Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Despite his late night with Cadee, Huck woke up early. Probably due to the adrenaline pumping through his body. He felt like he could do anything. Climb Mount Everest. Swim the Atlantic. Be worthy of a sweet country girl.
Last night, they hadn’t gotten a chance to talk about the future. He intended to remedy that today.
But first he had a porch swing to deliver.
Before starting a new life with Cadee, he wanted all secrets out.
He had set up a time to meet the sheriff at his house, but when he got there, Sheriff Gentry wasn’t there. While he waited, he started installing the swing. He was attaching the steel chains to the sturdy overhead hangers he’d screwed into the porch ceiling when the sheriff finally showed up.
“Hey, Huck!” Sheriff Gentry called as he got out of his car. “Sorry I’m late. There was a little fender bender in town.”
“No worries.” Huck climbed down from the ladder he’d brought as the sheriff took the steps to the porch.
“Damn, that looks great, Huck. The workmanship is as fine as your daddy’s.”
For once, Huck felt proud to be his father’s son.
Sheriff Gentry sat down in the swing. “A damn fine swing. Let’s hope Laurie feels the same—”
An old guy with more hair on his brows than on his head came hurrying up the porch steps holding a shovel like a baseball bat. His eyes narrowed on Huck. “So I see you caught the Hennessy Hooligan, sheriff. I told you he was sneaking around and up to no good.”
Sheriff Gentry rolled his eyes before he stood to address the old man. “Everything’s fine, Delbert. Huck was just bringing over the porch swing he made me.”
“Are you sure he wasn’t stealing something? I could never prove it, but I know his little sister stole all the garden gnomes from my front yard.”
Huck mentally cringed. So that was where Poppy had gotten the seven gnomes that lived in her room.
The sheriff held up his hand. “I’m sure, Delbert. Now please put that shovel down before you hurt yourself. I got this handled. The Hennessys are family.”
Delbert lowered the shovel and snorted. “Fine. But I’d watch my back if I was you. Just because your daughter married one of them hooligans, doesn’t mean you’re safe. Even wolves can turn on their own.” He shuffled down the porch steps.
A few weeks ago, Huck would have laughed off the old guy’s comments. But now, he didn’t find them amusing. Not when he was trying so hard to fit into the town. His frustration must have shown on his face.
“I wouldn’t take what Delbert says to heart,” Sheriff Gentry said. “He’s just old and set in his ways.”
“He’s not wrong. We were hooligans.”
“You were kids who didn’t have any supervision. Without supervision, kids don’t always make the best decisions.”
Huck certainly hadn’t. If he wanted to prove to Cadee that he’d finally grown up—that he’d finally become a man who could own up to his mistakes—he needed to start here.
“I was the one who stole the money from Mickey’s Gas Station.”
Since the statute of limitations had run out, he knew the sheriff wasn’t going to jump up and put him in handcuffs. But he had thought Sheriff Gentry would show some kind of surprise or anger. Instead, he just nodded as he sat down and pushed the swing into motion with his foot.
“I figured it was one of you. I was leaning toward Dawson since he seemed to like starting fires.”
Dawson had started the tire fire that night, but that wasn’t Huck’s story to tell. Besides, his brothers had taken the blame for his antics more times than he could count. It was time to return the favor.
“I know it’s a little late,” he said. “But I’m sorry. It was a stupid thing to do.”
The sheriff nodded. “So you want to sit down and tell me what happened?”
He sat down next to the sheriff and took a deep breath before he relayed the events of that night. Discovering the gas station door unlocked. Finding the bag of money. Being stupid enough to think he could borrow it and pay it back with interest.
“It was only after I woke up the next morning that I realized what an idiotic thing I’d done,” he said. “I was trying to figure out what to do when Poppy busted into my room and told me about you arresting Jaxon.”
“So Jaxon knew you robbed Mickey’s.”
Huck shook his head. “No. No one knows. I plan on telling them today. I’m willing to pay Mickey back for any damages the fire caused and do community service.
Or whatever you think is best. I would only ask one thing and that’s for you to keep this to yourself until I’ve had a chance to tell my brothers and Poppy.
” He swallowed again. “And Cadee and Camden.”
The sheriff sat there for a few minutes before he finally spoke.
“I don’t plan to tell anyone what you just told me.
Bringing up that night again will only start up the gossip mill and ruin any strides y’all have made with the townsfolk.
You gave back the money, and those tires were old and I’d been on Mickey to get rid of them because I worried some kid would do exactly what .
. . you did. So I think it’s best if we let sleeping dogs lie. ”
Relief flooded Huck. “Thank you, sheriff. But I’m still going to tell my family.” Even if just the thought of telling Cadee made him sick to his stomach.
Sheriff Gentry shrugged. “That’s up to you. Now what do I owe you for the swing?”
Huck stood. “Not a thing. I think we Hennessys owe you more than a porch swing for all the trouble we’ve given you over the years.”
The sheriff nodded. “I can’t argue with that.” Huck laughed and started to leave, but the sheriff stopped him. “You gonna do right by Cadee . . . and your son?”
Huck whirled around. “You know?”
“Tully told me, but I had my suspicions long ago. You and Cadee were thick as thieves all the way up until you left town. It didn’t take much to put two and two together. And I don’t think I’m the only one in town who has. So answer the question. You gonna marry her?”
“Yes,” Huck said. “As soon as I prove I’m worthy to ask her.”
The sheriff sighed. “I certainly understand that. I have the same insecurities with Laurie. I always thought I wasn’t good enough for her.
Which is why I worked day and night at my job to prove myself.
” His gaze was direct. “But as it turned out, I didn’t need to prove anything to her except how much I love her. Don’t make the same mistake, son.”
Huck thought about the sheriff’s words all the way to the Stockton Ranch.
He didn’t feel like he was worthy of Cadee, but he didn’t think he ever would.
So maybe he should stop trying to prove his worth and just try to prove his love.
And what better way to prove his love than asking her to spend the rest of her life with him.
Of course, he couldn’t just show up unannounced and ask her to marry him.
But he could ask her to come dancing with him tonight at Honky Tonk Heaven. After he swirled her around the floor, he’d take her out back and propose beneath The Kissing Tree.
It was a perfect plan.
Unfortunately, before he could get to the Stockton Ranch to ask her on a date, his truck broke down. Cadee’s house was within walking distance, but he wasn’t about to show up on foot, begging for help from her brothers.
So he called Dawson.
Since he’d worked in Austin restoring old trucks, Dawson knew everything there was to know about old trucks. Within minutes of arriving, he had Huck’s truck up and running. Just not without giving Huck a hard time.
“You traded your motorcycle for this piece of shit Dodge? I could have found you a much better truck with fewer miles if you’d just asked me.”
“I needed a truck fast and you’ve been a little busy with Magnolia and the bookstore.” Since he’d come back from California, Huck had only seen Dawson at Honky Tonk Heaven and there was no way to have a conversation when you were throwing out drunks.
Dawson wiped his hands on the bandana he’d pulled from his back pocket. “And why did you need a truck fast? You had your motorcycle for transportation.”
“A motorcycle doesn’t really work for transporting a family.”
“So now you’re a family?”
Huck grinned. “Cadee and I are working things out.”
Without saying a word, Dawson started repacking the tools into the portable tool pouch he’d brought, then slung the pouch over his shoulder and slammed the hood of the truck. When he finally did turn to Huck, his face pretty much said it all.
Which pissed Huck off.
“What? You aren’t happy about me and Cadee working things out?”
“It doesn’t matter if I’m happy. It only matters if you are.”
“Well, I am. I’ve always loved Cadee. You know that, Dawg.”
“Yeah, I knew that you loved her. But I don’t get why you still do. Not after she kept your kid a secret for eight years.”
“That was more my fault than Cadee’s. I ran off and ghosted her.”
Dawson stared at him. “She could have figured out how to find you if she’d wanted to badly enough.”
“Mama couldn’t.”
Dawson sent him a look. “My point exactly. Mama didn’t care enough to try to find us. If she had, she would have been able to. And it looks like Cadee didn’t care enough either.”
The arrow struck right in the center of Huck’s heart.
The pain he felt made him realize that all the years he’d been gone, he’d harbored the hope that Cadee would come looking for him.
That she wouldn’t let him just leave like Mama had.
That she’d do everything in her power to find him and alleviate all his insecurities.
Which was stupid. He was the one who chose to leave. The one who ghosted her.
“It’s not the same thing at all, Dawg. Cadee is nothing like Mama. She’s kind and caring and doesn’t put anything before the people she loves.”
Dawson stared at him. “Exactly. Which is why she contested the will. Her family will always come first, Huck. Not a Hennessy Hooligan. Which was why she hid the truth about you being Camden’s father. She was embarrassed about hooking up with a Hennessy.”
Huck didn’t like this conversation. He didn’t like it at all. “That’s not true. She’s not embarrassed by me. She continued to hang out with me even after her daddy told her not to.”
“But she didn’t tell him the truth, did she?
Or the townsfolk. Face it, Huck, you were her dirty little secret and you still are.
It doesn’t matter that you stayed, shown up to all your son’s games, built him a tree house, and started your own business.
She still hasn’t told a soul you’re Camden’s father.
That should tell you everything you need to know. ”
Dawson had punched Huck a lot in their lives. Usually playfully. But occasionally, their fights had gotten out of hand and Dawson had let loose with a punch that hurt like hell.
But nothing compared to this emotional punch.
Huck clenched his fists. “Shut up. You don’t know shit. Cadee loves me, even knowing all the stupid things I did as a kid.”
Dawson stared him down. “All the stupid things? Like robbing the gas station?”
Talk about a blow. Huck felt like he’d been served up a knockout punch.
“How did you know?”
“I didn’t until just now.” Dawson shoved him. “What the fuck were you thinking, Huck? Jaxon went to jail for your idiocy!”
Huck shoved him back. “You should talk. You were the one who took his truck, got drunk, and then started the fire! No one would’ve been the wiser if the sheriff hadn’t seen you leaving Mickey’s.”
Dawson shoved him again. “Oh, so that would have made stealing okay? The fact that the Hennessys weren’t blamed?”
“I gave back the money!”
“Only because Jaxon was in jail. You wouldn’t have given it back otherwise.”
“You don’t know that.” Huck didn’t even know that.
He hoped he would have. But he wasn’t sure.
Guilt had him lashing out. “And what about you, pyro? You’re just as much to blame for Jaxon getting thrown in jail as—” He cut off when he noticed the horse and rider standing on the other side of the fence.
Beneath the brim of her cowboy hat, he easily read the disbelief and hurt in Cadee’s eyes.
“You robbed Mickey’s Gas Station?”
He started to tell her the entire story, but his mouth refused to work. Maybe because his brain knew there was nothing he could say to take the look of disappointment from her robin-egg blue eyes.
As he stood there looking into those eyes, all his insecurities came rushing back.
It was like he was a stupid teenager again and trying to throw a football through the hole in the tire swing.
After he’d missed at least two dozen times in a row, he’d turned to see his mama sitting on the porch swing.
He’d hoped for some parental encouragement.
Instead, after taking a long drag of her cigarette and releasing the smoke into the air, she’d stared at him with the same look of disappointment Cadee was giving him now.
“I’d give up and try a different sport if I was you,” his mama had said.
He’d felt like a fool for attempting something he obviously had no skill with.
And he felt like a fool now. How had he ever thought he was going to be a good husband and father when he didn’t know the first thing about either?
And Cadee and Camden deserved so much better.
They deserved someone who had grown up with a father and mother who taught them the right way to love.
Huck wasn’t that someone.
And Cadee knew it too. Which was why she had yet to tell anyone that he was Camden’s daddy. Dawson was right. Huck would never be someone Cadee could be proud of. It would be better for everyone if he just accepted it and moved on.
“I’m sorry, Cadee.”
He turned and walked away.