us .
Lucas looked out at the track again. “Dare really set the standard for Billie, didn’t he?”
“He sure did,” Seeley said. “But if you think this racetrack is cool, wait until you see the new racetrack and clubhouse he built for her.”
“He built her another one?” Lucas’s eyes were wide saucers. “Why? This one’s huge.”
“Because it’s also too close to their house, which is right up that path.” He pointed to a dirt path heading back toward the rest of the ranch. “The kids she teaches aren’t residents at the ranch, and we all know how mischievous kids can be. Come on. I’ll show you.”
“This place is so cool,” Lucas said as they followed Seeley across the grass. “No wonder you’ve never wanted to live anywhere else.” He picked up a stick from the ground, and Sadie barked. “You wanna play, girl?” Sadie’s tail wagged, her eyes trained on him. “Watch, Mom.” He threw the stick, and Sadie sprinted after it, snagged it off the ground, and darted back to him. “Attagirl!”
Juliette had wondered how it would feel to be on the ranch with Lucas. She worried it might be uncomfortable for him or for her as memories rolled in, but it wasn’t. Even after all these years and after hollering at Seeley a few weeks ago right there on the ranch in front of Sasha and whoever else had been in earshot, being there still felt like coming home. Somehow the ranch made everything feel calmer, better, happier. It was still the only place where she could truly let down her guard and just be . It didn’t make a lick of sense, but that’s how she felt, and sharing it with Lucas made it that much better.
She watched him playing fetch with Sadie and chatting with Seeley as they made their way across the property, and a memory crept in. During one of her and Seeley’s cabin rendezvous when they were teens, she’d asked him why he thought Redemption Ranch had been able to help so many people. After explaining all the tangible reasons, like competent therapists, well-rounded programs, and a family atmosphere, he’d said, But my grandfather used to say this land had a touch of magic in it.
Seeing Lucas so carefree made her wonder if there was some truth to that.
A massive racetrack and a large clubhouse came into view, and Lucas nearly lost his mind with excitement. There was a young guy wearing a cowboy hat who looked to be eighteen or nineteen watching two people racing around the track, flying over bumps and jumps and onto raised flat platforms and ramps.
“Hey, Doc,” the guy said.
“Hey, Kenny. This is”—for a split second, Juliette saw Seeley wrestling with how to introduce them—“Juliette and Lucas.”
“Hi,” Juliette said as Lucas said, “Hey,” and petted Sadie, who was happily holding her stick in her mouth.
“Dare told me y’all were coming by. It’s nice to meet you.” Kenny shook their hands. “I hear we might play paintball later.”
“I hope so,” Lucas said.
One of the racers flew up a ramp and did a flip on the bike. Juliette gasped.
“Whoa! That was cool,” Lucas exclaimed as the other racer followed in the first racer’s wake, also doing a flip. “I want to learn to do that.”
“ Lord, help me ,” Juliette said more to herself than to anyone else.
Seeley put a hand on her back and said, “It’s a little safer than bull riding.”
“It’s only as safe as the rider,” Kenny said. “Lucas, if you’re thinking of learning, Billie was a professional motocross racer. She’ll make sure you’re as safe as you can be, but it’s up to you to listen to what she teaches you. These bikes aren’t toys.”
“I know. Doc told me about their friend,” Lucas said more seriously. “Do you ride?”
“Kenny’s been riding for more than a year,” Seeley said. “He’s doing an exhibition at the Ride Clean event next weekend.”
“You should come check it out,” Kenny said. “It’s really cool. I did my first exhibition at the event last year after I finished going through one of the programs here.”
Surprised, Juliette glanced at Seeley, who nodded almost imperceptibly.
“You were in a program?” Lucas asked with a furrowed brow.
“Yeah, look.” Kenny pulled out his wallet and withdrew a gold card, handing it to Lucas.
Lucas read it aloud. “Member of the Redemption Ranch Family.” He turned it over. “If Lost, Please Return to.” He looked up and handed it back to Kenny. “I don’t get it. It has the address and phone number of the ranch.”
“Everyone who goes through our programs receives one, so they know they always have a safe place to come back to,” Seeley explained.
“Oh.” Lucas seemed to mull that over. “Kenny, what did you do to end up here?”
“I took a neighbor’s Beamer out for a joyride with their daughter. It was stupid, because my parents had already taken away my license. But I did a lot of stupid stuff back then.”
“Why?” Lucas asked.
“I don’t know. I was pissed. We had to move for my dad’s job, and my girlfriend back home broke up with me, and then she hooked up with my friend. It was a lot.”
“So you came here ?” Lucas asked.
“I didn’t want to come here. My parents forced me to. I was pissed, but it was either that or get arrested for stealing the car. Looking back, I’m glad I ended up here. If I hadn’t, I’d probably still be doing bad shit.” He looked at Juliette. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said, glad he was sharing his story with them.
“Anyway, this place saved me from myself,” Kenny explained. “Dare was my therapist. His family, and the rest of the people here, they’re the best. I didn’t want to leave when I finished the program. Now I’m going to community college, riding with Billie, and working with Cowboy. It’s awesome.”
Billie and Dare were speeding toward the finish line, nose to nose. “Hold on a sec,” Kenny said. “They’re wicked competitive.” His gaze moved between the stopwatch and Dare and Billie as they crossed the finish line. “They’re so frigging fast.”
Their bikes fishtailed, kicking up dirt, causing Sadie to bark.
Lucas petted her. “They’re so cool.”
Dare and Billie climbed off their bikes and took off their helmets. “I nailed you, Mancini,” Dare said.
Billie smirked. “Yes, you did , but that was this morning, and I just beat your sorry butt.”
Dare laughed and smacked her ass. She scowled, and he tugged her into a hard kiss. “I love you.”
“You still lost,” she teased. They headed over, grinning like they were on top of the world.
“Hey, Juliette. Hey, Lucas,” Dare said. “Did you see me beat Billie?”
“You guys were incredible,” Lucas said.
“ I was incredible.” Billie leaned closer to Lucas like she was sharing a secret. “Dare was mediocre, but don’t tell him that.”
Lucas laughed.
“I’m Billie, by the way. Mediocre’s wife. It’s nice to meet you, Lucas.”
“You too.” Lucas looked a little awestruck. “What do I have to do to learn to ride?”
“He’s got the Whiskey adrenaline bug, huh?” Dare asked, giving Seeley an approving nod.
“Oh, yeah,” Seeley said. “You should see him ride a bull. The kid’s a natural.”
Lucas beamed at his praise, which warmed Juliette’s heart.
“Have you talked to your mom about riding?” Billie asked.
“Yeah,” Lucas said with a grin. “She’s cool with it.”
Billie looked at Juliette. “Yeah?”
“There’s no stopping him,” Juliette said, glad Billie had thought to check with her.
Billie eyed Lucas. “Then we’ll talk.”
“Awesome.” Lucas was absolutely glowing, as he had when he’d first talked about bull riding.
“Kenny, how much did I win by?” Billie asked.
“Dream on, Mancini.” Dare crossed his arms, dipping his chin with a serious expression. “Go ahead, dude. Give her the news.”
“I hate to say this.” Kenny paused, dragging out their anticipation. “But you were three-tenths of a second behind her, Dare.”
Billie’s arms shot up. “ Yes! I am the reigning champ!”
Everyone laughed.
Dare pointed at Billie. “We’re going again.” He looked at Juliette and Lucas. “You guys are sticking around, right? Dinner and we’re beating you in paintball later?”
“You wish,” Lucas said.
“I see you’re a dreamer like your old man,” Dare teased. “I hear you like old cars. I’ll show you my garage and the cool cars I have.”
“Seriously?” Lucas asked.
“Hell yeah.” Dare draped an arm around Billie. “Come on, beautiful. Time to lose.”
As they headed back to their bikes, Kenny told Lucas about Dare’s affinity for cars, and as he filled Lucas’s head with dreams of classic cars and motocross, Seeley leaned closer to Juliette and whispered, “I think our boy likes it here almost as much as you did when you first showed up.”
“I like it even more now.”
SEELEY SHOWED THEM around his veterinary clinic, and as he explained how the rescue process worked, Juliette thought about their teenage dreams, of working together to save horses and raising their own family. It was funny how, as kids, everything had seemed not only possible but as if by dreaming it, their futures were cast in stone.
“Can we see the rehab horses?” Lucas asked as they left the well-horse barns.
“It’s not easy to look at horses that have been abused and neglected. We might want to skip the rehab horses,” Seeley said.
“I’ve seen plenty of sick animals,” Lucas objected. “Right, Mom? I’ve gone with you a bunch of times.”
“You have, but Seeley’s right. A sick animal is very different from one that has been abused or neglected,” she explained. “It can be heart-wrenching, Lucas.”
“I can handle it,” he insisted. “I want to see them. I want to see the work they do here.”
She looked at Seeley. “What do you think?”
“I think if he says he can handle it, we should let him try. But, Lucas, I’ve been around horses like some of the ones you’ll see since I was a little boy, and I still have a hard time seeing the horrible shape our rescues are in. So promise me if it’s too much, you won’t try to tough it out. There’s no shame in walking away.”
Lucas set his jaw. “I swear, but I’ll be fine .”
“Okay, let’s head over,” Seeley said. “But the horses can be skittish. You’ll want to talk softly, approach slowly, and don’t make any sudden movements.”
“I can do that.” When they got closer to the rehab barns, Lucas pointed to two horses in a small paddock. “Why aren’t they with the other horses in the pasture?”
“That’s Posey and Dream. Posey, the Appaloosa with the chestnut coat and white splash along her hips, is blind in her right eye, and her left eye was removed because of an infection.”
“That sucks,” Lucas said.
“Yeah, especially since her eye could have been saved if her previous owner had cared for her properly.” Seeley’s voice held a bite, which Juliette understood.
“That’s awful,” he said. “Now she can’t go out to pasture or see anything ever again. Someone should do that to the previous owner.”
“I don’t disagree,” Seeley said. “But Posey’s safe and loved now, and blind horses can be put in pastures with other horses. You need special fencing and to make sure the grounds are safe, but Posey’s still skittish around some of the other horses, and she’s bonded with Dream. For now it’s best for her to be with the friend she trusts.”
“That makes sense.”
“There’s Sully.” Seeley motioned to another paddock, closer to the barn, where Sully was walking a horse. “Come on, I’ll introduce you. She’s walking Goldie.”
“Is that Cowboy’s girlfriend?” Lucas asked.
“His fiancée, yeah.”
“I met her last weekend when Seeley and I were at the Roadhouse,” Juliette said. “She’s really nice. You’ll like her.”
Lucas approached the paddock carefully and waved to Sully.
Sully waved and walked the horse over to them. The bay mare had innumerable scars on her shoulder and hind quarters and a bandage around its right front leg, but there was light in her eyes. “Hi, you guys. It’s nice to see you again, Juliette, and you must be Lucas. I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about you.”
Lucas looked curiously at Juliette and Seeley.
“Why are you looking at us like that?” Juliette asked. “You’re a great kid, and you know it.”
“Whatever.” He turned back to Sully. “Cowboy said you’re a horse whisperer.”
She petted Goldie’s cheek. “I do love them. How about you? Do you like horses?”
“Yeah,” Lucas said easily. “We have two, Warrior and Maxine, and I grew up around them in California.”
“You’re lucky,” Sully said sweetly.
Knowing what Sully had been through, Juliette felt a pang of sadness for her new friend. She wanted to climb over the fence and hug her.
“How did Goldie get all those scars?” Lucas asked.
“She had a few not-so-nice owners, and she was rescued from being sent to a slaughterhouse.” Sully looked lovingly at the horse. “But she’s doing great. We were about to go back to the barn. Where are you heading?”
“To the rehab barn,” Lucas answered. “I’ll get the gate for you.”
Sully led the horse through the gate, and Lucas closed it behind them.
“Would you like to lead Goldie?” Sully offered.
Lucas’s eyes lit up. “Yeah. Can I?”
“Sure,” Sully said. “But don’t go too fast.”
He took the lead, pride shimmering in his eyes as he led Goldie toward the barn, and asked, “How long do you walk her?”
“She’s recovering from a bowed tendon, and she’s up to about fifteen minutes twice a day,” Sully said. “We’ll gradually increase that until she’s good as new.”
They walked into the barn, and as Lucas and Sully led Goldie into her stall, Seeley slid his arm around Juliette’s waist and said, “Is it just me, or does he seem really comfortable here?”
She looked at Lucas, petting Goldie and chatting with Sully. “He does.”
Seeley whispered, “That’s the magic of the ranch.”
When Lucas went into the stall, Seeley pressed a kiss to her temple and lowered his arm.
“I told you I could handle it,” Lucas said a few minutes later when he came out of Goldie’s stall. “Sully said you’re not sure what Goldie has been through.”
“Unfortunately, that happens a lot. It’s not uncommon for owners to abandon their horses,” Seeley said.
“Maybe I’ll become a horse vigilante when I grow—” His words were lost to a pained expression as he gazed over Juliette’s shoulder.
She followed his stare to Sasha leading a severely emaciated horse through the side door. It was covered with scars from recent and old wounds, and its ribs and spine protruded sickeningly.
A sad sound fell from Lucas’s lips.
“Oh, honey,” Juliette said, her heart breaking for both the horse and for her son.
Seeley put one hand on Lucas’s shoulder, his other on Juliette’s back. “We can go.”
“No.” The pain in Lucas’s voice was palpable. “The horse can’t go . I’m not gonna leave just because it’s hard to see it.”
“I’m sorry,” Sasha said softly. “I didn’t know you were in here.”
“It’s okay,” Seeley said. “Lucas, look at me.”
Lucas looked at him, his jaw tight, his sad eyes shimmering with determination, but glassy, as if he were struggling against tears.
“Remember the first time I came to your house? When you found me and your mom arguing?”
He nodded.
“Earlier that day we’d rescued Queenie, the horse Sasha is leading, and another horse, Contessa. They’d been tied to a tree in an empty field and left to starve for who knows how long. Queenie was in critical condition, but she’s a fighter, and with our love and care, she survived .”
“Can’t you feed her?” Lucas’s voice cracked.
“We are. I promise she’s getting the absolute best care. She’s already gained weight.”
“Not enough. Feed her more ,” he pleaded quietly.
Juliette was proud of him for respecting the rules Seeley had given him earlier about rescue horses and not shouting.
“We can’t. If she eats too much too fast, it could kill her. Do you trust me to take care of her?”
He nodded, his brows pinched.
“Good. She’s on this ranch, which means she’s your family now, too. Would you like to meet her?”
Lucas nodded again.
“Okay, but horses are intuitive. They respond to our emotions. If you’re sad or mad, they’ll sense it and react to it,” he explained. “Take a minute to get ahold of your emotions.”
Lucas breathed deeply.
“That’s good, honey,” Juliette said. “Just relax.”
Lucas shook out his hands, and after a big exhalation, he said, “Okay. I’m ready.”
They went to the horse, and Seeley spoke softly and stroked her neck. “Hi, sweet Queenie. How’s my beautiful girl?” The horse nickered. “Go ahead and pet her, Lucas. Show her some love.”
Lucas lifted a shaky hand and petted her.
“That’s right. Now look in her eyes and tell me what you see.”
He studied her as he petted her. “She looks calm and happy. I think she likes being petted.”
“She doesn’t just like it. She needs it,” Seeley explained. “When she got here, she was terrified. Her eyes were sunken and dull. They were hopeless . She wouldn’t lift her head or even look at us. Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix for this kind of trauma. But with patience, love, and the right medical care, she’ll plump up, and her energy will return. This time next year, she’ll be a whole new horse.”
Lucas’s lips twitched into a smile. “Hear that, Queenie?”
“Attaboy,” Seeley said. “One of the best things you can do for a horse like Queenie is fill her with confidence and encouragement and show her love. There’s a good chance she’s never been shown tenderness before coming here. Tell her how great she’s doing, how strong she is, that she’s safe.”
“She’s going to have a great life,” Sasha said. “We make that promise to the horses who come here, and when they’re healthy and rehomed, they leave with a plaque with their name on it for their new stall. We call it their badge of dignity, giving them back what was stolen from them.”
“That’s cool,” Lucas said. “Can I help you get her settled in her stall?”
“You sure can,” Sasha said. “Her stall is on the side of the barn.” They headed down the hall that led to the other side.
Juliette touched Seeley’s hand. “Thank you. You explained everything so beautifully.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and it’s never felt like that.” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. Like I better not fuck up, because how Lucas sees animals and people who are suffering, how he’ll treat them, was hanging in the balance.”
She hugged him. “We are so lucky to have you in our lives.”
“I’m the lucky one, darlin’.”
Lucas wasn’t scarred by what he’d seen. He wanted to meet all of the rehab horses and hear each of their stories. As they left the last horse, he said, “Now I really do want to be a horse vigilante.” He pointed to a door. “What’s in there?”
“Tack for the horses.” Seeley pushed the door open.
Cowboy and Sully were inside kissing, and they startled apart. “Oh. Hey ,” Sully said, pink cheeked. “Callahan was just…helping me reach something. On the… up there .” She pointed at the ceiling.
Cowboy’s Cheshire-cat grin said otherwise.
Sasha and Juliette stifled laughs. Seeley arched a brow.
“How about you knock next time?” Cowboy pulled Sully into his arms, and she buried her face in his chest.
“Come on, Lucas. We’ll see the tack room another time.” Doc closed the door.
“Mom, did you and Doc ever get caught making out in the tack room?” Lucas asked.
“ No ,” she insisted.
“We were too clever for that,” Seeley said.
“ Seeley! ” she chided, and heard a chuckle behind them. She turned around and saw Cowboy and Sully following them out.
“What?” Seeley said. “He obviously knows we did more than kiss. I mean, he does exist.”
“Yes, but we don’t have to admit it,” she said, which made Sasha laugh.
As they left the barn, Tiny and Wynnie drove up in a UTV. On Tiny’s lap was the little boy Juliette had seen with Sasha at the hospital, who she now knew was Ezra’s little boy, Gus. Sasha and Ezra had shown her pictures of him at the Roadhouse.
“Sugar!” Gus yelled as he scrambled off Tiny’s lap and ran toward Sasha. He was adorable in little cowboy boots and shorts, his dark curls bouncing around his cherubic face.
“Doc, did he call her Sugar ?” Lucas asked.
“Yeah. That’s Gus, Ezra’s boy. He picked it up from how Dare used to talk to women,” Seeley said. “Don’t even think about calling a woman that.”
“I got to steer the UTV!” Gus bragged.
“That’s great, Gusto.” Sasha tousled his hair. “Thanks, Dad.”
“In a few years he’ll be coming out with me before dawn to check on the ranch,” Tiny said as he and Wynnie climbed out of the vehicle. His long gray beard brushed his chest, and he wore a blue bandanna tied around his hair, which was pulled back in a ponytail.
“Which means I’ll be sending Tiny out with extra biscuits,” Wynnie said.
“That’s Tiny’s favorite time to check on the ranch,” Gus announced. “Because everyone else is still asleep, so we can make sure everything’s shipshape and have special time with the horses!”
“That used to be my favorite time, too,” Sasha said. “It’s also a special time for you and Tiny.”
“Guess what else?” Gus said excitedly. “Tiny and Wynnie said I can call them Grandpa and Grandma even though you and Dad aren’t married yet!”
“We also said he could choose whatever names he wanted to call us,” Wynnie said as she made her way toward Juliette and Lucas.
“I like Grandma and Grandpa,” Gus said.
“ Aw , I love that, Gusto.” Sasha looked at her parents with so much love, Juliette could feel it.
Wynnie smiled warmly as she and Tiny joined them. “Welcome back to the ranch, son, Juliette,” Tiny said.
“Thanks,” Lucas said.
“It’s been a long time,” Juliette said. “The place looks amazing.”
“We’re glad you made it. It’s nice to see you again, honey.” Wynnie hugged her.
“It’s nice to be here,” Juliette said. “Lucas, this is Seeley’s mom, Wynnie.”
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi, honey. I’ve been aching to meet you. Are you a hugger?”
“I guess,” he mumbled.
She hugged him and said, “You can call me Wynnie or Grandma or anything you want. I’m so happy to finally meet you.”
“You too,” he said a little tightly.
“Gus, remember I said we were meeting some special people today?” Sasha asked, and he nodded. “This is Juliette and Lucas.” She looked at Lucas and said, “This is Ezra’s son, Gus.”
“Hi, Gus,” Juliette said. “It’s really cool that you got to steer that UTV.”
“Hi!” Gus looked up at Lucas. “Sugar said we’re cousins! I don’t have any other cousins. Do you like the ranch? I grew up here. I can show you cool places, and if you don’t know how to ride a bike yet, Sully can teach you. I just learned how. Daddy won’t let me ride it anywhere alone yet, but I bet he’d let me go with you! We can go exploring, and you can go on trail rides with us to the meadow. Will you be eating with us, too? Dwight makes yummy food.”
Lucas’s brows knitted, his jaw tightening. He looked at Juliette with contempt.
Oh God. This is too much for you . She tried to ease the tension without causing a scene. “Lucas, don’t you want to say hi to Gus? He’s excited to meet you.”
“Hi,” Lucas gritted out, and crossed his arms, his fingers drumming.
“Excuse us.” Juliette leaned closer to Lucas, and as Sasha guided Gus a few feet away, Seeley stepped closer to Lucas, who turned his back to the group. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” She noticed his lower lip trembling.
“We were alone for all those years,” he fumed. “And you knew I had family the whole time!”
Guilt consumed her. “I’m sorry. I tried to explain why I did that.”
“Lucas, you have to remember that we all were deceived, and your mom was protecting you in the best way she knew how,” Seeley said.
“I know . I get it. I’m not mad at her. I’m just…” He looked between them, his eyes tearing up. “It’s so unfair.”
“I know, buddy,” Seeley said. “It’s unfair for all of us.”
“It’s not only unfair to the three of you,” Tiny said as he walked around Juliette and planted his feet in front of Lucas, in his worn jeans and leather cut over a T-shirt. “What your other grandfather did was downright dirty, son, and it affected all of us. We’re all hurt and angry. What he did makes him a miserable person, but it doesn’t have to make you one.”
Lucas swiped at a tear. “I hate him.”
“Then you’re among the right company, because I don’t think anyone on this ranch feels any differently,” Tiny said firmly. “Now, you listen to me. You’re our blood, and we take care of our own.”
“Nobody can take you away from Doc or any of us ever again,” Wynnie said.
Lucas’s jaw ticked, and so did Seeley’s, his dark eyes full of emotion.
“The way I see it, you’ve got a choice to make,” Tiny said. “You can stew on that hatred, and close yourself off like Doc did for all those years and lose more time with the people who want to get to know you. Or you can accept that what’s done is done, decide not to let that hatred eat you alive, and start moving forward. Get to know your family.”
Lucas blinked away tears. “How can I just let it go? It sucks.”
“That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?” Tiny’s mustache lifted with his grin.
“You start by realizing you don’t have to hold it all in,” Wynnie said sweetly. “You can talk to any of us, or a therapist. We know plenty of those. It doesn’t matter who you talk to. You just have to get that hurt out of your heart so you can begin to heal.”
“You can talk to a friend you trust or your girlfriend,” Tiny suggested.
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” Lucas said.
Tiny shook his head. “Boy, if you think I don’t know Layla Braden is your girl, you’ve got another thing coming.”
Lucas shot an accusatory look at Juliette and Seeley.
Seeley shook his head, holding up his hands in surrender. “It wasn’t me, buddy.”
“Or me,” Juliette said.
“I’ve got eyes and ears everywhere,” Tiny explained. “That’s how I keep the people I love safe. If I’d known you were Doc’s boy, I’d’ve come for you and your mom long ago. But if that’d been the case, I have a feelin’ Doc would’ve beat me to it.”
Lucas looked at Seeley with a small smile, and Seeley said, “Damn right I would have.”
“Lucas, honey, it’s okay to be upset and even to feel betrayed by me,” Juliette said. “I’m upset at myself for not seeing through my father’s ruse and realizing that Seeley would never have turned his back on us.”
“I know it’s not your fault. You were just a kid.” Lucas looked at Tiny, Wynnie, and the others. Cowboy had his arm around Sully, and Gus was standing in front of Sasha with his back against her, her hand resting on his belly, watching them.
Juliette was glad their expressions were empathetic and not judgmental.
“I’m sorry,” Lucas said. “I didn’t mean to…” He shrugged. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” they all said.
“No, it’s not,” Lucas said. “Tiny’s right. I can’t let what my grandfather did to us ruin the chance I have to get to know all of you. Gus, I’m sorry I wasn’t very nice to you.”
“That’s okay,” Gus said. “Sometimes when I’m sad, I’m not nice, either. But Sugar and Daddy love me anyway.”
Sasha patted his stomach. “That’s right, Gusto. Everyone has hard times.”
“So, what do you say, Rodeo?” Tiny asked, lifting his chin at Lucas. “You want to drive us up to the main house, and we’ll meet your parents there for dinner?”
Juliette’s heart swelled at the care they were taking with him.
“You’ll let me drive the UTV?” Lucas asked excitedly.
“I offered, didn’t I?” Tiny took Wynnie’s hand and lumbered toward the vehicle. “Come on, now. You still gotta meet Dwight and the others.”
Lucas ran over to the UTV as Tiny and Wynnie climbed into it, and Gus called out, “Can I come?”
“You bet,” Wynnie said, motioning for Gus to climb onto her lap.
Tiny eyed Lucas. “We got precious cargo in here, Rodeo. You drive slow now, you hear?”
“Yes, sir.” Lucas called out, “See y’all up there!” and drove off, grinning.
Juliette exhaled, feeling like she’d been holding her breath that whole time.
“You okay, darlin’?” Seeley asked.
“I am now. Your parents are really something.”
“Yeah, they are. It took everything I had not to say more to Lucas, or to hug him and tell him how much I love him and how sorry I am for all of this bullshit. But I was worried it would embarrass him and make things worse.”
“That’s how I felt, too,” she said.
“Your boy has got a lot of feelings to work out,” Cowboy said. “Might want to think about a therapist.”
“Juliette tried. He doesn’t want to speak to one yet,” Seeley said.
“I hate my frigging father for doing this to him,” Juliette said. “Seeley, you were right to give me time to think about going after him. As much as I want my father to pay for everything he’s done to us, I can’t do that to Lucas. The minute we give Reggie the information we got from Ana and the FBI gets a search warrant, it’ll be all over the news. And you know how the media is. Lucas doesn’t need that kind of circus.”
“We’re on the same page, darlin’. Reggie knows we have something that will take that bastard down. He’s waiting to move on it until we’re ready.”
“That’s smart,” Cowboy said. “Those media hounds will open up a can of worms, and you’ll be in the spotlight for months.”
“Can’t you guys do what you did for me?” Sully asked.
Juliette looked curiously at Seeley. “What did you guys do for Sully?”
“We kept her whereabouts out of the media,” Doc explained. “But this is different. Sully was in hiding. Nobody knew where she was. We’re too big a part of the community. I will figure out how to keep you and Lucas safe before we do anything more.” He drew her into an embrace and kissed the top of her head. “Parenting is fucking hard .”
“That’s the understatement of the year,” she said.
“But you know what?” His lips quirked up. “I can finally kiss you without worrying Lucas will see us.”
As he pressed his lips to hers, Sasha said, “The tack room is free, if you want to take it for a spin,” making them all laugh.