I easily agreed. I’d helped out at the ranch plenty of times, but this time, driving out there shot an uneasy feeling all over my body—for a lot of reasons.
The first was that the last time I’d been out here, I’d crashed their family dinner, and all hell had broken loose after that. Everyone had practically shunned me that night—with good reason.
The second was that I was about to come face-to-face with Molly’s parents for the first time since then, and they were disappointed in me. That much had been clear from their reactions that night. I’d worked hard to earn forgiveness from Molly and her brothers, but I hadn’t spoken to her parents since that night.
I’d broken their little girl’s heart after knocking her up from a one-night stand. In their eyes, I was public enemy number one. And I absolutely deserved it.
I dropped Molly off at the main house where Cassie, Ellie, and Molly’s mom were already inside doing whatever they had planned for the day.
Molly hopped out slowly, her belly growing bigger by the day. She turned back around and rested her arms on the windowsill of the Jeep. “Be careful out there today, please. No wild tricks or shenanigans with Jace. I can’t take care of a newbornanda grown man who broke something getting bucked off a horse.”
“I promise to be on my best behavior and come back in one piece.” I smiled at her. “Stay with your mom and the girls at all times. No wandering off alone—I mean it. I want a check-in text every hour, got it?” I said, my tone serious.
“I won’t go anywhere without someone by my side, and I’ll text you a sign of life every hour,” she joked.
“I mean it, Molls. I already don’t want to leave your side, but Jace needs my help.”
“I’m going to be fine, Liam. Go have fun on your playdate with Jace.”
A deep laugh came from my chest. “It’s not a playdate.”
“Sure seems like a cute little playdate between two best buddies who finally made up,” she teased.
“I’m going to get you for this later,” I said, dipping my chin toward her with a knowing look.
“You know I love being a troublemaker. And I love taking my punishments even more.” She winked.
Damn. It was going to be a long day.
I drove away even though I wanted to keep that conversation going. Molly walked into the main house as I pulled away.
Growing up, Molly and her family had lived in the main house of the ranch. Charlie and Alice had later built their own place toward the back of the property. So the house was vacant after Colt moved into the guesthouse with Ellie and Jace built himself a cabin near the river that ran through the property. They’d turned it into a makeshift headquarters where Alice handled the business side of the ranch. She used the kitchen a lot to make breakfasts and lunches for Charlie and the boys before they headed out for the day being cowboys.
I pulled up to the red horse stables. Jace’s truck was parked in the grass out front with Charlie’s truck parked right next to it. Before hopping out of my Jeep, I took a deep breath. Fuck, I was nervous.
I slid open the two main doors into the stables. Jace and Charlie stood at the other end, saddling up two horses. They each turned to look at me.
I walked up to them slowly, extending my hand to shake Charlie’s. He took it in his firm grip. “Good to see you, sir,” I said.
“Good to see you, son,” he replied. “Under better circumstances than the last time I saw you, so I hear.”
I glanced over at Jace, feeling like I was missing a piece of the puzzle in this conversation.
“He knows what you did for Molly—the security system, the investigation, the old Shirley place, killing that guy at Molly’s bakery, being her personal security detail—all of it.”
“Oh,” I said quietly, dropping my gaze for a brief moment.
“You’re the father of my grandchild—my first grandson,” Charlie said. “I won’t lie and say I wasn’t upset at first. But based on what Jace has told me, it’s clear you’d do just about anything for Molly and that baby, including risking your own life. Any man willing to take a bullet for my daughter cares a great deal about her, even if the beginning was a little bumpy. I hear Molly forgives you, and I trust her judgment.”
He squeezed my hand once more. “You’re like a son to me, Liam. You know that. You spent most of your summers out here on this ranch, and now I know why. You didn’t deserve to grow up the way you did, but you’re always welcome here. You’re family—as long as you don’t hurt my daughter again.”
“I understand, sir,” I said, feeling some of the tension finally leave my shoulders.
“Now saddle up Clover over there and let’s get this day started,” he said, pointing to a horse still grazingon hay in her stall. “Saddles are already on the door, bridles on the wall.”
I turned on my heel, doing exactly as he said. I’d traded in my sheriff’s uniform for boots and blue jeans. It reminded me of what I used to wear as a child running around the farm with Jace every day. Even the scent of the hay sent me back in time.
I wished I’d paid more attention to Molly growing up and created memories with her the same way I had with Jace. But I was young and naïve and only cared about spending time with my friends, like most boys that age do.
