Page 110 of The Drummer's Heart

“Why does everyone think I’m so damn weak? I performed after losingyou. If I could dothat, I can get through anything.”

She placed her hand on my chest. “We’ve never been happier, right? You and Tristan are with the loves of your lives. Ronan deserves the same.”

Rubbing my temples, I tried to calm myself. “He’s never even had a girlfriend for as long as I’ve known him.”

“Well, maybe that’s all the more reason to believe this is the real thing. He’s picky, and he has amazing taste, because he’s chosen the best girl I know.”

As much as I wanted to be enraged, it was impossible to stop two adults from being together if they really wanted to. I had to figure out a way to accept it. “Make no mistake, I will absolutely kill him if he hurts her. I don’t care how close he and I are.”

“I think he knows you well enough to understand that.” She reached up on her tippy toes to kiss me on the cheek. “Remember once we had a conversation about people we trusted with our lives who weren’t family? You asked me if there was anyone else besides you I trusted. There wasn’t, but do you remember who you said was youroneperson?”

I nodded. “Ronan.”

“Think about that. If you could trust him with your life, why can’t you trust him with Kenzie’s?”

Ronan suddenly emerged from the bus. “Can I interrupt?”

“Of course.” Nicole pinched Ronan’s cheek as she went into the bus.

A staredown ensued before Ronan broke the ice. “Should I have worn a helmet?”

“You’re lucky I’m surrounded by people who care about you. They’ve managed to talk me down.”

His eyes were sincere. “I’m sorry I kept this from you.”

“It’s not a good feeling when people you love and trust are hiding things from you.” I paused. “But I understand why you didn’t say anything right away.”

“I love you, Atticus. You know that. But nothing you can say or do will stop me from loving Kenzie, too. She told me she tried to explain to you how things happened. This wasn’t an overnight thing. I knew from the very beginning that I was taking a huge risk. But you should know better than anyone that when you love someone, circumstances don’t change how you feel. I could’ve tried harder to stay away to make you comfortable, but I’d still love her, and she’d feel the same about me. I don’t think you want either one of us to be miserable for your sake.”

I stared up at the sky. “You’re right. I don’t. But as that girl’s only father figure, it’s my job to protect her. That means scrutinizing you, even if it hurts me.”

He opened his arms. “Scrutinize away. I can take it.”

“Look, I know you wear your heart on your sleeve. Iknowyou’re a good person. But that doesn’t mean you’re ready for a serious relationship, the kind I know my niece has always wanted. She’s a romantic. Having lost the man who meant everything at a very young age, she can’t afford to have her heart broken.”

“I have no plans to break her heart,” he assured me.

I eyed him a moment. “Do you think you’re ready for a relationship when you haven’t ever been in one?”

He raised his voice. “Did you not hear me say earlier that I’m in love with her? It doesn’t matter if I was ready or not when we met, it happened. I fell in love with someone who appreciates myflaws and loves me for me, not who I am to the rest of the world. Kenzie is the one, Atticus. I know it sounds strange to hear me say it because she’s your niece. But she’s alsomylove. I promise never to hurt her. I give you full permission to annihilate me if I do.”

“You can bet on that.”

He let out a long breath that showed me just how much this had been weighing on him. “Where do we stand now?”

“I’m cautiously watching.”

“So you won’t make things difficult for us?”

“I don’t plan to.”

He shook my shoulders as he beamed. “I appreciate that, man.”

“I want to be happy for you, but it’s gonna take some getting used to.”

“I understand. Just the fact that you haven’t kicked my ass yet is a huge win. I’ll take it.”

“Don’t jinx yourself.”

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