Chapter 18
18
Liam
T he horses Liam chose for their ride needed to get out of their stalls, and a ride on the trails was a great way to kill two birds with one stone. He didn’t exactly have to get someone to cover for him, which was nice. He simply asked one of the other guys to trade their responsibilities for the day.
They were going to head out on a trail through the more wooded area of Zeke’s property where folks liked to take tours of the area. So far, Margot seemed to be doing okay. She was a little frazzled when she’d shown up out of the blue, but now that they were away from everyone at the ranch, he could see a more peaceful expression on her face.
She closed her eyes and turned her face to the sunny sky. A small smile touched her lips as she stretched and exhaled. When she opened her eyes to look at him, she let out a quiet laugh. “What?”
He wanted to ask her what had been bothering her. Clearly, something was wrong, but she didn’t seem ready to tell him. There was a part of him that wanted to ask her outright—to force her to confide in him now that they were getting closer.
Right along with that feeling was another one that screamed it was too soon to do such a thing. He didn’t want to scare her off. What if she thought he was judging her, and she decided that their relationship wasn’t something she wanted?
Liam wasn’t going to risk any of that. In time, Margot would learn to trust him, but she needed to make that decision on her own. That made a lot more sense than trying to push his way to being closer to her.
Besides, when they were together, it didn’t feel the same. Margot seemed to be able to forget her problems as soon as they were alone and away from the world. That was enough for him to push aside his concerns.
He returned her smile with one of his own as they continued their ride. They both seemed to get lost in their own thoughts, which was fine by him. The act of simply being with her—in her company—was enough for him.
They arrived in a clearing where a creek trickled by, only able to be crossed by a small bridge. The second the horses saw the water, they made a beeline for it. Liam dismounted, allowing his horse to take a break from their ride. He moved to Margot’s side and pulled her from her saddle.
His hands lingered at her waist while hers remained at his neck. It was as if they were in the midst of a dance. He wanted to say something—anything to reassure her that whatever she was dealing with would turn out okay. But she spoke first.
“Thank you for coming with me.” Margot’s eyes darted away. “I was having a hard day. I don’t know if you could tell…”
Liam’s lips twitched. “Maybe a little.”
She flushed, her eyes darting to meet his. “I’m really trying to not be such a mess.”
“Hey,” he said softly, holding her face in his hand. “You’re not a mess.”
Margot huffed. “My father wouldn’t agree with you on that.”
His brows creased, and suddenly everything made a little more sense. “Your dad isn’t happy with you?”
Once again, she attempted to look away, but he still had a hold on her and prevented her from turning her face. Instead, she closed her eyes. “Yeah. He’s not too thrilled about my late hours.”
“But you’re going to school. I thought that was all he wanted.”
She shrugged as if she wasn’t sure about all the details. Liam knew better. He waited for her to say something more, but she didn’t, and he had to remind himself he couldn’t push her when she wasn’t ready.
“Don’t listen to him,” Liam said.
“I don’t really have a choice,” Margot whispered. “I’m living with him. His house, his rules.”
He couldn’t deny that what she said made sense. When he was younger, it was Wade and Annabel who made the rules. He wouldn’t have wanted that responsibility even if he’d been paid to have it. Raising his brothers and sister had to be one of the hardest things his oldest siblings had to do. Rhett might not do things the way Liam thought he ought to, but he was still Margot’s father, and he had the right to make the rules for when she lived with him.
There were no solutions for Margot. She was stuck living with her father until she could find a place to stay that she could afford. Unfortunately, Liam couldn’t offer to have her live with his family. They were already at full capacity, even with the handful who had moved. Those who remained were finally able to have their own private rooms.
His heart hurt for her. There was nothing like the pain of feeling judged by someone who was supposed to be supportive. He pulled her in for a hug and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. He wanted to tell her it would be okay, but for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to say it. He didn’t want to disregard her feelings.
So, he did what he did best.
He just held her.
The next few weeks were rough, to say the least. Liam didn’t see Margot nearly as much as they were used to. Either he had to work late, or she had to come take care of Prada in the morning when he was usually at work. This was due to her class schedules changing mid-semester and Zeke losing a couple guys who moved out of state.
Liam blamed himself for getting so wrapped up in work, but even he could tell that it was just an all-around hard thing to juggle their schedules. After a particularly grueling day, all he wanted to do was see Margot and hold her in his arms. He wanted to pretend that everything was just as good as it had been, even though things had felt stilted lately.
He got off work slightly early so he could meet Margot at the ranch and take her to dinner. The surprise would be a nice change of pace. When Margot showed up, he came out of the house dressed in nicer clothes.
She stared at him with surprise, and a smile spread across her weary face. “What are you doing here?” Margot ran up to him and threw her arms around him.
Just as he’d expected, Liam could feel the tension slip away as soon as he touched her. He pulled back from their hug and brushed away some hair from her face. She looked more tired than usual. “I wanted to take you to dinner after work. Maybe we could go to Sal’s? Or that restaurant at the country club?”
Her expression faltered. “I’m not exactly dressed for a date?—”
“No one is going to care what you look like.” He pulled her closer to him and spun her around. “All that matters is that we’re together.”
Her frown deepened, and she pulled away sharply. “Liam, I don’t want to go out looking like this. I just had a big test at school. Then after that, we had a rehearsal for the production we’re putting on at the end of the semester with the Colorado Ballet. I’m sweaty and gross. I don’t want to go out.”
Liam continued to push. “When was the last time we went on a real date?”
“Liam—” she warned, “I don’t want to get into this with you.”
“Get into what?” He tried to laugh it off, but it came out strained. “There’s nothing to get into. I’m just trying to take out the girl I love.”
Her eyes met his at that moment and the animosity all but disappeared. Her shoulders dropped, and her body relaxed. “I’m sorry. I just wish that you would have told me. Then I could have brought a change of clothes.”
“I’m sure we could get something from Charlie or Annabel. They probably have something that would fit you.” His eyes trailed over her body, clad in a hoodie and a pair of loose-fitting jeans. “You look about the right size.”
Once again, she looked uncomfortable. “I don’t want to wear your sister’s things.”
He was out of all options but one. “Then we could swing by your place, and you can change.”
Margot shook her head. “My dad would notice.”
Liam’s frustration flickered to life. He’d given her several options, and yet she didn’t seem willing to compromise. “What do you want me to do?” Liam muttered with exasperation. “Everything I’ve said, you’ve just shot down.”
“That’s because I don’t feel like going out. Why can’t you just listen to me the first time?” She pulled away, then pushed past him toward the barn. “I’m going to get my work done, and then I’m going home.”
He stared after her, completely deflated. He’d thought she wanted to spend some time together like they had before—to let the world disappear when they were together. Had he done something wrong? Or was he reading too much into her behavior?
Liam’s whole body felt tight, from his pounding headache to his chest and down to the muscles in his legs. This wasn’t what a relationship was supposed to be. He charged toward the house, slammed open the door, then let it bang shut behind him. Immediately, he paced the living room. There was no peace on its way for him. He felt like he was back at square one with Margot. She was shutting him out, and he didn’t know what to do except abide by her wishes.
“Trouble in paradise?”
Liam’s head snapped up to find Caleb watching him from the couch. He had a book in hand that he snapped shut as he got to his feet. “Seems like you’re finally realizing that Margot isn’t all she’s cracked up to be.”
“Don’t you talk about her. You’ve never liked her.”
Caleb shrugged. “Maybe that’s because I can tell she’s not the kind of person you should be with. You’re a good guy. Good guys deserve to have uncomplicated women.”
“She’s not complicated,” Liam spit out. “She’s dealing with a lot right now.”
“Yeah? Is that the excuse you’re telling yourself? Because if that’s what you’re sticking with, then you might as well give up now. She’s not going to change. She’s always been the manipulative girl from high school who refused to give you the time of day. She’ll chew you up and spit you out. When you’re no longer useful to her, she’ll drop you like the cows drop their dung.”
Liam’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. “I said stop.”
Caleb chuckled. “Suit yourself. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He left the room, his hollow laughter echoing in his wake.
He was wrong. Liam knew it. Caleb had something against Margot for some stupid reason. He didn’t know Margot like Liam did. They were just going through a rough patch, and eventually, everything would work out fine. After she got done with her schoolwork and his own work settled down, they’d get back to what he considered normal.
Liam had to believe that. Because if he didn’t, then he’d end up with a broken heart, and he certainly didn’t want to think about that.
He turned to look out the window, but he didn’t see Margot. He didn’t know what he’d expected. Most of her chores were in the barn anyway. Liam took a deep, calming breath and told himself not to worry. He was just anxious because he didn’t want to lose what he’d found with her. Everything would be just fine.