“Oh my God,” Lemon gasps. “It wasn't an accident.”
Graham wraps an arm around her.
Mac wraps his arm around Fig.
Dad, though, the tears in his eyes are the tears that break me.
“Oh son,” he says, stepping toward me, pulling me into a hug. The hug I've needed for the last year. And that's when it hits me: keeping this secret to protect my family, well, that was the dumbest thing I ever did in my life.
My family isn't going to break over the truth. That's not what happens when you're Rough.
We can get through anything.
“Oh son,” Dad repeats, holding me tight. “That's way too much for you to carry.”
“Oh, my sweet boy,”Mom says. “None of this was your fault.”
“Sure as hell don't feel like that,” I tell my family.
“And the money?” Graham asks. “Lemon, you and Dad never noticed it was missing?”
I run a hand through my hair. “I covered that up. I used my own savings and put it in the family business accounts.”
“Rye,” Lemon says, “you shouldn't have done that. That's money you need for your own nest egg. For you and Prairie.”
“Oh, you accept her now? I was under the impression nobody here wanted me to be with her.”
Lemon shakes her head. “No, that's not it at all. We're all just scared to death. The combination of whatever has been eating you alive this last year and the horrible things that woman has been through… that's just too much all at once.”
“It's that we're scared for both of you,” Mom says. “We want the best for you both.”
“We love you so much, Rye,” Lemon says, shaking her head and wiping the tears away. “I just want you to be happy.”
I realize that my little sister needed me this last year and I've let her down. I pull that girl into another hug. Making a promise. That I'll be better, do better by her.
Lemon doesn't have a husband, a man in her life to look after her. But I can be the big brother she needs.
“So where's Prairie?” Dad asks.
“She's with Leila,” I tell them. “She said if I didn't come and talk to you she wasn't going to be with me.”
At that, my brothers all laugh. “Well, damn,” Reuben says. “I guess you found the right woman, didn't you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.
“Well, she puts you in your place. She gave you an ultimatum. And you bent the knee,” Mom says with a smile.
“She pulled you out of your darkness,” Mac says. “Sounds like she's nothing but pure light.”
“I love her,” I tell them. “I need her to be my wife. She’s my world now.”
Bartlett presses a hand on my shoulder. “Then don't let that woman go, brother. Whatever you do, make her yours.”
14
PRAIRIE
The tears come and go;the last two hours have been a rollercoaster. “I just love this place, I’ve fallen in love with the idea of living in Home, but if Rye doesn’t choose to fight for us…” I look over at Leila with tears in my eyes. “I couldn’t stay here with the memories of him.”