Page 34 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

She tipped her chin up, looking at him. “I guess that wouldn’t be a good parenting move, would it?”

“I don’t know about that.” He cocked a grin. “I’ll be happy to supply the rope.”

She laughed and touched her forehead to his chest.

“Do you want me to stick around in case he runs again?”

“No. It’s okay.” She reluctantly stepped out of his arms, but he took her hand, keeping her close, and she loved that. “Maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll be as emotionally exhausted as I am.”

“I doubt it.”

“Okay, Mr. Bearer of Bad News. Right now is the only time it’s acceptable to lie to me. Tell me he will be too exhausted, even if you know he won’t.”

“I will never lie to you, and we both know teenagers never run out of energy.” His brooding eyes softened. “We’ll make sure he gets through this, darlin’. I promise you that. No matter how long it takes, we’ll never stop trying.”

She got teary-eyed again and tried to blink the tears away. “God, Seeley. Nobody has ever said that to me but you, and I know if anyone had, I probably wouldn’t have believed them. You’re back in my life for one day, and I know you mean it.”

“Of course I do. Is there anything I can do to make it easier?”

She shook her head. “You’ve done enough. Now it’s up to me. Thank you.”

“Call me later? Let me know how it goes?”

“I will.”

He kissed her forehead and glanced at Romeo. “I guess we’ll head out.”

“Can I just…?” She reached up and petted Romeo. “He’s so big and beautiful.” The horse pressed his muzzle into her chest. “I think he remembers me.”

“You’re unforgettable, darlin’.”

Chapter Twelve

JULIETTE STARED AT Lucas’s closed bedroom door, remembering when he was thirteen and had first started closing it. It had felt harsh to her at the time. Like a barrier she’d never again be able to breach in quite the same way. But she’d known it was all part of growing up.

Now it felt even more like an insurmountable barricade. She gathered her strength, reminding herself there was nothing she couldn’t handle. She hoped that still held true for this new battlefield.

“Lucas,” she said through the door. “We need to talk.”

He opened the door, but he didn’t say a word. He plunked himself down on his chair by his desk, crossed his arms, and scowled.

She sat on the edge of his bed, worrying with her hands, trying to figure out where to start, but her words came without much thought. “I’m sorry I lied to you. I know you don’t think I did the right thing, but I made the decision that I thought was best for you at the time based on what I believed to be true.”

He looked away.

“You’re allowed to be mad and hurt, and you can even hate me for lying to you.” She softened her tone. “But you can’t run away, Lucas. Not from me, because I will always drop everything to try to find you, and I will always love you, no matter how much you act out or think you hate me.” She paused, giving him a chance to respond, but he remained silent. “And you can’t run away from the reality of this situation. Seeley will always be your biological father. Those are the facts, and they aren’t going to change.”

“How do you even know he’s my father?” he snapped, turning to face her again. “It’s not like you did a paternity test.”

“He was the first and only person I had ever been with. He is your father, Lucas, and I’m sure you have a lot of questions, so let’s talk about it.”

He stared stoically at her, his fingers drumming on his arm. “He told me about what Grandpa did.”

“I know. Seeley told me he was honest with you about everything.” She curled her fingers into the edge of his mattress, channeling her anxiety there.

“Was Grandpa really that much of a dick? Did he really do all those things? Did he keep you locked in the house and find a way to fake that letter?”

“Unfortunately, yes. My father was very controlling, and he was even worse after he took me away from the ranch.”