“You preferred for Nash to rescue you instead,” Dayton said, with something in his tone I couldn’t quite place.
I flinched at that, even though I knew Dayton didn’t mean it as an accusation. “It’s not like that,” I said, struggling to find the right words. “I just… I couldn’t sit back and do nothing when I had the means to help.”
Tameron held up a hand. “We get it, Nash. You were trying to do the right thing. But you have to know how this looks from the outside.”
I sighed, my shoulders slumping. He was right. It looked like I’d gone behind everyone’s backs, keeping secrets from the people closest to me. And in a way, I had. But I’d done it to protect Forest, to give him the space and support he neededwithout the added pressure of everyone else’s concern and opinions. “I know.”
Dayton’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t trust us enough to let us help.”
“It wasn’t about trust,” Forest interjected. “Please don’t be upset with Nash. He was respecting my wishes.”
Tameron studied Forest for a long moment before his gaze shifted to me. “You know you’ll have to tell Creek eventually, right? He deserves to hear it from you, not through the grapevine.”
He was right, of course. I couldn’t keep this from Creek forever, no matter how much I dreaded that conversation. My chest constricted painfully as I imagined the look of betrayal on Creek’s face, the anger and confusion in his eyes when he learned I’d married his brother without telling him. Without even asking for his blessing. He was my brother in every way that mattered. How could I have kept something this monumental from him?
But then I glanced at Forest, taking in the tight lines of strain around his mouth, the anxiety clouding his eyes, and I couldn’t regret my choice. I’d done what I had to do to protect him, to make sure he got the care he needed. Creek would have to understand that. I had to believe he would, once the initial shock and hurt faded. “I know. We will tell him, I promise. Just…give us a little more time to figure out how.”
Dayton nodded. “Fine. But don’t wait too long. The longer you keep secrets, the more it’ll hurt him when he finds out.”
And then, much to my immeasurable relief, he stepped in and hugged me tightly. I closed my eyes and leaned in, all but clamping my arms around him. Jesus, I hadn’t even realized how much I needed his forgiveness and acceptance until he gave it so willingly.
“You have to stop carrying your burdens alone,” he said in my ear, so softly Tameron and Forest wouldn’t have been able to hear it. “You can lean on others, Nash. You can lean on me.”
Lean on others.
Now there was a foreign concept. I was always the one people leaned on, not the other way around.
My throat tightened as Dayton’s words sank in. He was right, of course. I’d gotten so used to being the strong one, the rock that everyone else could rely on, that I’d forgotten how to ask for help when I needed it. But this thing with Forest, this unconventional marriage and all the secrets and guilt that came with it…was too big for me to carry alone.
I let out a shaky breath as Dayton released me from the hug. The absolution in his eyes was more than I deserved, but I was grateful for it nonetheless. Beside me, Forest shifted his weight, his hand finding mine again and squeezing. I squeezed back, trying to convey my appreciation for his steadfast support through the simple gesture.
Tameron watched the exchange with knowing eyes. He’d always been the most observant of our group, able to read between the lines and see the things left unsaid. I wondered what he saw when he looked at Forest and me. Did he see the truth of my feelings, even if I couldn’t admit them aloud?
If he did, he wouldn’t say a word. That much I knew for sure.
But it was everything else that I had no idea how to figure out. My head was a mess with so many conflicting emotions and thoughts that I didn’t even know where to begin to unravel them.
My grandfather had always taught me that if you didn’t know what to do, you needed to start with what you knew to be true, what you were absolutely one hundred percent certain of, beyond a reasonable doubt. In this case, that was easy.
I was in love with Forest. Completely, wholly in love.
Maybe instead of distancing myself from him, I should tell him. Maybe we could start with that, with the truth about what we were to each other. Maybe that could be the one true thing that could help us untangle this whole mess we’d found ourselves in.
Yeah, that was it. I needed to tell Forest how I felt. Today.
Or… I watched him, his pale face, the clear signs that he was nearing exhaustion.
Tomorrow. He needed rest today.
I would tell him tomorrow.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
FOREST
The ride home was tense. I had no idea what to say, and I wanted to pretend like Nash wasn’t angry with me, but I could feel something between us had shifted. The stress of it caused my legs to go stiff and numb, my feet to turn in toward each other, and my hands to curl into tight, shaking fists by the time we pulled into the driveway.
Nash still hadn’t looked over at me, and I said a small prayer he wouldn’t when he turned the engine off and opened his door. “You coming?” His tone was short and sharp.
