Page 100 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

Guilt consumed her. “I’m sorry. I tried to explain why I did that.”

“Lucas, you have to remember that we all were deceived, and your mom was protecting you in the best way she knew how,” Seeley said.

“I know. I get it. I’m not mad at her. I’m just…” He looked between them, his eyes tearing up. “It’s so unfair.”

“I know, buddy,” Seeley said. “It’s unfair for all of us.”

“It’s not only unfair to the three of you,” Tiny said as he walked around Juliette and planted his feet in front of Lucas, in his worn jeans and leather cut over a T-shirt. “What your other grandfather did was downright dirty, son, and it affected all of us. We’re all hurt and angry. What he did makes him a miserable person, but it doesn’t have to make you one.”

Lucas swiped at a tear. “I hate him.”

“Then you’re among the right company, because I don’t think anyone on this ranch feels any differently,” Tiny said firmly. “Now, you listen to me. You’re our blood, and we take care of our own.”

“Nobody can take you away from Doc or any of us ever again,” Wynnie said.

Lucas’s jaw ticked, and so did Seeley’s, his dark eyes full of emotion.

“The way I see it, you’ve got a choice to make,” Tiny said. “You can stew on that hatred, and close yourself off like Doc did for all those years and lose more time with the people who want to get to know you. Or you can accept that what’s done is done, decide not to let that hatred eat you alive, and start moving forward. Get to know your family.”

Lucas blinked away tears. “How can I just let it go? It sucks.”

“That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?” Tiny’s mustache lifted with his grin.

“You start by realizing you don’t have to hold it all in,” Wynnie said sweetly. “You can talk to any of us, or a therapist. We know plenty of those. It doesn’t matter who you talk to. You just have to get that hurt out of your heart so you can begin to heal.”

“You can talk to a friend you trust or your girlfriend,” Tiny suggested.

“I don’t have a girlfriend,” Lucas said.

Tiny shook his head. “Boy, if you think I don’t know Layla Braden is your girl, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Lucas shot an accusatory look at Juliette and Seeley.

Seeley shook his head, holding up his hands in surrender. “It wasn’t me, buddy.”

“Or me,” Juliette said.

“I’ve got eyes and ears everywhere,” Tiny explained. “That’s how I keep the people I love safe. If I’d known you were Doc’s boy, I’d’ve come for you and your mom long ago. But if that’d been the case, I have a feelin’ Doc would’ve beat me to it.”

Lucas looked at Seeley with a small smile, and Seeley said, “Damn right I would have.”

“Lucas, honey, it’s okay to be upset and even to feel betrayed by me,” Juliette said. “I’m upset at myself for not seeing through my father’s ruse and realizing that Seeley would never have turned his back on us.”

“I know it’s not your fault. You were just a kid.” Lucas looked at Tiny, Wynnie, and the others. Cowboy had his arm around Sully, and Gus was standing in front of Sasha with his back against her, her hand resting on his belly, watching them.

Juliette was glad their expressions were empathetic and not judgmental.

“I’m sorry,” Lucas said. “I didn’t mean to…” He shrugged. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” they all said.

“No, it’s not,” Lucas said. “Tiny’s right. I can’t let what my grandfather did to us ruin the chance I have to get to know all of you. Gus, I’m sorry I wasn’t very nice to you.”

“That’s okay,” Gus said. “Sometimes when I’m sad, I’m not nice, either. But Sugar and Daddy love me anyway.”

Sasha patted his stomach. “That’s right, Gusto. Everyone has hard times.”

“So, what do you say, Rodeo?” Tiny asked, lifting his chin at Lucas. “You want to drive us up to the main house, and we’ll meet your parents there for dinner?”