“You’re acting like Jeff doesn’t know the truth. You’ve never hid it from him. He’s always known. I mean, unless things have changed the two of you haven’t even gone all the way. Have you?”
“No. I can’t bring myself to go there. I love Jeff, but I still love Jake. It wouldn’t be right. Besides, what kind of girl would that make me if I slept with both of them? Can you imagine that family gathering? And what happens if Jake ever adds up Lennon’s date of birth? He’s either going to think I’m a whore that was sleeping with both him and his brother at the same time or…”
“Or find out the truth,” I finish for her.
“Exactly.”
“You know you are a horrible friend, Katie.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“There you are whining about how you can’t marry Jeff because you’ve already had a relationship with his brother, but you expect me to do the same and not blink with Reed and Mitch.”
“Callie, Reed loves you. He’s always loved you.”
“Mitch loves me, too.”
“I don’t think Mitch knows how to love anyone but himself, Callie.”
“You’re wrong. He loves me. I don’t want to betray him and hurt him by trying to rekindle an old flame with Reed. That’s my past. That’s not who I am now, Katie. Things will be better for everyone if Reed moves on with his life and finds someone else.”
“Okay, fine.”
“Fine? You mean you’re finally going to give this up?”
“I can, but you need to answer me one question.”
“What’s that?”
“What happens if Reed does finally move on, and you’re left watching him be happy with someone else while still being in love with him?”
“I’ll be happy for him. What he and I had was in the past. Thanks to Chasity, it never had a chance to begin anyway.”
“If you say so,” she mutters, clearly not convinced.
“I know so. Now, tell me why Mrs. Ryan is upset with you—you the woman she calls the daughter she always wanted?”
“She found out Lennon is Jake’s baby.”
“Oh fuck,” I hiss.
“Yeah.”
“How did she find out?”
“She watched Lennon for me at the house last week when I had to take Granny to the doctor.”
“So?”
“Lennon had dumped a bowl of spaghetti on his head. Barbara had to give him a bath. I hadn’t told her where I stored his bath supplies, so she began looking for herself. She found an old letter that I wrote Jake after he left. I wrote it, but never found the courage to mail it.”
“How in the world did she find a note while looking for bath supplies?” I growl. “She was straight up plundering in your private stuff, Katie. That’s not cool!”
“In her defense, I kept it in a small hat box that I stored above the towels in the bathroom closet.”
“I…you…. Well, that was about as smart as a box of rocks,” I grumble.
“Trust me, I know.”
“Is she going to tell Jake?”
“I thought she was going to. She laid into me hot and heavy. Luckily, Jeff came home early and calmed her down. She thought I was lying to both her sons. It helped when Jeff told her that I’ve always been upfront with him about Lennon.”
“So, where do things stand now,” I question, almost afraid to ask.
“No idea. I’m trying to prepare myself for the fall out if she tells Jake. There’s a part of me hoping she does tell him, and that way the secret is out of my hands. Jeff seems to think she will keep the secret because she knows how much Jake wanted to join the rodeo.”
“That’s a mess,” I admit.
“No more than your own story,” she says, and I give her a weak smile taking another drink. Chelsea picks that moment to show up with our fajitas and I’m more than relieved.
“Two more Sangrias,” I tell her.
“Careful,” Katie says. “We’re driving home after this.”
“That’s the only reason I didn’t order whiskey,” I tell her honestly, making her laugh.
I smile listening to the sound. I love Katie. She truly is my best friend. I’d like to tell her more about what’s going on with me—about what is in my head—but I don’t. She loves me and can’t see my faults. I’m positive that I could never make her understand.
Heck, I’m not sure I understand the things I do myself most days.
CHAPTER 7
Reed
“Okay, Mom, I’ve got your brakes fixed and made sure the antifreeze levels are good. It’s supposed to turn cold next month,” I call out, walking toward the kitchen. My skin is itching. I hate being here. I’m always in a hurry so I don’t have to run into Mitch, my father, or even….
I freeze as I come face to face with Callie. I haven’t seen her since that night two weeks ago when Mitch and I got into it at the bar. I honestly didn’t want to see her again.