Page 106 of The Scars We Heal

“I heard you’ve gone to the National Finals Rodeo a few times,” Nolan added. “That’s pretty cool.”

“Yeah. I’m really lucky. Got a big group of friends I travel around with and a house a few miles away from here. I also just built a guest house on the property.” Pride surged in my chest at the mention of the life I had built for myself. I may not have had the best home life growing up, but I broke the cycle my parents had been in. I was successful, at least in my definition of the word, and I had a circle of friends who loved me.

“Sounds like you’ve struck gold, son.”

“Yeah. There’s also…” I hesitated, debating whether I should mention Caitlin and Whitley. Then I shook my head, deciding fuck it. “There’s this woman. She’s actually one of my best friend’s sister, and she has a daughter, Whitley. I’m not saying it’s the same, but about nine years ago, I watched her get married to someone else.”

I could practically hear my dad’s heart breaking for me, a quiet but audible gasp ghosting his lips.

Nolan cleared his throat. “I’ll, uh, be right back. I’m going to give you two a minute.”

I nodded at Nolan, and he gave me a tight-lipped smile before heading up to the counter to refill his coffee mug.

Turning back to my dad, I said, “We had this sort of missed connection, like you and my mom did, except it was different. Whitley’s not my daughter.” With a short laugh, I added, “At least not in the biological sense. They’ve been living in the guest house for the past few months. I think it might work out for us.”

He chuckled to himself, low and rumbly. “I hope it does. Your mom and I may not have worked out, and you may not have had the childhood I would have wished for you, but you sure seem to have turned out to be a fine young man, Jake. Thank you for giving me the honor of meeting you.”

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

caitlin

Whitley and I were making yet another batch of chocolate chip cookies while Jake was meeting his dad and half-brother in town.

“More chocolate!” Whitley squealed as she reached for another bag of chocolate chips.

“We already put a whole bag and a half in there, bug.” I laughed, moving them out of her reach.

She pouted her lips and crossed her arms.

“If you stop pouting, I’ll let you have two cookies after dinner, yeah?” I bartered.

“Three.”

I shook my head. “Two.”

“Four,” she argued.

My brows furrowed. “I don’t think that’s how that works, kid, but nice try.”

The oven beeped a couple times, letting us know it was done preheating. I pulled out a baking sheet and the cookie dough scoop.

“Do you want to help me?” I asked Whitley, but she was standing on her stool looking out the window.

A split second later, the crunch of tires on gravel caught my attention, and I approached the window to get a look at who it was. I wasn’t expecting Jake to be back already.

I forced out an exhale at the sight of Adam’s vehicle—his stupidly expensive electric vehicle that was probably so impractical in a state like Montana where you could drive hundreds of miles before getting to another big city.

“Whit, go to your room for a minute, okay?”

She nodded, clutching Cheeto to her chest like he was a precious gemstone, before running to her room and slamming the door shut.

I sighed. The door slamming was something we were still working on.

Throwing open the front door, I stepped out onto the porch and crossed my arms.

Adam took his time getting out of his vehicle, a smug expression settling on his face.

“Caity.” His eyes raked up and down my body as though sizing me up. “I was hoping you wouldn’t still be living here, but I can see that’s not the case. What a shame.”