Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
He was not overreacting.
He refused to believe that.
This was a big deal.
What kind of mother would lie to her children about their father for their entire life?
Brent still burned from the revelation. When he’d heard his father’s name, he’d known right off the bat that Faith had been aware.
He’d remembered that name from the articles she’d been reading.
And the look of guilt on her face when she’d said she was doing research?
He should have known then and there to make her talk.
After he’d gotten a summary of the story, he’d left. No, he hadn’t gone straight to Faith. He’d wanted to calm down before he confronted her. But he should have known that no amount of time would have been enough to make him feel better about all the secrets.
There was a thread of light he clung to when he spoke to her. This wasn’t Faith’s doing. She hadn’t kept the secret for his entire life. She’d only recently found out. And yet he couldn’t bring himself to forgive her for keeping it from him.
The only person in this world he could trust was his brother. And right now, he couldn’t be found. If Brent had to guess, Tripp had gone straight to Wendy to tell her the news. At least he had someone he could lean on.
Brent used to have that.
He shut his eyes tight and pressed the heels of his hands to them until he saw stars. The pain he felt was better than allowing himself to cry over this. Brent refused to cry. This was not worth crying over.
Anger.
That was what pushed him.
Too many betrayals.
Faith.
His parents.
Heck, even Hallie was part of this.
“Brent?”
He snapped to attention. No one had seen him climb up to the loft in the large barn on the property. He’d brought up a pillow and sleeping bag because he’d refused to sleep under the same roof as his parents.
“Brent, I know you’re up there.”
He rolled his eyes, knowing exactly who was below. “Speak of the devil,” he muttered under his breath.
“If you don’t come down, I’m coming up.”
“I don’t want to talk to you, Hallie.”
“It’s funny that you think I care.”
She was the catalyst for all of this. If she hadn’t roped his girlfriend into this secret, then he would still have Faith he could lean on. If she had just come to him and told him when she’d found out, then he could have confronted his parents.
Her head popped up over the edge of the loft and she climbed onto the landing. Her expression was unreadable as she took in the few things he’d brought with him. Then they shifted to him and she folded her arms. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“You want to tell me what you think it is I’m doing that deserves that attitude?” he snapped back.
She arched a brow. “From what I hear, you’re still going to compete.”
“Let me guess. Faith called you.”
Confusion flooded her eyes, but it was immediately replaced with derision. “No, your mother called my mother.”
He dragged a hand down his face. “Of course she did.”
“You want to know what I think?” she asked.
“No, but you’re probably going to say it anyway.”
“Darn straight I am,” she huffed. Then she stepped forward. “You’re being selfish.”
Brent got to his feet. “Selfish? You’re calling me selfish? That’s rich.”
“Yes, I’m calling you selfish. I’m probably the only one who’s willing to call you on all the crap you’ve been putting people though. So listen to me and listen well.”
He scoffed but knew better than to insist she leave. She’d just come back and speak her mind. Hallie had never been the type to let things go.
“This whole time, you’ve been selfish. You got it in your head that what you want is more important than what everyone else wants.”
“I’m allowed to be selfish in that respect. I should be able to follow my dreams—”
“Yeah, yeah. Your dreams. Don’t you get it?
What about your parents? Do you think your mother wanted to pick up her life and move after your father passed away?
Do you think Uncle Judd wanted to drop everything to become a father to his best friend’s kids?
I know they love each other and that’s not the point.
But I would be surprised if Uncle Judd was planning on starting an instant family. And then there’s Tripp.”
Brent cut her a warning look. He was already starting to feel sick with everything she was pointing out.
“Tripp’s wedding is tomorrow, and I would bet everything I have that he’s going to need his brother to support him through it. Everyone’s lives have changed.”
“And whose fault is that?” he snapped with renewed vigor. “From what I recall, you’re the one who spilled the beans. Couldn’t you have waited until after the wedding at least?”
To Hallie’s credit, she flinched at his accusation.
But then she straightened her shoulders and leveled him with another hard stare.
“Contrary to what you might think, this isn’t all about you.
There are a lot of variables, and I stand by my decision.
I couldn’t stand the idea of you getting on that horse tomorrow without knowing the truth about your lineage nor your parents being blindsided by your decisions. ”
“You think you’re so smart,” Brent huffed.
“Do you think my life has been easy up until this point? My whole life I’ve bent over backward to make everyone comfortable.
The golden child. The one my parents didn’t have to worry about.
Every decision I’ve made I’ve done it with my family in mind. Do you know how long I’ve wanted this?”
When she didn’t respond, he charged forward.
“Since before I can remember. And you call me selfish.” He shook his head with a bitter laugh. “This is the one time I want to do something for myself.”
For a moment he thought he got through to her.
Because the look she gave him was full of understanding and empathy.
But then she sighed. “And what if something, heaven forbid, happens to you? What if the fate that befell your father happens to you, too? Your parents already lost one important person in their life. Do you think they’ll be able to cope if they lose you, too? ”
His gut twisted painfully.
“You’re so hotheaded about this that you’re not considering all the variables.
I can see it, Brent. I have nothing against the rodeo.
Heaven knows I love the sport and I love…
” she caught herself then started again.
“I care about the people who compete.” She swallowed so hard that her throat bobbed.
“I’m not saying any of this because I expect you to get hurt.
I’m only saying that there are so many other careers you could take.
There are other options out there that won’t put your family on edge.
I don’t want you to regret your decision if in the end your relationships with our family become irreparable. ”
“I won’t regret anything,” he said, but even he had to admit he didn’t sound convinced.
They stared at each other for several long moments. He half expected her to keep arguing with him. That was how she was.
But then she nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah, okay. Do whatever you’re going to do. I can’t stop you. Faith can’t stop you. And your family can’t either. Just don’t do anything… stupid.”
He opened his mouth with the intention of snapping back at her but thought better of it as he watched her retreat. She’d said her piece and he wasn’t going to drag her back to him for argument’s sake.
It was several hours later when he heard the distinct sound of boots against the concrete floor below. Brent was sprawled out on a couple bales of hay with his hands behind his head as he stared up at a dark barn roof.
Then a small flash of light appeared at the edge of the loft. Brent didn’t turn his head. He didn’t have to.
“I was wondering when you’d show up. I hope Wendy helped you feel better.”
His brother walked across the loft and settled on the floor, leaning up against the hay.
He was using the light from his phone, and it cast a soft glow around the space.
Dust particles floated in front of the beam.
Tripp didn’t answer him, nor did he bring up the conversation they’d had with their parents.
There was something comforting about being able to let the news settle around them. It was heavy. Hard. But they were in this together.
“I wish I remembered him,” Tripp finally whispered.
Brent turned his head to stare at his brother. “You were only two.”
Tripp let his head fall against the hay and sighed. “Yeah, I know.”
There was no use voicing the thoughts in Brent’s head. His father hadn’t even known he was going to be born. Their mother had only found out a few days before and she’d planned on telling him after his next big win.
Tripp shifted, pulling something from his back pocket before handing it up to him. Brent grasped the piece of paper and his breath got stuck in his throat. It was a picture of his mother with a man who looked eerily like Tripp. The man held a baby boy in his arms.
“This him?” Brent rasped.
Tripp nodded.
The burning sensation that Brent felt behind his eyes sharpened and before he knew it, tears streamed down his cheeks. His sniffling was the only thing heard in the barn as he stared at the picture of his father. Then he let out a strangled laugh. “You want to know what’s stupid?”
His brother turned to look up at him. “What?”
“Here I was feeling bad for us—mostly you—because we didn’t have anything from him. I mean, I have his last name, so that’s something. But mom changed your name when she married Judd—”
“Dad, Brent. He’s just as much our father as that man in that picture.”
Brent nodded, the lump in his throat even worse.
“Dad.” He swallowed painfully. “Anyway, she changed your name, and I got to keep it in a way. I thought about how much that must have hurt you. But looking at this?” He sat upright, crossed his legs and peered down at the picture. “You still got something.”
Tripp watched him for a few moments, waiting.
Brent smiled despite himself. “You look just like him, Tripp. You can’t tell me you don’t see it.”
His brother nodded. “Yeah, I noticed.” He rubbed a hand through his hair and sighed. “I can’t stop thinking about something.”
“What’s that?”
Motioning to the picture, his brows pinched. “What must it be like to see me every single day and only see our dad?”
That question hit Brent like a ton of bricks.
While dealing with every emotion under the sun, Brent hadn’t even considered that.
Granted he’d only just found out that Tripp looked exactly like the man who gave him life, but still.
“Mom had to see the man she loved every single day for the last decade at least.”
“And dad…” Tripp closed his eyes and let his head rest against the hay once more. “Can you imagine marrying a woman who was in love with someone else and having to raise the reminder of their love story? What our parents had to go through after Louis died must have been torture.”
“It doesn’t excuse—”
“No, it doesn’t,” Tripp agreed. “They should have told us. A long time ago. But what’s been done has been done. There is no going back to change it. They made their mistakes and they’re going to have to live with them every single day of their life. But you don’t.”
Brent snorted. “Yes, I do. We both do. I can’t just forget what they did—”
“I’m not saying you have to forget anything, Brent. I’m saying that you don’t have to suffer. You don’t have to let this knowledge drag you down and pull you under. You don’t have to drown. They’re still our parents. They still love us.”
He was right about a lot of it. Heck, he was right about all of it. “I don’t know if I can forgive them, Tripp.”
“I know,” he murmured. “It’s hard.”
“Yeah.”
More silence followed. What did Tripp expect him to do? Go home and pretend that everything was okay? It wasn’t. The lies. His dream. Everything he knew had been irrevocably changed.
“You don’t have to forgive them if you don’t want to. You know that, right?”
Brent snorted. “That’s not exactly how our family works. I might as well disown myself right here and now.”
Tripp chuckled. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that.”
“It’s true and you know it. We practically live on a compound ever since Uncle Eli asked all of us to move here. We’re family and family sticks together.”
“Well, if that’s what you believe… then all I can suggest is that you cool down. Wait until you’re ready to hear her side of the story.”
“I know her side of the story.”
“No, you know the facts. You don’t know what she was feeling when she made these decisions. You don’t know the pain she had to suffer. There’s a lot more to this story than meets the eye.”
“Not likely. Besides her personal experiences, I mean.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
Brent smiled at his brother’s words. Then Tripp got to his feet and Brent handed him the photo.
His brother shook his head. “You keep it.”
Brent pulled the photo back and stared down at it as Tripp made his way down the ladder and the light slowly faded into utter darkness.