Page 14 of Cruel Expectations

“I’d say I understand, but I’d be lying. I’ve been lonely. You know how withdrawn Daddy is. He barely speaks to anyone unless it’s about selling cattle. And even then, I think he’s just putting on an act that he’s fine. But after Mom and then Forest—”

“Don’t even say it.” She threw a hand up to stop her sister from saying more, from saying something that would cause Ivy to break.

She could not break. For a long time now, she suspected that once the tears began to fall, the dam would shatter, and there would be no stopping the gush of pain she’d been holding in forever.

Meadow popped open the lid of the center console and reached inside. She withdrew an envelope and held it out to Ivy.

She eyed the object as if it was an explosive. “I don’t want that.”

“You don’t even know what it is.”

“I know I don’t want to read it.”

Meadow thrust it at her. “Read it.”

With a low groan, she took the envelope and turned it over. When she saw her name scrawled in Forest’s handwriting, her stomach bottomed out.

“No way. I’m not reading this.” She tried to open the console and shove it back inside, but Meadow jammed her arm down on top of the lid, holding it shut.

Across the space, their gazes locked in a battle of wills.

Seeing that she wasn’t going to get out of this, she edged her fingernail beneath the seal and tore into the envelope.

As soon as she pulled out the single page, a photograph fluttered into her lap.

Sucking in a breath, she picked up the photo. Oh god. Forest stood in the center of a group of his military buddies, all smiling at the camera.

Her heart flexed. Her throat blazed with tears she refused to release.

Her brother looked more careworn. Life had beat him down when their mother died, but his duty to his country had etched lines into his face that weren’t there when he enlisted.

For a painful heartbeat, she stared at his face, missing him with every fiber of her soul. The funny moments they shared; the big, warm, brotherly hugs he gave whenever she or Meadow needed one.

He was there for them the way their father hadn’t been able to be after their mother passed. Ivy never expected Meadow would have to pick up her slack, or have to keep the ranch going. Now Ivy felt even more terrible for leaving Meadow to deal with things on her own.

Next to Forest, she recognized two other faces in the picture. She wasn’t sure if the things they’d done in the line of duty had aged them as well, but Colton did wear a hint of strain around his eyes. And Hunter… Well, he looked just as stern as he did in person.

Several other guys filled out the wings of the group photo, but she didn’t recognize any of them.

She flipped the photo over to see if there was a date when it was taken, but the back was blank.

When she studied the image again, her gaze ran back to Hunter. Dammit. He was her brother’s friend. One that had his back in battle. Someone Forest trusted. He couldn’t be all bad, even if he was irritating.

Taking up the letter, she unfolded it and skimmed the words her brother had written—his last message to her.

Tears swam in her vision, but she blinked rapidly to clear them and began to read.

His words conveyed that he worried about her. How young she still was. How much life she had to live with no parents to guide her—and if she was reading this letter, then he wasn’t around either.

That left her and Meadow to cling to each other.

His next words burned.

You both have a lot of growing up to do. I wish I could be around to see the leaps you make, but I can’t be there to protect you.

God, she hated being the baby of the family. Her father, brother and sister always gave her a pass whenever things got tough. “Go be Ivy” became something she heard so regularly that she could guess what they’d say before they ever said a word.

Holding Forest’s letter containing his final words to her, she knew without a doubt what he was really telling her.

---