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“Wow, these are nice cabins.” I look around and notice there are four identical ones. “How many people live here?”
“Each floor has two bedrooms. The Hollises—the family I work for—their twins share the duplex beside me. Two guys live above me, but I don’t have a roommate. The other two cabins are full with four ranch hands in each.”
“You get yours to yourself. I bet that’s nice,” I say as I unlock the front door.
“It is, but most of us aren’t around much. We work twelve-plus-hour days and then usually have a beer or two at night before we crash and do it again the next day.”
Once we’re inside, he flicks on some lights, and I notice how empty it is. No decorations or photos. It looks vacant.
“Sweet tea?” he asks, heading toward the kitchen.
“Sure, thanks.” I continue looking around.
Once he hands me a glass, I take a sip. “Love what you’ve done with the place.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, like I said, I’m not home much. When I am, it’s to shower, eat, and sleep.”
Ayden stands across from me as I sit on the stool at the small breakfast bar. It’s surreal to see him again after all this time. He’s bigger, but his boyish face is the same.
“Are you happy here?” I ask hesitantly, and though I want to ask him a million questions, I don’t want to overwhelm him or make things awkward.
“I’m notunhappy. I love my job and feel like I have a purpose. The room and board are cheap. Mrs. Hollis invites me to their big family dinner every Sunday, which is nice, considerin’ mine were always so uncomfortable.”
Yeah, I remember.
His parents had a talent for making him feel unwanted, and I hated that for him. His father then took it out on me.
“I looked up everything I could find about the ranch before deciding to come. The pictures are beautiful.”
If I was being completely honest, I spent the past three months obsessing over it. Looking up the ranch’s hashtags and seeing if there were any new videos or pictures of him.
“Are you stayin’ a while? I could show you ’round and give you the proper tour.” He leans on the counter, inches from me.
“Just one night. I booked a room in town. I wasn’t sure what your reaction would be to me comin’, so I didn’t want to overstay my welcome. Plus, I have to get back for Howie’s funeral,” I admit, my heart squeezing as I think about the secrets I’ll have to share.
“I wish I could go, Laney, but we’re already short-staffed at the ranch. Not to mention, I wouldn’t want anyone to know I was in town,” he says, his piercing brown eyes gazing into mine. He means he wouldn’t want hisfatherto find out. The man who’s ruined not only his life but tried to ruin mine, too.
“I know.” I nod. “I wish I’d come sooner so that maybe Howie could’ve come too, but when he died, I knew I had to tell you in person. In a way, it was the push I needed to face you.”
“I’m happy you did.”
“You are?”
“Not about the circumstances, no. Seeing you again, yes.” He smiles wide. “Were you two close? Did you stay friends?”
Nodding, I take a nervous drink. “Yeah.”
“How’s his dad takin’ it?”
“Not great. He’s a wreck. I’d been helpin’ him and his grandmother plan as much of the service as I could, but they’re still in shock.”
“Fuck. I can’t imagine. Did the other driver survive?”
“He’s in critical condition with a brain injury. They say Howie died on impact and probably felt no pain. It’s helped us cope a little.”
He nods again, and we finish our sweet tea in silence.
“Let me show you ’round. I’ll introduce you to Noah. She’s either at the stables or trainin’ center, and her brothers should be around, too,” he says, setting our empty glasses in the sink.
