Chapter 47 #2
“Absolutely not. She was a devastated and heartbroken girl. I barely even saw her then. But, Woody, she’s changed so much in the last four years.
I didn’t even recognize her at first. I just noticed she was an attractive, carefree young woman who was having a good time.
When I realized who she was, I was wracked with guilt.
I felt like the biggest slime ball who ever lived,” I admitted.
He eyed me skeptically. “Why didn’t you tell me you ran into her?”
“Because I wanted to forget how alive she’d made me feel.
I wanted to pretend that it was the beer and not the undeniable chemistry buzzing in my veins that night.
I hoped that feeling would go away when I got back to the place that always felt like home, that I could put her back in the box she’d always been in, in my mind if I just kept my distance. ”
“So why didn’t you?” he challenged. “Put her back in that box and keep your distance?” The anger he’d barely managed to contain was creeping in, and I knew I needed to tread lightly.
“Would you ask a bird to stay out of the sky? Would you tell a wolf not to howl or a fish not to swim? It was merely instinctual. I tried to stay away. I tried to keep things professional and maintain that boundary, but it was impossible. I was drawn to her in a way I’d never been to anyone else, in a way I couldn’t explain.
Her laugh gave me hope that I might find happiness again.
That fire in her soul breathed new life into me.
She was tenacious. She was passionate. She was brave.
All things I hadn’t been in a long time. I never really stood a chance.”
“So it had nothing to do with her being young and beautiful?”
“I was attracted to her, sure, but that was only what caught my attention. It’s the person she is deep down that made me fall for her.
And her age … that was the biggest deterrent.
It kept me away from her for far too long.
I didn’t want to be that guy, the one who saw this beautiful, vivacious, younger woman and tried to lock her down before she even knew who she was, before she had a chance to experience life.
But that’s not Jasmine. She knows exactly who she is and what she wants.
It took me far too long to realize that. ”
He nodded as though trying to absorb and understand everything I’d told him. “So this whole time that you’ve been traveling with her, you’ve had feelings for her.” It was more statement than question. “Why did you agree to do it when you claim you were trying to keep your distance?”
“I thought I was strong enough. I thought I could resist.” I swallowed hard, not wanting to admit this next part.
“And I thought if I refused, you would get suspicious. If you knew how I felt about her, you’d find a way to keep us apart and maybe even fire me.
And I couldn't bear the thought of being cut off from her even if she could never be mine.”
“Jasmine claims that she’s the one who pursued you. I need to know; did you truly put up a fight?”
“Every. Single. Day.”
He mulled over my response, and his jaw tightened. Though he kept a tight hold on his composure, one wrong word and it would unravel.
“Why didn’t you come to me? Why didn’t you man up and tell me you were seeing my daughter instead of keeping it a secret and sneaking around behind my back? You’ve been seeing each other for a month.” The incredulity in his tone set me on edge.
“We were planning to. We were just waiting for the right time.”
“The right time would’ve been before I had to see you kissing my baby girl and professing your love for her after she almost died.” I winced, knowing he was right.
“I’m sorry, Woody. I’m sorry you had to find out like that.
I’m sorry I betrayed your trust, and I’m sorry we kept this a secret from you.
But if you expect me to apologize for loving your daughter, you’ll be waiting an eternity because I’ll never be sorry for that.
I’m in love with Jasmine, and nothing in this world could keep me away from her, not even you. ”
If I wasn’t mistaken, a hint of respect flashed in his eyes, and he nodded his acceptance. “I owe you an apology as well. My mother made me see the error of my ways.”
I gritted my teeth at the mention of Rose and held up my hand.
“I’m going to stop you right there. If you’re only trying to make amends now to keep from losing your ranch, I don’t want to hear it.
I can handle your contempt, but your actions have hurt Jasmine.
The way you treated her was reprehensible.
She’s heartbroken over it. So unless you’re sincere, save it.
But I suggest you talk to your daughter and pray that she finds it in her heart to forgive you. ”
“You finished?” he growled, his face twisted in annoyance.
“Yep.”
“I made a mistake. I acted on impulse, and the people I love got hurt,” he admitted.
“I was so angry, and all I could see was my best friend touching my daughter in a way I never could have fathomed. It was a shock to say the least. I’d just seen the video a half hour before you arrived home.
The image of you kissing her was still fresh, but I’d had enough time to stew on it that my rage boiled over.
My instinct to protect her flared to life, and I acted rashly.
I never should’ve hit you or threatened your life. For that, I am truly sorry.”
His words rang with sincerity, and there was genuine remorse in his features. “I accept your apology,” I replied.
“This,” he began, motioning between us, “is the conversation that should’ve happened that day. But I wasn’t ready for it. I couldn’t see past my blinding rage. I trusted you with her, and I felt like you betrayed that trust in the worst possible way.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“Sunny refusing to talk to me,” he replied, and I snorted. He cracked a smile, and the tiniest hint of our old friendship flared to life.
“That’ll do it.”
“I wouldn’t listen to her when she tried to tell me Jasmine was old enough to make her own decisions and that I was wrong for trying to make her choose between us and you, so she stopped talking to me entirely.”
“Oof,” I replied with a wince.
“Then my mother started in on me, echoing the same sentiments and reminding me that my father had been thirteen years older than her and they’d had thirty-five happy years together.
I was already coming around to the idea when the gloves came off and she told me if I didn’t get my head out of my ass, she’d sell the ranch to the highest bidder. ”
“Damn, Rose plays hardball, doesn’t she?”
He waved me off. “I was coming over here anyway. She just wanted to make sure I knew who was in charge, to show me whose dick was bigger.”
I barked out a laugh, and one side of his mouth turned up. “My money has always been on Rose.”
After a moment, Woody’s expression sobered and he looked at me, a hint of trepidation in his stare. “We good?” he asked.
“We will be,” I answered honestly. It would take a while to heal this divide between us and repair our fractured friendship. I wasn’t sure it would ever fully recover, but as long as he fixed things with Jasmine, I would be content.
I stood and headed to the door. “Are you ready to talk to your daughter?” I asked. He let out a low curse and scrubbed a hand over his face.
“No,” he answered honestly.
I shook my head and reached for the door. “Great. I’ll send her out,” I said with a smirk, then disappeared inside, but not before I heard him cursing my name.