Walker set his mug on the small table between their chairs. “You think I’d let you work here if you weren’t a good man? Your mistakes don’t define you, Dane. After four years here, you should damn well know that by now.”
He did. Or at least he thought he had, until he saw all of those mistakes reflected in every hostile glare and mumbled “whatever” his son sent his way.
“He’ll be okay,” Walker said, as if reading his thoughts. “You’ll both be okay. It’ll take time, but you’ll get there.” He stood, stretching his back with a soft grunt. “And you should hear this from me first, so I gave away your bed in the bunkhouse.”
Bear ripped his gaze from his son and stared at Walker. “What?”
“New arrival. One of the men who served under me back in the day. Finally got out, deserved a shot.” Walker shrugged like it was nothing, like he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell on Bear’s already crumbling day. “Mason Hatcher. Everyone’s calling him Hatch already.”
Bear felt the world tilt under his boots. “You gave away my bed?”
The bunkhouse had been his home for four years. His safe harbor after prison. The one place he’d finally learned to breathe again. The small room with its narrow bed and worn dresser wasn’t much, but it was his—the first thing that had been truly his since before he’d gone inside.
Now it belonged to someone else.
Walker’s expression softened. “You moved out, Bear. You’ve got a house now. A son to raise.”
“Yeah, but—” He stopped. But what?
But he’d thought he’d have time to transition.
But he’d assumed the bunkhouse would always be there, his safety net if he failed as a father.
But he wasn’t ready to cut that last tether to the life he’d built here.
Yes. All of that.
But Walker was right. He had moved out. It was selfish to expect his room to remain empty in case he failed, when there were other men out there that Walker could help. And he couldn’t—wouldn’tfail his son. Not again.
“I understand,” Bear said, though the words felt like gravel in his throat. “It’s fine.”
Walker studied him for a long moment, then nodded. “You know where to find me if you need anything.”
Bear nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He watched Walker head back inside, then turned to check on Logan. River was leading him back from the barn, both of them laughing at something Bear couldn’t hear. For a moment, he allowed himself to hope—maybe this place could help bridge the gap between them.
He drained the last of his coffee and set the mug on the porch railing. “King, come.”
The dog trotted over from where he’d been wrestling with Goose, both of them covered in dust and looking pleased with themselves. Bear snapped his fingers, and King fell in beside him as he headed down the steps to meet Logan and River.
“Hey, big guy,” River said, his arm still slung casually around Logan’s shoulders. “Your kid’s a natural with horses. Lazy Susan actually moved for him. I’ve been trying to get her to move for six months.”
Logan ducked his head, but Bear caught the hint of a smile before it disappeared. “That so?”
“Yeah, apparently she’s got a soft spot for teenagers with attitude.” River ruffled Logan’s hair, earning a half-hearted swat. “I told him he should come back tomorrow. We could use some help with the new mare.”
Bear looked at Logan, trying to gauge his reaction. The kid was staring at the ground, but his shoulders weren’t quite as tight as they had been. That was something, at least.
“I’m sure we can figure something out,” Bear said, trying to keep his voice casual. “If Logan wants to come back.”
Logan shrugged, but didn’t say no. Progress.
River checked his watch and winced. “Shit, I gotta go. Ghost is gonna have my ass if I’m late for our shift .” He clapped Logan on the shoulder. “Seriously, kid, come back soon. We’ve got a foal that needs socializing, and I’m pretty sure she hates me more than Lazy Susan does.”
With that, River bounded off toward the main house, calling for Goose as he went. The lanky dog abandoned his wrestling match with King and tore after his owner, all gangly limbs and enthusiastic barks. King tore off after them.
Bear watched them go, then turned to Logan. “You ready to head back?”
Logan’s face shuttered again, the brief openness he’d shown with River disappearing like it had never existed. “Whatever.”
