Page 50 of Wilde Flame

She shook her head as she wiped her tears away. “The only thing I’ll say is, I lost two people I loved almost at the same time. I loved them both differently, but because I couldn’t be truthful with either of them, plus myself…” Her words faded as she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she gave a soft shrug. “I would give anything to go back in time and just risk it all by telling them the truth.”

“I’m so sorry, Ensley.”

A soft smile appeared on her beautiful face, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Do me a favor, Lilibeth.”

“Yes, of course.”

“Don’t hide your feelings from Caden. Even if he says he doesn’t feel the same, tell him how you feel. Promise me that.”

I nodded. “I promise you, I will.”

Caden

There was nothing more beautiful than a winter morning on the ranch. Gatlin rode ahead of me with my uncle Mike as they guided the cattle to the west side of the ranch.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

Glancing behind me, I smiled at my father. “What are you doing out here, Dad?”

“I may be retired, but I still get the itch to ride out and round up some cattle.”

“In these temperatures?”

He laughed as he motioned ahead of us. “That’s a beautiful sight.”

Glancing at the snow-covered Rocky Mountains, I nodded. “It sure is.”

“You looked like you were thinking pretty hard as I rode up.”

“Not really. Just enjoying the brisk morning.”

“Your mother tells me Lilibeth was stuck at your place for a couple of days during the storm. I trust she was okay?”

“She was. Cold and tired, but not hurt otherwise.”

When he didn’t say anything else, I turned to look at him. “What is it you want to say, Dad?”

“What makes you think I have anything to say?”

We both came to a stop, and I turned my horse so I could face my father. “Because you’re my dad, and I know you better than anyone.”

His brows rose.

“Okay, maybe not better than Mom.”

Laughing, he looked back toward the cattle. “I knew the moment I saw your mother that she was the one.”

When he looked back at me, I could see myself reflected in his eyes. Everyone said I was the spitting image of my father, and the older I got, the more I saw it. Not just in looks, but in other ways, too.

“Dad, I’m not sure what Mom told you, but—”

He held up a hand. “I’m not trying to lecture you, Caden. But I will tell you one thing. If you find someone who makes your entire being light up, simply because she exists in your world, don’t let her go. I saw you with Lilibeth the morning you brought her back to her car. A man doesn’t look at a woman like that and not have feelings for her.”

I wanted to tell him that he had it all wrong. That I didn’t have feelings for Lilibeth, but I’d be lying to my father…and I never lied to my parents.

“It’s complicated, Dad.”

“Ahh, yes. The ‘it’s complicated’ reasoning. Does Rachel have anything to do with why it’s so complicated?”