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“I know none of my apologies ever meant much. And I don’t blame you for being pissed off at me for the last decade.” Thatch opened his mouth to say something, but Liam didn’t give him the chance. “I guess the thing I’vealways wanted you to know was that I didn’t mean to fall for her. I swear. I didn’t want to have feelings for her, and I tried to ignore them for a long time.”
Liam had told him that before. In letters, emails, text messages. But his sincerity came through now. Regret and guilt seemed to weight his brother’s shoulders.
This was where the conversation had stopped in the past. Liam apologized, and Thatch walked away from him, still angry. But things had to be different this time. “I believe you.” Now he knew you didn’t always get to choose what you felt for someone. He hadn’t stopped caring for Lyric when she’d told him she didn’t want to date him. He’d wanted to stop, but he couldn’t. “I know things aren’t as black and white as I made them out to be.”
“I should’ve kept ignoring my feelings, I guess,” Liam went on. “I mean in a way, my relationship with Sienna has always been this big rift in our family. Between you and me, but it’s also affected Mom and Dad. And Sienna.” His brother finally looked at him for longer than three seconds. “Things have been so messed up because of what happened.”
Thingshadbeen so messed up. Thatch had let them stay that way for too long. Everything he’d wanted to say now finally came together in his head. “I know you didn’t set out to betray me. But it hurt, man.” He couldn’t deny that. “I was humiliated. I mean, I went from being engaged to a woman to having to attend her wedding to my brother, and all of our friends and family knew about the whole ugly ordeal.” He’d never expressed any of those feelings of humiliation. Not to Liam. Not to anyone except for Lyric. And now, somehow, talking about this was easier.
“If you want the truth, I’m tired of the past standing between us. I’m tired of holding a grudge.” Avoiding Liam had been easier before, especially when Thatch was constantly going on missions. But his life was different now. He wanted a future with Lyric, and he wanted his entire family to be part of that.
“I mean, it was my fault too. I think I wanted to know someone back home was waiting for me. I guess I thought maybe that would give me more purpose out there fighting.” He’d been too young to know what marriage required. “Truth is, Sienna and I were never a good fit. We didn’t have what you two have.” And Thatch suspected his feelings for her had always been much stronger than hers for him. Marrying her wouldn’t have been fair to either one of them. He needed to be with someone who wanted him as much as he wanted her. “I guess I never realized what was missing until Lyric and I got together. Now I’m figuring out what it really takes to love someone.”
At the mention of Lyric, his brother seemed to relax. “Mom told me you’re seeing someone. I’m really happy for you. I can’t wait to meet her.”
“She’s joining us for dinner tomorrow.” And that time together would be a new beginning. For him and Liam. For him and Lyric. “I’m really glad you came to Star Valley.”
Thatch shook his brother’s hand. It was time to move forward.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Lyric turned onto Kirby Leatherman’s driveway, taking the curve too fast.Oops.She’d better slow down or she’d end up in the ditch. And then she wouldn’t get to surprise Thatch with a quick visit before she went to meet with Minnie at the café.
She parked outside the training arena and found Thatch talking to Kirby and another man near the bucking chute in the open-air corral.
“Hey.” He ran to greet her, ducking under the fence before pulling her into his arms. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until dinner.”
Lyric leaned into him, her whole body humming at the feel of his arms around her. “I thought I’d stop by real quick on my way to meet Minnie at the café.” Now, there was a lie if she’d ever told one. Kirby’s ranch was nowhere near the café.
“Because this place is on your way?” Thatch teased.
“Because I wanted to see you.” Alone. Tonight wouldbe fun, but there were going to be a lot of people around, and she was used to having Thatch all to herself. “I’m a little nervous about the big dinner,” she confessed. She’d liked his parents the few times she’d met them, but now that they knew she and Thatch were together, there would be a little more pressure.
“Yo, Hearst,” Kirby called in his brusque tenor. “You about done gabbing?”
“Almost.” Thatch didn’t even look at the man. He was too busy staring into her eyes, and she couldn’t look away either. Energy always crackled between them when they were this close. That was why she had to come here. So she could clear away all the doubts that were starting to creep in.
“I might find it hard to focus if you’re here,” he murmured, like he didn’t want his trainer to hear.
“You’d better focus.” She closed her arms around his waist and grinned. “You can’t get injured before your big day tomorrow.”
“I’m not gonna get injured. I’m gonna ace this ride and the ride tomorrow, and I’m gonna win something.” He grinned and kissed her lips. “All because you taught me how to use my core.”
Lyric laughed and pulled him closer to her. She really had to get going so she wouldn’t keep Minnie waiting. Or distract Thatch any more than she already had from his training. But first… “How was it seeing your family last night?”
“It was good. Really good.” He cast a quick glance over his shoulder and lowered his voice. “Liam and I talked some. Before we got together with everyone else. And I think we’ll be able to move forward now.” His forehead leaned against hers. “Partly because of you, you know.”
That made her smile. “Me?” She’d helped him with his family? After all he’d done for her, she hoped so.
“Yeah. I mean, being with you has been so different for me than being with anyone else, Lyric.” He smoothed his hand over her hair. “Being with you has made me realize that I’ve never had the real thing with someone else. And I’m really thankful that I never married Sienna.”
But he didn’t want to marry her, did he? She didn’t know how to tell him that she had no desire to go there again. Marriage had been like prison to her at one time. She’d spent those years feeling trapped and lonely, and now she needed freedom and independence.
Thatch gazed at her as though he was waiting for her to say something.
“I’m glad you and your brother worked things out.” Her arms dropped to her sides, but he didn’t seem to notice that her smile had faltered.
“I can’t wait for you to meet them. Fair warning. They’re pretty excited about dinner. They might be a little over the top.”
