Page 69 of One Reckless Moment

“What was I supposed to do? Call you up and say I’m dating the guy you know drives me insane?”

“Yes!”

“It wasn’t that simple.”

“It was, though, P. I have always struggled with having distance from the ranch, from you and the boys. And then I find out my own sister couldn’t even bother to call me to tell me she has a boyfriend, let alone a husband? Why would I come back if no one wants me here?”

“We all want you here, Lo.”

“When I was sent to California, I thought my world was ending. I felt disconnected from the entire family and I fell down a hole of anxiety and depression. Owen dragged me out of that hole. He became my rock—my entire world. Sure, we talked on the phone, but it wasn’t the same. I didn’t ask about you because you didn’t seem like you wanted to talk.”

“I didn’t talk because I wanted you to ask. Plus, my life seemed so boring compared to yours. I didn’t measure up.”

“So you get married?” She raised her brow at me. “That seemed like the logical fix to your problems?”

“We got caught up in the moment.”

“Must have been some moment,” she scoffed.

“It was,” I said with a sweet smile.

Lottie plopped onto the couch with the bottle of wine. “I’m ready to hear the story then.”

I sat down next to her and took the bottle from her outstretched hand, taking a long pull straight from the bottle.

“Cash has always been there for me. When I couldn’t call anyone else, I could call him. Always, even if we were fighting or down each other’s throats. In Vegas, when we went to that night club, a man got handsy and scared me. I ran out of the club and called Cash. He immediately dropped everything and came to find me. To cheer me up, he took me to a country bar and spun me around the dance floor until I was smiling and giggling. We just decided to be spontaneous at that moment. On that dance floor, I felt the happiest I had felt in a long time.”

Nothing I said was a lie—I just left out a lot of truths.

“I just wish you could have told me how you felt about him.”

“I didn’t feel like anyone would have cared.”

“You need to stop saying that. You are part of this family. We all care about you, and your life, and your choices.”

“I never meant to steal your thunder. I never meant to make this all about me. I wasn’t even going to tell anyone for months just to keep you from being mad at me. That reporter went and screwed it all up,” I said truthfully.

“I never would’ve wanted that. You deserve to celebrate your love just as much as I deserve to celebrate mine.”

Tears started falling down my face as I looked at my sister. “I missed you.”

Lottie scrunched her nose as a stray tear fell down her cheek. “I missed you, too.”

“Also, I really love the Kellys,” I cried as she pulled me into a hug.

“I’m glad, because they love you. And they do drink too much,” she said as she choked on a sob.

We both burst into laughter as the doors unlocked and the boys hesitantly filed in.

“Is it over?” Reid asked, partially hiding behind Cash who rolled his eyes.

Lottie and I turned to the boys who all looked a little sheepish. We stood shoulder to shoulder with our arms crossed. All of the tears dried as we honed in on our mutual enemies.

“Who’s idea was this?” Lottie asked.

Cash, Walker, Owen, and Axle all pointed at Reid. The guys threw Reid to the wolves without hesitation.

I locked eyes with my sister before we broke into a run for our youngest brother. Reid shrieked and bolted out the back door as Cash grabbed me around my waist, lifting my feet off the ground.