Page 54 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

“If I were you, I’d hate him if he married the girl I loved.”

“How can I hate a guy who stepped up to raise my son?” He let that sink in. “I don’t want to pretend the first fifteen years of your life didn’t happen, and I don’t want to erase or replace your memories. I’d like to think as we get to know each other, we could make new and different memories. I hope one day you’ll see the things we have in common as something we can build on instead of reasons to dislike me.”

Lucas shook his head, swiping at his tears until his cheeks were dry.

“You can push me away and refuse to see me if you want to. That’s your right. And if you don’t ever want to have a relationship with me, that’s your choice. But you should know that no matter how many times you buck me off, it won’t keep me from coming back and trying again. Whiskeys don’t give up on family.” He clapped a hand on Lucas’s shoulder. “And like it or not, big guy, you are my family.”

Lucas opened his mouth as if he were going to speak, but closed it again.

“Listen, the last thing I want is for you to feel like you’re stuck being around me today. If you need space, I get it. You can go hang out at the house. I can finish this work by myself.”

Lucas looked at the wood pile, and the barn, as if he were mulling it over.

“If you’re worried about what your mom will say, I don’t think she’ll mind. She knows how difficult this is. Hell, it’s hard for all of us.”

“I know she’d understand, but she’ll try to make me talk about it.”

Doc smiled, knowing she would. “That’s because she loves you, and if you’re sad or in pain, she is, too. It’s a parental thing.” One Doc hadn’t ever grasped as clearly as he did when he’d seen Lucas get bucked off that bull yesterday. “You think your mom likes to talk things out? Try having a psychologist for a mother. She still tries to get me to talk about my feelings all the time, and I’m thirty-five. Then there’s my younger brother Dare and our buddy Ezra. They’re both therapists, and if they get a whiff of me being under any extra stress, they try to talk it out, too. I’m surrounded by people who talk shit out, and you know what?”

“It’s way too much talking?” Lucas asked with a hint of amusement.

“It is a lot, and that’s a hassle, but they’ve helped me through some of my toughest times. I’m grateful that they’re talkaholics, because if it weren’t for them, I’d be an angry, reclusive dick most of the time.”

“I guess you win. I’ve only got my mom talking at me.”

“Talking with you, not at you.” Doc looked up at the barn. “So, you want to finish this barn with me, or are you heading inside? Either is fine.”

“I’ll finish it. I don’t want to disappoint my mom.”

“Good man.” Doc gave a curt nod. “I’d like to say you got that work ethic from me, but since we just met, I guess you got it from your mom.” He grabbed a Dr Pepper from the cooler. “Still thirsty?”

“Yeah.”

Doc tossed him the can. “Next time you have something to say, lay it on the line. Don’t try to break my skull with a can.”

“Sorry about that.” He kicked the ground.

“It’s a’right, but don’t do it again.” Doc opened a can of soda and took a drink. “Best soda ever.”

Lucas’s lips twitched into a semi-smile. “We can agree on that. Just don’t tell me your favorite cookies are mint chocolate chip.”

What the…? “Did your mother tell you all of my secrets?”

Lucas’s eyes widened. “Are you freaking kidding me?”

Doc laughed. “Stranger things have happened. Drink up. Then I’ll show you my trick to making this work go fast.”

“Hiring someone else to do it?” he asked hopefully.

“I didn’t know you were a dreamer.”

Chapter Sixteen

LUCAS WAS PRETTY quiet as they replaced the siding, but he didn’t fight Doc on every little thing, and Doc took that as a good sign. Juliette texted to say she’d be a while, and Doc reassured her that things were okay on the home front. When they took a break to eat lunch, in between Lucas thumbing out texts, Doc got him talking about his horses and what he liked about bull riding.

Clouds rolled in as they got back to work, but when the sun cut through, it was stifling. Lucas had been squinting against it all day. Doc wanted to tell him that wearing his hat didn’t have to mean anything about the two of them, but he kept that to himself because, thankfully, Lucas was more receptive to talking while they worked the second time around, and he didn’t want to rock that boat. He kept the conversation light and stayed away from anything too personal, until Lucas stopped working to send about his fifth text in ten minutes, a grin curving his lips.

“Girlfriend?” Doc asked.