Page 134 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

She nodded. “But I have to be home before dark.”

“Am I allowed to ride?” Lucas asked.

“I don’t think you should tonight,” Juliette said. “In case you get tired or feel bad while you’re out.”

“It’s okay. I can ride by myself,” Layla said.

“I’ll make sure she gets home safe, buddy,” Seeley offered.

As they headed into the kitchen, Lucas said, “Mom, can I talk to you for a sec?”

“Of course,” she said.

“Layla, I’ll be right in,” Lucas said.

“Come on, Layla. I could use your help,” Seeley said.

Juliette waited until Layla and Seeley were in the kitchen to ask, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, but are you mad about the necklace?”

Boy, her heart was taking a beating today. “No, honey. It’s your necklace. You can do whatever you want with it. I know how much it means to you, and now I know how much Layla means to you, too.”

His lips quirked into a slightly bashful smile, but it only lasted a second before he said, “Do you think Doc is mad?”

“No. I know he’s not. If there’s one thing you can count on with us, it’s that we’ll never tell you not to follow your heart.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

DOC STARTED UP Tiny’s old truck and turned on the heat, so it would be warm when he and Lucas went driving. As he climbed out of the truck, a gust of wind sent a flurry of leaves sweeping across the ground and spiraling into the air. He and Lucas had finished building the second swing, and they’d hung it on his porch two days ago. It swayed on its chains as he climbed the front steps. He could hardly believe it was Thanksgiving already. Doc always enjoyed holidays with his family, but this year he had more to be grateful for than ever before.

As he walked through his front door, one of the people he was most thankful for was coming out of the kitchen, her hair piled on her head in a messy bun, a few sexy tendrils framing her beautiful face. Her burgundy sweater hung off one shoulder, showing a hint of the black tank top she wore beneath it, and her black leggings left nothing to his imagination.

“Aren’t you a vision of gorgeousness?” He drew her into his arms and kissed her. The heels on her ankle boots brought her lips that much closer to his. “You got a hot date while Lucas and I are out driving?”

She wound her arms around him. “No. I’m going to Sasha’s to bake pies with the girls.”

“Won’t you get your pretty sweater dirty?”

“I’ll take it off while we’re baking. I wanted to be ready in case we’re running late. You’re meeting us there, right?” They were having dinner with everyone in the main house in a few hours.

“Yeah.”

The last few weeks had been a roller coaster of highs and lows. A few days after Lucas’s first treatment, he’d been hit with the fatigue they’d been warned about. It had lasted a few days, but even when it lifted, he wasn’t his old self. He’d had his second treatment a week and a half ago, and within days he was tired, moody, and uninterested in eating. He complained of a metallic taste in his mouth. He’d begged out of school at the end of last week and had asked if they could stay at Doc’s house from now on since he was off school all week for the holiday break. They’d moved the horses and had settled in.

Juliette ran her fingers down the front of Doc’s cut. “Why are you wearing this?”

“I’m teaching Lucas about representing the club.”

“He has years before he prospects.”

“It’s never too early to learn.” He kissed her again.

“I’m excited for his surprise,” she said. “I hope it perks him up.”

Lucas’s hair had started falling out, and he’d been withdrawing again. Without the swing or riding to distract him, they’d decided to surprise him with Doc’s old truck. Doc had planned on giving it to him on his sixteenth birthday, but given that he needed a new project and wanted to learn to work on old cars, now seemed the perfect time.

But Doc had another surprise in store for him. One he hadn’t shared with Juliette and that he hoped would help Lucas more than anything material ever could.