Raising the glass to my lips with my left hand, the familiar twinge hits my shoulder and I wince, allowing Lucky to take the drink. I roll my shoulder slightly, trying to work out the discomfort the work I did today caused.
Her gaze narrows on me. "You all right?"
I nod. "I'm good."
She takes a sip of her bourbon, then hands it back to me, looping her arms around my neck. "Are you lying to me?"
Not about that.
It doesn’t feel good after pushing myself so hard this afternoon to finish the chair, but it will be fine—eventually.
And I had to do it today.
There wasn’t any other option.
I grin at her and take a sip, letting the warm, spicy liquid coat my tongue and burn down my throat into my belly. "You know I would never lie to you."
Her warm blue eyes search mine. "I do know that."
After all this time, she finally believes it. She finally understands that every promise I made to her, I would die to fulfill.
I almost did.
She feathers her lips over mine, then settles her head against my good shoulder and stares up at the sky with me. "It's beautiful tonight."
I nod, loving the weight of her body pressed against mine. How perfectly we fit together like this.
The sounds of the evening float around us.
All the normal ones the mountain at night always provides.
Its own symphony.
What happened here only a few months ago is finally gone from it, even if it isn't from our memories.
Today was the first time I walked into the barn and didn’t see the red stain. Even though we washed it and painted over it months ago, I could still see it the same way I felt the taint in my blood knowing about my father.
Until today.
Lucky pushes up and turns toward me, her brows narrowed over concerned eyes, locked on me. "You sure you're all right?"
I nod and kiss her, trying to distract her worry, but she can read me too damn well.
"Did something happen at work today?"
My hand tightens around the glass, and I take a long sip before I answer, swallowing the liquid courage. "I didn't go to work today."
"What?" Her brows fly up. "Where were you?"
I clear my throat, bracing myself for her reaction. "I went to see my father."
Her entire body stiffens, her palm coming to rest against my chest, directly over my heart. "Why didn't you tell me?"
The deep concern in her voice is one of the reasons I love her so much.
She understands what it means for me to go see him, to face the man I’ve been so worried about looking like and coming from for so long.
I raise my hand and cup her cheek, her soft skin like silk beneath the rough calluses of my thumb as I brush against it. "Because I knew you'd worry."
