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Blinking, I clear my vision and look at the handwritten letter.
Dear Ayden,
I know you’ll never believe me, but I’m going to say it anyway. I love you, son. I always have. Even when it seemed I didn’t. My life was never my own. I’m glad you left when you did because you didn’t deserve the abuse your father put you through. I’m sorry I brought you into a world that was only determined to bring you down. I hope you, Laney, and Serena are safe now. Your father “missing” has been the greatest blessing. I know I have you to thank for it, even if you don’t want to hear from me. No excuse could take back what I allowed to happen. I wish I had the nerve to leave him and take you with me when I had the chance.
That’s all in the past now, and I can’t change that, but I can give you something for your future. They won’t declare your father dead for a long time, but this money I saved is yours. It won’t fix what he broke, but perhaps it’ll give you a start to the life you deserve.
I hope one day you’ll forgive me for being the worst mother. The more he abused me, the more I abused alcohol to cope. I was hardly functioning on my own, let alone as a mother. Again, it’s no excuse, but I hope you’ll accept this gift. Build your family their dream home and get as many horses as Serena can ride. I loved walking past the store every weekend and seeing a glimpse of her through the windows. She looks so much like you.
For what it’s worth, I love you, and I hope you have everything you could ever dream of.
Love, Mom
Everyone’s staring at me by the time I look up. Tears coat my eyes.
“Well?” Laney raises her brows.
“It’s a check for half a million dollars.”
“What?” they all shriek at the same time.
“Have I ever said that I think of ya like a brother?” Wilder says.
Waylon elbows him. “Shut up.”
I hand over the check and letter to Laney across from me. They all huddle around her to read the words I never expected to read.
After a few minutes of silence, Laney looks at me. “I can’t believe this. She knows he’s dead?”
“I think half the town presumes so,” I admit.
“This is life-changin’ money, Ayden.” Dena grins. “Hope this doesn’t mean y’all gonna leave us.”
“Of course not, Mrs. Hollis. Just means Laney’s engagement ring gets to be as big as she wants.”
Laney’s eyes widen, and I chuckle.
“Ayden!” she whisper-hisses. “We’re buildin’ a house. I don’t need an extravagant ring.”
I’ve talked nonstop about making her my wife. She knows it’s coming, but she doesn’t know when. I’ll do my best to surprise her when it’s time. I hope to take her up on Sunset Trail and get down on one knee—the same place I took her when she showed up here—and ask her to marry me.
Leaning back in my chair, I cross my arms. “I beg to differ. Gotta make sure all the men ’round here know you’re mine.” My eyes slide to Wilder, who’s pretending to be clueless.
“Men like Wilder don’t even know what an engagement ring is, so if that’s your plan to scare him off, you’re gonna need a picture book to explain when a woman’s off-limits to him,” Waylon rambles off, and we all laugh.
“I think he’ll get the message when he sees Laney’s round belly in a few months.” I shoot her a wink, and she rolls her eyes at me.
“Stuff like that is how rumors get started, Ayden Carson,” she scolds.
“Are y’all tryin’?” Dena beams.
“Only every goddamn night,” Wilder mutters.
I shoot him a death glare.
“What? I can hear y’all from next door.”
Laney’s face goes beet red, but I can’t help laughing. She’s not been cleared for that kind ofactivity, but that hasn’t stopped me from giving her multiple orgasms each night.
