Page 15 of Shadow

“Yes, Sir. I’ll be down in just a few minutes.”

“Sounds good. Quit calling me, Sir, ‘for I whoop your ass boy.”

I let out a nervous laugh.

“Oh. And one more thing, Garrett.”

“Yes.”

“Tell my granddaughter, Harriett is looking for her. Needs some help with the biscuits this morning.”

Oh fuck.I scramble to come up with something to say back to that. Something that isn’t a lie but isn’t an omission that Lindsey spent the night. I’ve got nothing. A click on the other end gives me a temporary reprieve.

I flop back down on my side of the bed and put my head in my hands. I’ve got about ten minutes before I face my fate. Somehow I just know this is going to be the end of it. They’ll fire me and tell me to get the hell off their property.

Lindsey’s smooth hands rub my shoulders and I can feel her chuckling behind me. “Problems, cowboy?”

“Pretty sure I’m about to face the firing squad.” I sink back into her touch and enjoy my last few seconds as a free man.

“What do you mean?”

“Neville said to tell you Harriett needs your help with the biscuits this morning. He and your father have summoned me to a meeting before breakfast too. I need to get going.”

Lindsey giggles. “I’m so sure Grams needs help with the biscuits. Nosey ol’ bird.”

“You’re not worried that they know you’re up here?” I groan.

“I’m an adult and make my own choices. Right now, I’m choosing to give you one peck on the cheek and go help Grams with the biscuits.” She climbs out of bed and walks around to me, doing just as she promised before getting dressed in last night’s clothes. “I’ll see you at the breakfast table.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” I mumble as she walks away.

Moving as quickly as I can, I get ready for the day and head down to face my fate.

Neville is sitting behind the desk and William is leaning against the wall when I walk in, shutting the door behind me. William reaches for an extra cup of coffee and hands it to me.

“Splash of half and half, no sugar. Did I get it right?”

I try to relax and give him a thankful smile. “You did. Thank you.”

“Garrett have a seat,” Neville points to the chairs in front of the desk. “And for the love of God don’t be so damn nervous.”

“That’s a little easier said than done…” I pause, nearly about to call him Sir again. “I waited to talk with you both and I swear I had plans to, sooner rather than later.”

“You planning on quitting?” Neville gets serious for a moment.

“Only if I need to.”

“Son. We’re not firing you,” William chimes in. “As Dad said, relax. Yesterday something came to our attention and we wanted to talk with you about it. In fact, we should have talked to you about it around the time we hired you.”

Shit.

“Garrett, we didn’t know who you were the first time you came to the ranch. We figured it out when we hired you full time but never said anything because we thought you either didn’t remember or you wanted to forget. But it seems that’s where the problem is,” Neville says.

William pipes up and squeezes my shoulder, “You’re in no way responsible for what happened to Annie. Nor do you owe us anything.”

“If I had known you felt this way all along…” Neville hesitates and his voice goes soft. “Well, I wouldn’t have let you carry the burden all these years and for that, I’m really damn sorry.”

“I wasn’t ready to ride. And even I knew that horse was too much. My dad, he wouldn’t listen,” I do my not to choke up in front of these two men. I don’t cry and I’m damn sure not about to break down here.

---