Gone?
Beau couldn’t accept it.Wouldn’t he know?Wouldn’t he feel it somehow?
As many faults as his mother had, and there’d been many, she had always come back and always did her best to stick around.Had he been the model son?Had he been perfect while growing up?
Hell no.
Was anyone?
Why was it so hard to forgive?
The feel of Ivy’s head resting on his shoulder provided a little too much comfort.He could get used to it, to her…to this.It would be a mistake.The only reason Beau had come this far in life and was still standing was because he’d learned from an early age to depend on himself.Everyone let you down eventually, even when they didn’t want to.Case in point, his mother.
“The others are waiting,” he finally said before struggling to get up.
Ivy jumped up first and offered a hand.
“No, thanks,” he said.“I got this.”
It might have taken a couple of tries, but he managed to get to his feet.His legs threatened to give out as they walked into the kitchen, but that was for a different reason.His mother was dead.
Can’t be.His brain refused to accept the fact.
As he returned to the kitchen, a sea of sympathy greeted him.
“It might not be real,” he said.
Every face in the room looked at him like he was in denial.Was he?
He reclaimed his seat.Ivy took one as far away from him as humanly possible while still sitting at the same table.
“Conrad, you need to stay here and take care of the ranch and Nikki,” he said to his brother.Brother.He was still trying that word on for size.It still didn’t quite fit.
“No, I’m coming with you,” Conrad said.“No arguments.”
Beau studied Conrad.“I hear you, and I’m grateful that you want to help, but I’m retrieving a dead body now.”
Chloe burst into tears.“Hey, I’m so—” She waved him off and excused herself.
Chloe’s reaction had caught him off guard.He didn’t think anyone in the family had a very high opinion of his mother.Had he been wrong?
It dawned on him that she’d grown up without a mother.Had he stirred the pot without realizing it?
There’d been so much danger and death circling the family since Beaumont’s death.All the drama had to be catching up with folks.When he really thought about it, Chloe had dark circles underneath her eyes.Was she sleeping?Were all the recent events catching up to her?Taking a toll?
More of that guilt festered inside him.He’d caused this.
“Don’t do that to yourself,” Kade spoke up first.
“What?”
“Blame yourself for Chloe being upset.”
“I’m the reason she—”
“I highly doubt it,” Kade interrupted, putting his hand up to stop Beau from arguing.
Hudson leaned in.“I’ve noticed something has been off with her lately.Am I imagining it?”
