Page 66 of The Lie That Stole Christmas

Her question was like a swift kick to the balls.It was a question he asked himself constantly.

“He took your choice away,” she whispered.“And mine.”Her voice cracked, and he closed his eyes, wishing he could take her pain away.He opened his eyes, and Ashley stared at him as if she were seeing him clearly for the first time.

“He never should have put you in that position,” she said.She shook her head again, her bangs swaying with the movement.“I spent years trying to hate you.”

The admission twisted something deep in his gut.

“But even then, none of it made sense.I knew something was off.Instead of confronting you, making you tell me the truth, I accepted your rejection and ran away, hoping you’d follow.”

“I never should have given you any doubt about how I felt.”

Her hand settled against his jaw.“You loved your dad.And I know you loved me.”

His stomach clenched, waiting for her to tell him he should have trusted her.He should have chosen differently because he should have.He never should have let Gabe dictate their story.He should have grabbed the hot chocolate, gone back to the stables, and told Gabe and whoever else opposed to go to hell.

“But you were forced to choose between the people you loved, and you made the right choice.”

The words hit him so hard he almost forgot how to breathe.Tears clung to her lashes as her statement hung between them.

So many times he had imagined this exact conversation.He played it over and over in his mind every time he was weak and wanted to go to her, but then he imagined her taking Gabe’s side, telling him it was a test, and he chose wrong.

His eyes burned as too many emotions slammed into him.“You really believe that?”

“Your father was sick.He needed you.”

An annoying tear slipped free before he could stop it, and Ashley swiped it away with her gentle touch.

“You needed me,” he said, knowing now how hard life was without the other in it.

“And you needed me,” she said with a half-hearted smile.

“I did.”

Their foreheads touched.“We have each other now.Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

“No more secrets.If Gabe threatens you, I want to know.I can handle my brother.”

“Deal.”

She kissed him then, tender and sweet, not washing away the years apart, but mending the heartache they both endured because of it.

He had no idea what would happen between them after Christmas.His job was at Winterridge and her life was in New York, but right now all he cared about was having her in his arms.

He flipped her beneath him and spent the rest of the night making up for their time apart.

Carter promised Ashley no more secrets, but he had one hovering overhead.It wasn’t his secret to tell, but he knew about it.He’d fucked up with Ashley once, and he had no intention of doing it again.

He didn’t even bother to knock on Bill’s door; he just walked right in.“You haven’t told them yet.”

Bill didn’t look up from the paper he was reading.“I’m waiting for my moment.”

“Wait too long, and it’ll be next Christmas.”

He wrote something in a margin and threw his pen on the desk.“Don’t get smart with me, boy.”

Bill got defensive when he knew he was wrong.Carter was used to it, but he also knew how to make him see reason.“You’ve all been through a lot—probably more than any of us even know.But this is a secret that you don’t have to hold tight.You can release it; let them in.They’re your family.”