Page 32 of Rhett Redeemed

“Go ahead, tell him. Tell him what you just told me.” Cara swings her arm from me to him.

“Please tell me you did not sleep with Natty,” he says, a look of horror on his face. But in that moment, both Cara and I crack up laughing.

I shake my head. “No, never.”

Cara tries to control herself. “No, babe, basically he just told me that he never cheated on me and wanted me to break up with him so he didn’t have to break up with me, all because he wanted to be president of the Wind Dragons and knew I wouldn’t be happy as an old lady.”

Decker gives me a what the fuck look, and honestly, I’m right there with him. “Okay, don’t hate me here, but isn’t that true, Cara? You never wanted to really be ingrained in the MC. You told me that very early in our relationship,” he says. I give him a mental fist bump.

“That’s not the point! He didn’t talk to me about it and he didn’t let me make a decision. And he was a coward and made me break up with him.”

“Okay, okay.” Decker holds his hands up in surrender. “While that was not a great move, Cara, didn’t it work out the way it was supposed to? You and me would have never gotten together if he didn’t make that decision.” Okay, maybe he isn’t that bad.

She takes a deep breath. “Look, I get what you’re saying. Rhett and I were drifting apart, hanging on to what was and our history. He was too busy with the club and not coming home, and I was just alone most of the time. But I wish we’d had this conversation instead of him letting me think that he cheated on me. That really hurt me.”

Am I even part of this conversation anymore?

“Can I say something?” I raise my hand, feeling like I’m interrupting my mom and dad. “I know the way things happened was not the best way to handle this. If I could go back in time, I would’ve been way more up front. Cara...” I turn to look at her directly. “You are right—I wanted president more. It hurts me to admit that to you, but I never even fathomed giving up the opportunity to become president of the MC. So yes, Decker,” I turn to him now. “You’re also right. I do think it worked out the way it was supposed to because Cara should always be number one with any man she is with. She and I will always be our first loves, but we are not meant to be together.”

I look back at Cara and give her a hopeful smile. “You’re my best friend and I see how happy you are with this guy.” I point my thumb over at Decker. “I may have been butthurt about it, but now that you know the truth, I really would like to move forward and go back to being best friends.”

Cara gives a small shake of her head and her Seriously, Rhett? face. “You’re still one of my closest friends and always will be. But you hurt me by letting me think you would cheat on me. You let everyone think you were this horrible person. Was it really worth it?”

I scratch the back of my head not knowing how to answer. I shrug. “I made my bed, now I have to lie in it. I am sorry,” I say. “There’s no excuse. I was an idiot and just not thinking right. I’m sorry I hurt you, Cara.”

“Thank you for coming and telling me the truth,” she says, nodding. “It was hard, but I needed to hear this. I wish we had this conversation earlier, but better late than never. But before we make up and sing ‘Kumbaya,’ can I ask a question? What about Con?”

The sound of her name is like a bucket of ice flowing over me. “What about her? We’re not seeing each other anymore.”

Cara stares at me. “Is she just a hookup? Or do you really like her?”

“Way to put me on the spot...” I debate how honest I want to be, but if I learned anything from this whole thing, it’s that I probably should just be honest. “She wasn’t just a hookup. I like her. We have a lot in common.”

“If she wasn’t my sister, would you want to date her? Be in a relationship with her?”

“Shit, I don’t know, Cara. Why does it matter? We aren’t going to see each other anymore.”

“Just answer the question, Rhett. You owe me that much.” I wonder how long she’ll use what I did as guilt. Probably the rest of my life.

“Yeah, we were spending a lot of time together. I mean, it was casual, but I could see myself dating her.”

Cara is quiet for a long time and then looks at Decker. They do this weird thing where they just stare at each other for what seems like forever, but really must be ten seconds. It’s like they are having a conversation with one another silently.

“If you like her and she is not just a hookup, then I think you should date her.”

“I’m sorry, what?” I must not have heard her right.

“You have my blessing to date her.”

“But she’s your sister!” I feel like I walked into another dimension here. Between me starting to like Decker and now Cara telling me to date Con, I don’t know what is going on.

“So what? Yeah, it was awkward at first, but you and I are friends. Best friends. And I’ve moved on and am with Decker. Why shouldn’t you and Con have what he and I have? I’m not going to stand in the way of love just because it’s awkward.”

“I’m sure Clover will have something to say about it.”

“Let me handle Clover. You and Con both deserve happiness, and if it’s together, even better.”

“You’re fucking weird, you know that?” I say.

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