Page 108 of Crossroads of Love

She reaches up on her tiptoes and kisses me softly before she grabs her stuff and walks out of the office. I turn around to grab my phone and can feel Tatum staring at me.

“She’s not just saying that, you know?”

“Saying what?”

“That she’s not used to having someone here for her. I mean, obviously, she means a partner here for her. Aaron was never around when she needed him for anything, but if she wasn’t around for him, she was the worst human on earth.”

At this point, when the irritation as another realization of the reality of my brother is thrown at me, I take a deep breath and blow it out. I hate that I spent so long thinking he was a goodperson and better for her than I was. The guilt, the anger, the shame are enough to swallow me whole.

“You don’t know, what you don’t know,” Mom always used to say.

It’s the truth and what I need to focus on right now. I can get mad at my brother, but it’s not doing any good. And if I want to give Lena a better life, I can’t beat myself up over the past.

“Sounds like him,” I growl. “I’m not like him.”

“I had my doubts at first. I do remember you a little from high school, but…you’re right. You’re not like him. He was not good to Lena, but you treat her like a princess, and that’s what she deserves.”

“We agree on that.”

“She’ll never ask you for help, and it’s nice that you anticipate that.” Tatum smiles. “I’m glad you’re back in town.”

She smiles and then goes back to flying around the room, getting everything situated. I leave and climb into my car, calling Nate as I do.

“I guess we’re on the same page about what went down here.”

“Yeah.” He chuckles. “What a wild story you got dropped into.”

“That’s for sure. It just goes to show that sleepy little towns can have big-city drama,” I joke. “I never imagined my brother would be smack in the midst of it all.”

“Yeah, I bet. I have the information on the woman Aaron was engaged to. I sent it to your email. That woman wasn’t the only one he was seeing. He used your name and was dating another woman a few towns over.”

“Don’t these people research their dates before they go?” I ask with a laugh.

“Apparently not. You would think women would with how unsafe the world is for them. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“I will. Thanks, Nate.”

I let out a long groan and grip the steering wheel of Dad’s truck. I have a lot of unsettled emotions going through me right now, and I also know that I have to feel them and work through them. Maybe all of this was Dad’s way of fixing what he broke between Lena and me.

I go to the grocery store and pick up a few things for dinner tonight. I’m going to make a big meal and take care of Lena and Jayla, making sure they’re able to rest after the mentally and emotionally exhausting day.

I walk into my old bedroom back at the farm, into my closet, and take out the lockbox on the top shelf. Eighteen years ago, when I came home for Thanksgiving, I had put the engagement ring I’d bought for Lena in this box and stuffed it under my letterman’s jacket and some other things so no one would find it and ruin the moment. It’s been here ever since.

I open the lockbox and find the teal box from Tiffany’s. When I open it, it’s like I’m pulled back in time to the moment the sales lady pulled the solitary princess-cut engagement ring out for me. I knew it was the one then like I knew Lena was the one then and now.

Maybe it’s bad timing, but I don’t want to waste any more time.

By the time evening rolls around, the statement is ready, a polished, concise message that does exactly what it needs to—distances Lena from the scandal while positioning her as someone who’s committed to fixing what’s broken. Tatum sends it off to the press, and we all sit back for a moment, the tension in the room finally easing just a bit.

“How did Jayla take everything?” I ask her.

“Surprisingly well. That could change later, though. She has an appointment on Friday with her counselor, and Pastor Will is available at any time. Her school counselor was going to check on her throughout the week too. She has plenty of resources if she doesn’t want to talk to me about everything. It’s a lot, but she’s really handling it like a champ.”

“She’s a good kid.”

“She really is.” She smiles. “I am exhausted. Would you be opposed to pizza for dinner tonight?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? I have dinner ready at the farm for us already. It’ll just need to be heated when we get there.”

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