I could see the panic and desperation in his face he must have felt back then as a terrified teenager making unfair promises to the brother he’d always idolized.
“What was I supposed to do? She had no one. No job, no insurance, no family.” Walker babbled now. His tears streamed freely and his gorgeous eyes begged. “I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t bear it. Please let me tell you the whole story. I need you to understand why I did what I did. And that it’s truly over.”
My head swirled with all the information he gave me, and I didn’t even know where to begin processing it. I could see the truth in his eyes and feel his need for me to understand.
We had a lot to talk about, but now wasn’t the time.
“I’ve got to go,” I said, pushing him back as gently as I could. His face dropped, and I reached out to tilt his chin up. “Look at me. We’re going to talk, Seth. But not right now. Right now I’ve got to go back to Dallas to work, and you’ve got to handle things with your family. I don’t feel right being alone together until your divorce is final. But after that, I’ll come back, and we can hash through it, okay?”
He let out a breath and nodded. “Thank you,” he whispered in a shaky voice. “I thought I lost you. I can’t lose you again, Otto. I can’t.”
I thumbed the tears off his face and looked at the most beautiful human being I’d ever known. He was perfect inside and out, and him marrying Jolie to help her was just like him. He’d always been selfless and sweet, the kind of guy who’d give you the shirt off his back. How could I have ever thought he’d changed so much that he’d ditch me to marry some random woman?
“I wish you’d told me,” I said, fighting back my own prickling eyes. There was really only one thing on earth that had the power to make me cry like a baby, and it was this man right here. “I would have…”
“Don’t say you would have understood, dammit. You and I both know you would have flipped your fucking lid and hitchhiked to Minnesota,” he said with a weak smile. And he was right.
I smoothed the familiar wrong-way curl of blond hair by his temple. “Maybe.”
Walker stepped back and tried to shake himself off, wiping his cheeks roughly with his palms. “I’ll call you as soon as it’s final, and we’ll talk.”
He hopped the fence and took a few steps away while I got back in the saddle. Before I turned Gulliver’s head back to the trail, Walker spun back around.
“Be safe, Wilde. Promise me.”
The lump in my throat was too hard to speak past so I just nodded.
Seth Walker still loved me, and I would wrap myself in bubble wrap if that’s what it took to get back to him in one piece.
Chapter 5
Walker
Walker,
I sent in my applications to the schools you told me to. I guess now we wait and see who wants both of us. Just thinking about sharing a dorm room with you makes me horny as hell. My poor hand is getting so tired, even Carrie-Anne is starting to look cute again.
Just kidding. But I sure could use some video sex with you. Are we sure it was a good idea not to Skype? I think I just need a quick peek at your dimpled cheeks. Oh, and also your face ;-)
Saint announced he was signing up for the Navy. Grandpa and Doc are beside themselves trying to talk him out of it. I think after their experience in Vietnam, they’re none too keen on any of us putting ourselves in danger like that. I gotta tell you, it’s hard to imagine letting him go by himself. I think if I didn’t have you, I’d consider joining up too, just to keep my eye on him.
So thank god I have you. Because going into the Navy sounds like a whole lotta not fun if I’m being honest.
As for Ross’s girlfriend, I gotta say I’m impressed Ross is willing to go out with a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Remember when he wouldn’t date Wren because she wore rubber flip flops to the homecoming dance? Maybe your big bro is growing up finally.
Until next time,
Wilde XOXO
After watching Otto ride away, I returned to the house with a heart lighter than it had been in a long time. Finally, after ten years, I might get a chance to make this right again.
Jolie hadn’t taken the news of the divorce proceedings well, which did and didn’t surprise me. Even though she’d known from the beginning I hadn’t been promising her forever, it had always seemed like she’d hoped for it. She’d tried to talk me out of the separation, even going so far as to bring sweet Tisha into the conversation.