Gunner
Mikey said you felt unwell. Hope you’re okay. Take the rest of the day and tomorrow if you need it. We’ll manage. If you need anything give me…or maybe Wilder a call.
Like that would be happening. I scrolled to Wilder’s number and thought about deleting it but realized that was childish. We’d agreed right from the beginning that there would be no consequences when we ended. After all, we still had to work on the same ranch. About to throw my phone across the room, I almost dropped it when it started to ring and a picture of my brother, Liam, popped up. It was my favorite one of him because he was laughing. He rarely even smiled these days.
“Hey, Liam.”
“Talls. You okay? You haven’t called me in almost a week.” His voice was the usual level of tense and tight.
“You could call me, you know that, right?”
“It was your turn to call me, and I know how busy you are.”
Sighing, I lifted my legs onto the bed, putting my head on my pillow, I made myself comfy. Liam might be a grumpy ass but talking to either of my brothers always made me feel better. Protected. Safe.
“And yet you’re calling me now. In the middle of the afternoon.”
“And yet you answered, so you can’t be too busy can you?”
Smiling despite my black mood, I grabbed the wool throw blanket and covered myself. I’d let the fire die out and the dark storm outside brought a dull icy cold to the room. The kind that gripped you with its fingers and squeezed tight.
“I’m taking an afternoon. How are you? Have you heard from Mom and Dad?”
“I’m fine. Busy with work, just got a big contract for a new hotel just outside of Telluride.”
“That’s great, Liam. How big?”
“Sixty rooms and a spa. It’ll keep me afloat for the next year at least.”
Typical of my brother, always playing down his achievements. He was an incredible contractor, he and my other brother, Cole, always created amazing buildings. Cole designed them and Liam built them. Always introducing elements that were forward thinking and great for the environment.
“You know Nate would help you,” I suggested, the lie of omission sitting heavy on my tongue.
“I know, but like I keep telling him, that’s not what our friendship is about.” Liam sighed heavily. “Talking of Nate.”
“Liam, don’t. We’ve talked about this.” Guilt instantly ran through my veins like a cold poison.
“He says you’ve been ignoring his calls and when he came to the ranch last month you practically ran the other way.”
“It’s complicated.”
Complicated was my brother being best friends with Nate Jenkins who was responsible for the development next to The Last Creek Ranch. Complicated was me not mentioning to the Miller’s that I knew him and had known him since I started to walk. We’d grown up as neighbors of the Jenkins’, and were practically family.
“There’s nothing complicated about it, Talls. You just tell them that youknow him and have for years. He’s not the enemy.” His voice was warm, checking in on me just like always. “I think they know that by now. Look at all the compromises he made over his development for them.”
“I know all of that,” I admitted. “I know that they trust him. It’s what it would look like if anyone found out. They’d think I came here to spy for him. Even if it had turned out okay in the end.”
“You came here for Dreamy. For yourself. Not for Nate, and secrets don’t stay buried forever, Talls. You know that.” I heard papers rustling, aware that he was probably working as we spoke. Both my brothers worked hard, never stopping working. It was something that we’d all picked up from Mom and Dad—work hard and your dreams will be fulfilled. Funny how none of us had ever been that good at relationships yet had parents still together after almost thirty-five years.
“I do, but I can’t risk it right now.” Moving onto my side I felt the ache in my chest as I thought about Wilder. If he found out I knew Nate there definitely wouldn’t be any going back. That was one thing he’d stipulated right from the start, honesty. Then the Declan thing happened. He’d let that go, but omitting the truth about Nate, I wasn’t so sure he would forgive me for that.
The rain drummed against the window, a rapid beat that kept pace with my heart as I thought about Wilder. About my life on the ranch and how much I loved it there. How it was the first place that had felt like home since I’d left after college to pursue my career. It would kill me if I had to leave, or if any of them thought badly of me.
Shivering, I pulled the throw blanket further around me.
“Talls, sweetheart,” Liam said softly, drawing me back in, “I know you love it there. It’s your dream job, you’ve got the dream boss, even your horse is called fucking Dreamy, but you had a life before all of that. Nate is like a brother to you. He loves you like a sister, and he hates that you’re having to keep secrets. He’ll talk to them, you know he will if you want him to.”
“No,” I snapped, my fingers clenching the soft wool of the blanket. My heart thumped so hard, it hurt, the idea of Nate speaking for me twisting something low in my stomach. “When I think it’s the right time, I’ll tell them.”