A lump formed in my throat and I bit my lip until I tasted blood.
“Must’ve been terrifying,” he said, his understanding a balm to my soul.
I nodded, then wiped the tears that’d refused to stay back.
Woody stepped up to me and pulled me into a bracing hug. We didn’t say anything for several moments, both of us holding onto one other, ridiculous, sniffling messes.
We released each other, and I took a few calming breaths. “Then, when I realized I needed help, I felt stupid admitting it.”
Woody grumbled at that but seemed willing to let me talk.
“So, I’d lie about why I was going into Austin. And Skylar, who had a similar past, had quickly become a good friend andoffered to let me rack out at whatever sugar daddy’s place he was staying at.”
Woody nodded along, biting at a hangnail, thinking through my words. “Can I ask—what does that have to do with Kessler leaving your place this morning?”
“I’ve been in love with Kess for a long time,” I admitted, avoiding Woody’s eyes. “And even though I’ve had some experiences, sometimes under shitty circumstances, the truth of the matter is that I’m demi. And it took me a really long time to tell him I had feelings for him.”
A line appeared between Woody’s brows. “Demi as in demisexual?”
“Yes.”
“So that wasn’t a one-night stand?”
“Blech.” I shuddered. “No.”
He chuckled. “You really are demi, aren’t you?”
I wrinkled my nose at him. “Yes. And shut up.”
Woody’s look was thoughtful. “Emery had said something about the two of you flirting with each other and had also mentioned that you were going into Austin for some volunteer work? But I didn’t think you were serious about either.”
I wasn’t shocked to find out that some of what I was doing had reached his ears.
“Oh, I’m very serious. About both. In fact, there’s this mom and son I’m trying to get out of a terrible situation, and now Kess is helping.”
“What’s your plan?” he asked, going into fix-it mode.
“I hoped that Kit might have an opening, but he hired the land manager already.”
“Yeah, Lane Somethingorother. But he still needs to replace his office manager.”
My eyes widened and I grabbed his arm. “Really?”
Woody nodded. “It’s been frustrating for him because he needs somebody who’s responsible and willing to either live on-site or drive out there. He’s seen a few people but hasn’t been impressed.”
“My gal has all sorts of management experience, and her thirteen-year-old son is six-three and wants to be put to work.”
Woody raised his brows. “A two for one? I can see that working really well for Kit.”
“You think?”
“I do.”
He reached out and grabbed my shoulder. “But this isn’t the last that we’re going to talk about everything you just said. If you and Kess are serious, then I’m happy for you. Genuinely happy for you. But I can’t have you walking around thinking that you can’t share your life with me, Rowd. We’re all we got from that goddamn family, and, sure, we’re lucky with Emery and his family and our friends, but you and me? There can’t be secrets between us. And definitely no lies.”
I pulled him in for another hug. “I promise. No more lies.”
Woody sniffled, then patted me on my back. “Okay. Enough crying for one day. Let’s take care of the rest of these feeders.”
