Page 111 of The Scars We Heal

I gave her a wink then lined up for a break shot. Pulling back my stick, I took a deep breath. Then I made my shot, hitting the head ball as hard as I could. The other balls all went in different directions, but ultimately a solid one fell into a pocket. I sank another one easily then missed the third.

Colter went next, making his first shot and missing the second.

Just like in our game with Hayden and Sierra, we stayed neck and neck for a while. But instead of one of us pulling ahead at the end, it came down to the wire. It was our turn, and we had one ball plus the eight ball left.

Mikey and Juniper had come back right as we were down to the last few shots. Juniper’s cheeks were flushed and Mikey’s shirt was inside out, but no one got the chance to give him shit about it because he was already placing bets on who was going to win. His money was on Colter and Ellison, but that was probably just because Ellison beat his ass in pool every single time.

Caitlin made the shot with practiced ease, and I swore my dick got hard just at the sight. The only thing standing between us and victory was the eight ball.

“Don’t miss, Cait!” Mikey, no doubt trying to get some money in his pocket, taunted her.

She glanced up at him, rolled her eyes, and threw him the bird.

“Don’t listen to him. You’ve got this, Cait baby,” I cooed in her ear. “Don’t let me down.”

“Stop distracting me,” she said through gritted teeth. Her gaze was laser focused as she hit the cue ball. It rolled down the table, bouncing off one edge before lightly tapping the eight ball into the pocket.

“Champions!” I yelled, throwing my hands in the air before dropping my cue stick and picking up Caitlin, racing around the bar with her in my arms like we’d just won the Super Bowl. Hayden, Sierra, Reid, Isa, and Juniper all joined, circling up around us and hopping up and down like they were in a mosh pit.

Even though Colter and Ellison lost, and Mikey owed everyone twenty bucks each, they all joined in with the cheering, jumping up and down with the rest of our friends.

Our friend group wasn’t perfect. Far from it, actually. We got into fights, we burned the turkey dinner, and sometimes we got way too damn drunk, but spending Thanksgiving at the bar tonight was exactly where I wanted to be. And, even though we weren’t all related by blood, I knew that this group—this rugged group of cowboys and the women who made us all better—was my family.

The five of us were brothers, and we always would be. Until the very end.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

caitlin

I’m gonna miss this little cottage,” I murmured as we stood on the front lawn, admiring the guest house. The sun was setting behind the trees, casting an orange glow on the porch where Jake and I had spent so many nights just hanging out and talking about nothing.

Whitley was lying in the grass with Cheeto, playing with a string toy she’d picked out from the store. Happy giggles pierced through the air as the cat leaped in the air, trying to get the neon-green mouse attached to the rope.

“Are you sure you want to move in with me? We can continue what we’re doing and stay neighbors who sneak over to each other’s houses in the middle of the night,” he teased.

“As much fun as that would be, I think this needs to happen. If not for us, then for Whitley’s sake. She knows there’s something between us. Hell, I’m pretty sure she’s known for a while. She called you my special friend last month. But I think we owe it to ourselves and to her to actually give this a real shot. Explain to her what’s going on. If you’re willing.”

“Of course.” He reassured me. “Anything for my favorite girls.”

I stepped toward him and wrapped my arms around his middle, pressing my cheek against his chest. He pulled me into his embrace, brushing his lips against my forehead.

“Should we tell her now?” I asked, second-guessing myself even though this was what I wanted and I was sure Whitley wouldn’t be opposed, especially when Jake snuck her pieces of chocolate when they thought I wasn’t looking.

He spoiled my daughter, but he also treated her the way a father should have, even if he wasn’t her biological dad.

But if I had learned anything from coming back home to Silver Creek, it was that family wasn’t always blood. Sometimes you got to choose your family.

“I’ll follow your lead,” he whispered. “Whatever you think is best for the two of you. And if you change your mind and don’t want to move in, you’re allowed to say that, too.”

I shook my head. “No, I want this. Does that count as the last item on the bucket list?” I smiled, knowing the last thing I had to cross off was saying no to something I didn’t want to do. Although, I could argue that standing up to Adam was saying no. I was saying no to his bullshit, to the fear tactics he was using.

“I don’t see why not.” He winked.

“Whit! Come on inside with Cheeto!” I turned around to face Whitley as the words left my mouth.

She looked over at me standing shoulder to shoulder with Jake, and a big smile spread across her face. Jumping up, she scooped up the cat and ran to the porch.

Jake opened the front door, and we all headed inside.