Page 12 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

DOC GROUND HIS back teeth as he climbed the steps to Juliette’s grandmother’s house, trying to keep his memories from bullying their way in. But he was assaulted by images of kissing Juliette in Hazel’s barn and behind the shed, going on trail rides and making love in the fields, having dinners with Hazel, and holding Juliette’s hand under the table. He’d held her hand so often, it had felt like an extension of his own.

Fighting against those memories, his heart hammering in his chest, he knocked on the door. He heard Juliette calling out, “I’ve got it!” and then her face appeared in the sidelight, her big blue eyes filling with concern. Fuck.

She opened the door and quickly stepped outside, pulling it closed behind her, looking too damn sexy in cutoffs and a T-shirt. “Seeley, what are you doing here?”

“What the hell do you think I’m doing here? You can’t drop a bomb like that and expect me not to want to know the truth. How do you know that kid’s mine?”

“How can you even ask me that?” She looked stricken. “You know I never slept with anyone else that summer.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore. I used to think I could trust the things you said, but that was a long time ago, and I learned really quickly how much of a fool I was. But if I was the only guy you slept with, then why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”

“I did,” she said sharply.

“What the hell are you talking about? You didn’t tell me shit. I called and texted every fucking day. You didn’t return a single one.”

“My father took away my phone!”

“And there were no other phones in that big fucking house? You couldn’t borrow one from a friend or buy a fucking burner phone?” He couldn’t stop his voice from escalating. “While you were out rekindling your relationship with Josh, I was trying to save us. I went to your house, and I went to your school every damn day looking for you. I waited for you to reach out, and you went radio silent on me. I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing or why now after all this time.”

“I’m not playing a game!” she insisted, her eyes tearing up. “I didn’t have your cell number memorized. It was in my phone, so I called the ranch, but they said you went back to school, and I didn’t want to leave a message because of my father! I was afraid he’d do something to your family. But I wrote you letters!”

“Bullshit. I never got any fucking letters. Goddamn it, Juliette. What do you want from me? Why are you doing this?”

“Because Lucas is your son, and I can’t—”

The front door opened, and Lucas stormed out. “What’s going on? Why are you yelling at my mother?”

Fuck.

“Lucas—”

“No, Mom. This guy treated you like crap at the hospital. I’m not going to let him do that again.” Lucas stepped between them, staring Doc down, full of piss and vinegar, not unlike Doc was at that age. “I don’t know who you think you are, but that’s no way to treat a woman.”

The kid—Lucas—was tall and lean, on the cusp of broadening shoulders and sharper features. Doc studied his hawklike eyes, straight nose, and wavy brown hair, all so similar to his own, he couldn’t fucking believe it.

Lucas crossed his arms, drumming his fingers, his chin lifting in defiance.

Doc’s heart nearly stopped, remembering how Juliette used to call him an arm drummer. He glanced at her over the boy’s shoulder.

As if she’d read his mind, she nodded.

Doc forced himself to take a good, hard look at her and saw the truth staring back at him. Battling anger at her betrayal, he tried to quiet the questions in his mind as he returned his attention to Lucas. To his son. His heart ached and filled up at once. “I’m sorry. You’re right. That’s no way to speak to a woman. Juliette, it seems we have a lot to talk about. I’ll be around all night. You know where to find me.” He looked at Lucas, his throat thickening. “I won’t raise my voice at her again. You have my word on that.”

“You better not,” Lucas warned. “Next time I won’t be so nice about it.”

“Lucas,” Juliette chided. “Sorry, Seeley.”

“It’s okay. I have a feeling he comes by it naturally.”

“YOU’RE NOT REALLY going to go see him, are you?” Lucas asked as Seeley drove away on his motorcycle.

Juliette was still stuck on the things Seeley had said. He didn’t believe what she’d said back then? He’d never gotten her letters? He’d gone to her house? To her school? None of that made sense. He was so angry, it was hard not to want to believe him. But she knew better. She had the letter he’d sent telling her he wanted nothing to do with her or their baby.

So the real question was, what kind of game was he playing?

“Yes, I am,” she said, and went inside.

Lucas followed her. “Mom.”