Chapter 21
“What are you doing in here?” asked Bear. “Still upset about Gabby?”
Wyatt looked up from where he sat by the window in the study. “No, I just wanted a minute to myself. I hadn’t checked out this area of the house yet and thought I’d give it a try.”
More like he couldn’t stand being in the same room with Gabby. Not that he’d kept tabs of where she was. He’d done his best to ignore even caring if she was around. He’d finally decided to come clean to Bandit after feeling terrible for so long, and finding out from Bandit that she’d lied to him had made him sick to his stomach. Wyatt hadn’t even given Bandit a chance to respond before he’d marched out of the hotel and took off in his truck. He’d driven around Amarillo a little while and ignored the more than dozen phone calls from his brothers and Carrie Anne. He’d not been in the mood to chat.
It didn’t matter to Wyatt why she’d done it. It only mattered that she had, and now the very sight of her made him wish she’d stayed in Charleston. He’d been so close to telling her…he pushed the thought away. Whatever feelings he might have had were gone now.
Lunch had been a few hours ago. Wyatt had found himself needing a minute to think without all the noise and found this room to be perfect for a man with much on his mind.
It wasn’t stuffy, but it was well-decorated. He could see little touches that he was sure Bear had a hand in. Dark wood bookcases lined the wall, with a desk to match. A set of chairs faced the window with a small table between them, and a few decanters sat on a buffet-style table that looked like it was an antique.
Bear crossed the room and took a seat in the other chair. “I like the study being away from the living room. I had the contractor give it a little extra soundproofing. It’s quiet, and I figured once the place is actually functioning as a working ranch again, I’ll need it.”
“I’m sure you will.” Wyatt set his ankle over his knee. “I’d like to talk to you about the orchard.”
“The orchard? Won’t you be going back on tour with the rodeo?“
Shaking his head, Wyatt let out a long breath. He’d gone back and forth about the orchard, trying to decide if he still wanted it. Then he’d come to the conclusion that he wasn’t going to let the ties to Gabby keep him from doing something he wanted. “No, I’m going to do one more ride to finish my eight seconds, and then I’ll hang up my saddle.”
Bear’s jaw hung open. “I never thought I’d hear those words come from your mouth.”
“Me either, but I want more out of life. I had fun with it when I was a kid, and I enjoyed the crowds and all that. Lately, I haven’t enjoyed it.” He’d figured that out over the last few days. Even if he was staying on the entire eight seconds and giving it his all, he still wasn’t satisfied.
“I thought you loved it.”
“I did, but I want more than eight seconds of glory. I want to build a life and a future. Something that I can pass down to my kids, something I can be proud of. I’m not knocking riders or the rodeo, but it’s just not what I want anymore.”
Bear rubbed his jaw with his knuckles. “Well, if your heart isn’t in it, then I agree.”
Wyatt smiled. “It’s not, and I’d like to purchase that orchard from you.”
“Aw, man, it’s yours. You can have it. I’ve got plenty of acreage.”
He figured his brother would say that. The only thing the money had changed for Bear so far was his address. Everything else about him was just as simple as it was before. “I know, but I want something that’s mine. Something I can share with someone.”
Shrugging, Bear said, “All right. I think we can do that. It’ll need to be after the holiday. I might be a billionaire, but I’m blue-collar smart. The holiday rate would be astronomical.”
Wyatt held his stomach as he belly-laughed. “I bet it would be.”
“What are your plans for the place?”
This part was what had kept Wyatt up the last few nights. It gave him an excitement about the future bull riding had never given him. But it also weighed on him because he’d hoped Gabby would be a part of it. He’d gone back and forth about whether he could go on with the plans without her. He’d been so close to telling her how he felt about her. After being so blind all those years, he hadn’t wanted her to have any doubts that he cared about her. But now none of that mattered. He hadn’t even had one real chance with her, and it was hard to let the dream go. He could do it, though.
As the sun gradually sank behind the horizon, Wyatt talked over his plans with Bear. During the talk, one by one, his brothers and then their dad joined them. It was an animated discussion about all aspects of it. The biggest issue was the house. Could it be salvaged? His dad seemed to think it could. Hunter disagreed. Wyatt hoped his dad was right, but he suspected Hunter knew what he was talking about since he was a house flipper.
He didn’t need Gabby to make that orchard more than just a house with some trees. All he needed was a healthy budget and time. Eventually, he’d see it as a home, and who knew, maybe he’d find someone to share his dreams with who wasn’t a liar.
His heart felt skewered with the very idea of someone besides Gabby standing hand in hand with him, making that plot of land a home. He forcefully shut the thoughts down. She’d lied. And once a liar, always a liar. He didn’t need that. What he needed was to move on. Something bigger and better was in store for him.
* * *
As Wyatt stepped out of his truck, the front door of the house opened. Carrie Anne stomped down the steps, pointing to the barn. “You. Me. Barn. Now!” By the looks of her, he was about to get the chewing of a lifetime.
“Why?” He’d just gotten back from looking at the orchard again. It was cold, and he’d planned on warming up with some coffee.
“We need to talk and now.”
“If it’s about Gabby, I don’t want to talk.”
His sister stopped inches from him and glared up at him. “Tough. We’re talking.”
He stepped back. “Carrie Anne, I’m in no mood to deal with you. She lied. End of story.”
“It was my idea.”
His sister’s idea? Gabby never said that. Whatever. “I don’t care. I still don’t want to talk.”
As he went to go around her, she caught him by the arm and stopped him. “You’ve broken her, Wyatt.”
“Good! She deserves it.” Even as he said it, his chest constricted. He knew he’d been angry, but his sister didn’t use words like that just because.
“And this was my fault. I was the one who planned the whole thing. She’s loved you since she knew what the word meant. When was the first time it hit you that she wasn’t family or friend? Right after you saw her with Bandit?”
Wyatt set his hands on his hips, turned his back on her, and swore under his breath. That was true. He’d started seeing her different at the airport, but he’d never allowed himself to think of her as anything other than Carrie Anne’s best friend until Bandit was in the picture. He turned and faced his sister. “So what? She didn’t have to lie.”
Carrie Anne’s entire body sagged. “Wyatt, it was all my fault. If you’re going to hold on to hate for someone, it should be me.” She rubbed her arms. “Can we please talk in the barn? This wind has a bite.”
“Fine.”
They walked to the barn, and once they were both inside, he shut the door.
Carrie Anne walked to one of the stalls and leaned back against the gate. Silence stretched as the wind screeched outside and currents pushed loose hay across the dirt floor.
“If you’re going to talk, talk. Otherwise, I have things to do,” he said.
“Have you noticed she hasn’t been around?”
“She’s missed a few meals. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“A few? Try since after my bachelorette party three days ago. She hasn’t been out of her room. I’ve seen her once, and tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Wyatt, she’s in shreds. I think the only reason she’s still here is because she w
on’t leave me before the wedding.”
When he didn’t respond, she continued. “It was me. She didn’t want to go along with it, but I talked her into it. This whole thing is on me.”
He huffed. “Why would you do that?”
Carrie Anne took a few steps toward him. “Because you are the densest person I know, and I thought it would be a good idea to make you jealous. To be honest, I think it worked. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be this angry.”
“Then I’m mad at both of you.” He turned his back on her.
“I didn’t know what else to do. Something had to get your attention before it was too late.” Carrie Anne’s posture softened. “You’ve always gone to her when you were upset or troubled. You’ve always managed to put yourself next to her. Every camping trip we went on, there you were, with Gabby.”
“Because she was my friend.” Except, friends didn’t share hot kisses…three kisses. The first could be…explained away, maybe. But the others? Webster’s was devoid of words that could come close to how that felt.
Carrie Anne stared at him in disbelief. “And isn’t that what a relationship is supposed to be? To be best friends, loving each other until their last breath? Israel is my best friend. If I’m hurt, I find him. If I’m troubled, I find him. He’s the first person I want for everything.”
She took Wyatt by the shoulders and locked eyes with him. “You say right here and now that you don’t care for her that way, and I will walk away. I’ll let Gabby cry on my shoulder, tell her she can do better because that’s what a good friend does, and help her get over you.”
“I—”
“Be honest. With me. With yourself. If not for yourself, for Gabby. Why are you angry? If she’s just family, does it really matter?”
“I don’t like being lied to. Isn’t that reason enough?”
She walked around him and made him face her. “Now who’s the liar?”
“I’m not—”
“Really?
He walked to the upturned bucket and took a seat, raking his hand through his hair. “This entire time, guilt has been eating me alive because I was having feelings for another guy’s girl. That was a rotten thing to do. This isn’t me. I don’t go around stealing another man’s girlfriend.”
“Guilty about what?”
“I kissed her. Three times.” He looked up. “But she kissed me back every time. I was a horrible person because I’d kissed her, only to find out…it wasn’t true. I felt like a fool.”
“Did she tell you she was dating Bandit? Did those exact words fall from her lips?”
Wyatt shook his head. “No, but they were hanging all over each other.”
Carrie Anne scoffed. “So, then you’ve dated all those rodeo girls that hung all over you?”
“That’s different. I didn’t know them.”
“There’s zero difference. If you aren’t dating Gabby, she’s free to hang on anyone she wants. The problem is, you didn’t want her dating anyone.”
He hung his head and closed his eyes. There was no more point in fighting it. His sister was right. “Ever since I picked her up at the airport, things have been different. Our whole past is different. All those times I’d make sure my sleeping bag was next to hers. That year she wore the red dress and I wanted to punch the guy who was taking her to prom. Proposing to Lori when I heard Gabby talking about moving to Charleston. I think I’ve been fighting tooth and nail against the truth because I couldn’t get past the fact that she was family.” He paused. “And then that day at the orchard when I wanted to kiss her so bad it hurt, I…the truth was, I did have feelings for her.”
Carrie Anne closed the distance and squatted in front of him. “Wyatt, tell the truth. Are you really angry, or are you scared?”
Wyatt pulled away, took his hat off, and slapped it against his leg. “Geez, Carrie Anne, it’s not that simple. If something happens and it doesn’t work…”
Carrie Anne pinched her lips together. “You sell that snake oil elsewhere and tell the truth. You’re more scared of Gabby than you are of a bull.”
Scared? He wasn’t scared. That was ridiculous. “I’m…not.”
She let out a soft breath. “You’re afraid of falling in love.”
“I’m afraid of hurting her!” he blurted before he even realized he’d had the thought.
His sister stood as she grinned. “And there it is.”
Wyatt came off his seat. “I don’t want to hurt her. I don’t want to lose what we have if it goes south. I can’t picture life without her. I think I’d wither and die.”
“You are hurting her, and you’re going to hurt her again.”
He turned to face her. “Well, thanks, sis.”
“And she’s going to hurt you. It’s life. And it isn’t about how much you hurt each other. It’s about what you do when you realize you’ve hurt each other. Do you walk away, or do you make it right? It’s loving and laughing and fighting and being strong enough to bend when you need to. It’s compromise and forgiveness and grace.” Carrie Anne smiled. “It’s a partnership all the way to your soul.”
“What if I make a mistake?”
“That’s an inevitable part of loving someone.”
His stomach churned as he thought back to the night of the bachelorette party. “I hurt her, Carrie Anne. I told her she meant nothing to me. I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me.”
Carrie Anne’s head dropped back. “Oh, Wyatt.”
“I was just going to talk to her, and the more I drove around, the angrier I got. By the time I got back home, I couldn’t see straight.”
His sister rolled her lips in and cringed. “Oh, Wyatt. If she loves you like I know she loves you, I think you can go in there and apologize. I’m not saying that will fix all of it, but it’ll be a start.”
“I’ve fallen for her. I don’t know what I’ll do if she doesn’t forgive me.”
“I think she will. I just don’t think it’ll be easy.” She hooked her arm through his. “Let’s go inside. I need a fire to thaw out my bones. I’m freezing in here.”
Wyatt was freezing all right, but it had nothing to do with the weather. He’d been mean and cruel and hateful to Gabby. It would be a flat-out miracle if she forgave him. He’d have to find a way to apologize that she couldn’t run from.
He quickly looked up and inwardly begged for mercy. He wanted her, to be with her, and he hoped she still wanted him. If she did, he’d spend the rest of his life grateful he fell in love with a woman patient enough to put up with him.
“You think she’ll listen?” he whispered as they walked through the barn.
Carrie Anne squeezed his arm. “She’s loved you for forever. I know she will.”
He held Carrie Anne’s gaze a moment, debating how he should tell Gabby. Should it be simple? Should it be something so grand there’d be no doubt in her mind how he felt about her? There was a rodeo coming to Amarillo the day after Christmas. He hadn’t planned on participating, but it could be his last ride. A good ride.
If Gabby was there, he knew he could stay on those eight seconds, and then he could tell her. He could retire and tell her he was ready to start a life with her, and there’d be no doubt that he was sorry. He wanted to live out the dream they’d had since they were teenagers. A new, better dream. One that had her by his side and at the center of his world.
Carrie rolled her eyes. “Don’t overthink this. Just tell her.”
“What if she thinks I’m only saying it because—”
“She won’t.”
Wyatt shook his head. “No, I want to wait. There’s a rodeo event coming to Amarillo between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It’s just a small one, but I could tell her after my ride. My full ride.”
Carrie Anne jerked to a stop and put her hands on her hips. “Right before my wedding? No way.”
“It’ll be fine. I’ll be fine.”
Carrie Anne crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. “If you get hurt…”
&nbs
p; He gave her a crooked grin. “I’ve only been hurt once. I’ve got the best reason in the world to stay on this time. The whole family can be there. I can tell everyone that I choose her because I want her. I can tell her then, and she’ll know for sure it’s the absolute truth. That I love her—”
The words made him come to a full stop. He loved her. He’d always loved her. Now that it was out, he felt light and free. It was the truest thing he’d ever felt.
His sister grinned wide. “I knew you loved her.”
“I do. I do love her with all my heart.”
“Well, it only took a sledgehammer, but that thick head of yours finally got it.”
Laughing, Wyatt shook his head. “Okay, fine. I deserve that.”
Dropping her arms to her side, she said, “I still don’t like you riding right before my wedding.”
“If I get a weird feeling, I won’t. But I’ll still tell Gabby.”
Silence stretched as Carrie Anne seemed to consider what he’d said. “All right.” She hooked her arm through his again. “Let’s go. The fire’s calling my name.”
Wyatt nodded. He wasn’t cold. His insides were blazing. He was picturing himself riding a full eight seconds, dismounting, and then telling the world he loved Gabby Fredericks. He just knew that would be the best way: walking away from the rodeo when he’d conquered his fear and then facing his future with the one person he loved most in the world.
A smile stretched wide on his lips as he thought about the new future he was planning. The one where he and Gabby faced the world together.
Chapter 22
Normally, Christmas Eve was Gabby’s favorite part of the holidays. Bandit’s cinnamon rolls and time with family. Before the Wests won the lottery, everyone would be squished into her parents’ house or the Wests’s home. It was warm and cozy and familiar. All the things that made Christmas great.
The Best Friend's Billionaire Brother (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 1) Page 15
