Page 24 of Unbearable

“Okay, Daddy. Can I play until it’s ready?”

“Sure.” She hugged my leg and then walked down the hall. I walked over and sat down at the small kitchen table.

Dorian grunted. “What’s up with you lately? I was surprised to see your text asking if we were home.”

“I’ve been busy with the ranch,” I said, brushing some dust off my jeans. “You know about the sickness that went through the herd. I’ve been swamped making sure the cattle are getting their meds. On top of that, a lot of the ranch hands have been out with a bug, so I’ve been pulling double duty. When I’m not at the ranch, I’ve been helping Dotty with the cabin.”

“You mean she is actually allowing you to help?” He chuckled.

“Yeah, she is not very happy about it most of the time, but I feel like I’m making headway—with her and the cabin,” I admitted. “But I do mostly try to help when she isn’t there.”

“Are one of you ever going to tell me what the hell happened between you two?”

It wasn’t the first time Dorian had asked me over the years, and I was sure it wasn’t going to be the last.

“Nothing happened,” I lied. “We left Woodstone Falls and went our separate ways.”

“Funny, she said almost the same thing, but you don’t go from being friends your entire lives to never talking again overnothing.” He raised his brow at me. I shook my head and groaned. “But I’ll let it slide. For now.” The oven beeped, and he walked over to pull the food out. “How is the cabin looking?” he asked.

“It’s getting there. Dot got the place inspected, and it needs a new roof. I actually wanted to talk to you to see if you’d be willing to help. We picked up the supplies already, just need the hands to help put it up.”

“Yeah, sure. I am going out of town this weekend, but next weekend I am free. Colt never does anything on the weekends, so I am sure he will join too.” He came to sit across from me at the table.

“Where are you headed?” I asked, curious. It was pretty rare for Dorian to leave town unless he was visiting Dotty or Sawyer. He usually preferred to stay close to Woodstone.

“Seattle. There’s a vet conference I’m planning to attend. Dotty will be watching Gracie here, so you won’t have to worry about running into her all weekend at your place,” he said with a knowing smile.

Dorian called for Gracie and a few moments later she walked in with a beaming smile on her face. We all sat down to eat, and I was reminded why I had returned to Woodstone Falls after my time in the military. I could have gone anywhere after getting out of the army, but I was ready to come home.

And after the chaos and depths of war, I needed the peace of the Woodstone Falls and the ranch. I was happy here, content with the hard work and the satisfaction itbrought. The long days and physical labor were good for me, giving me a sense of purpose and fulfillment that I needed.

Over dinner, Dorian and I caught up on each other’s lives, reminiscing about old times and discussing our latest projects. He was slammed at work but grateful for the steady stream of business. I shared how the ranch always kept me busy, whether it was tending to the cattle or maintaining the land. It was a life I loved, and I was determined to stay in Woodstone, working the ranch for as long as I could.

We also spent a good part of the evening chatting with Gracie about her grand plans for spending her tooth fairy money—debating between getting a new doll or to start saving up for Ellie Miles concert tickets. Despite being only five, she already knew all of Ellie’s songs word for word, making her seem more like a savvy teenager than a little girl.

After Gracie went to bed, Dorian and I settled on the couch, watching reruns of nineties sitcoms. The silence between us had never been uncomfortable. It was a familiar, companionable quiet that had always existed between us, even when Dotty was around. We could talk for hours or sit in silence and still enjoy each other’s company exactly the same.

It was after ten when I decided I needed to head back to the house and hoped it would be late enough that Dotty would already be in her room for the night.

The thought of her brought a mix of emotions. I wanted to be near her, but I needed to stay away.

“I think I’m going to call it a night,” I said, standing up from the couch and reaching for my boots.

Dorian cleared his throat. “You know…” He paused for amoment. “You really can talk to me about Dotty. Youshouldtalk to me. Lord knows you don’t talk to anyone else.”

“Nothing is going on,” I replied, attempting to sound casual even though there really was nothing going on between us.

“It just looks a little off. You offered her a place to stay after avoiding talking about her for years. It seemed like you both wanted distance, but now she’s staying with you?” His questions hit me hard because I knew he was right. I had no idea why I decided to let her stay with me. I felt the need to be near her while simultaneously needing to keep my distance. It made no sense, and I knew that.

He continued. “I care about you both, but Dotty hasn’t been back here in ten years. I’d hate for things to go wrong and for her to disappear for another decade.” His words seemed to carry an unspoken message: I know she left because ofyou.

“Nah, man. There’s nothing to worry about. I offered her a place to stay because we’re friends.” Well,acquaintances, according to Dotty, but I wasn’t about to tell Dorian that. “You know I care about her. I always have and always will. She’s like a sister to me.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but I needed some way to reassure Dorian.

Dotty was definitely not a sister to me.

My thoughts about her, especially late at night when she slept only a few feet away, were anything butbrotherly.

My mood soured, knowing I would never be enough for Dotty and that even my best friend shared that same doubt.

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