Page 105 of Then You Happened
Cheat.
When my eyes blur from the rage, I force myself to flip to the photos beneath it. The ring finger on Fletcher’s left hand and the light mark where a ring should be. At one of him from behind, just his cowboy hat and his hair curling over his collar. At another one of just his eyes staring straight at me, telling me to back the fuck off.
Telling me to leave while I can before I hurt her any further.
The pictures allow me to see him through Tate’s eyes. The little details only someone you’re with might notice like the nuance in your posture or the laughter dancing in someone’s eyes when they don’t think anyone is watching.
It fucking kills me to know he loved her first.
It’s stupid to expect her to get rid of them just because she’s with me. It’s ridiculous to want her to throw away memories of her old life—even when that old life was based on lies and mistruths.
They were married for years. She was going to have his baby.
The lead weight in my stomach weighs heavily and forces me to take a step back. I’m invading her privacy just by lingering in here.
“Fuck,” I mutter, forcing myself to leave the images where they are instead of trashing them like I want to and walk from the room before shutting the door softly behind me.
Gracie’s tail thumps again, but she doesn’t move from her spot beside Tate.
I should leave.
I should head to the bunkhouse and finish shit up for tomorrow’s impending arrival.
I should go take a shower.
Instead, I sink down on the couch next to Tate. When I put my arm around her shoulders, she turns into me as if it’s as natural as breathing, to rest her head against my chest.
“I love you,” she murmurs so softly I almost don’t hear it.
Almost.
“I know,” I murmur into the top of her head before I press a kiss there, knowing full well it’s her sleep talking.
It’s her dreams murmuring.
It’s her wild speaking.
37
TATE
“You sure you’ve been here this whole time?” the head guy from Steely Brothers asks as he walks toward me.
I nod slowly, still playing the game. “Yes. We’ve been here almost seven years, Pete. I understand Hickman is more established, but I think our horses can offer the same, if not better, quality foals than what they’re providing you,” I say, hoping I’m saying the right things.
Be confident but not arrogant. That is how Jack told me I needed to be when I was speaking to these men.
“And, hopefully, some circuit winners in there too.” He laughs.
“I only provide the quality,” I tease. “It’s up to you to train the rest.”
His laugh rings out as he steps into the stable to look around and I hang back.
“Let them look without being their shadow.”
He warned me that if I hover, they might think I’m trying to hide things.
I argued that he should be the one doing this, but he just reminded me that I was the owner so it had to be me escorting Pete around the property. It should be me selling the merits of my ranch, not my employee.
