Page 269 of Things Left Unsaid

Colt’s hand settles on my shoulder, big and warm and justeverything. He’s safety and security and home. “How are you feeling, Juliette?”

“Like today’s my last day on this miserable planet,” she grumbles, scowling at him. “Don’t be soft around me, boy. I’m dying, not having a personality transplant.”

“Grand-mère!”

“Mamie,” she corrects.

Fear floods me. “They’re going to fix you,Mamie. You’re not dying. Remember? You said you’d die when you were good and ready.”

“I think I’m good and ready now, child.”

Colt’s grip on my shoulder tightens. I know, in the months that we’ve been together, he’s grown closer to my family. A strange form of respect has bridged the two.

I’ve been jittery since I got the call. Had to eat when that was the last thing I wanted after my blood sugar dropped, but I don’t want to focus on that.Mamieneeds me.

Mamie.

I never thought I’d see the day she’d let me call her that.

A sob catches in my throat.

“I need to tell you something, Susanne.” Her nose crinkles as she corrects, “Zee.”

God, sheisdying.

My mouth trembles. “What,Mamie?”

“I have to share this with someone, but I need you to promise me that you won’t tell a soul.” Her eyes lock Colton in place. “You neither, boy.”

“Your secret’s our secret,” Colton vows.

“I always liked you.” She nods at his assurance. “Knew how that bastard treated you and that mother of yours. We all knew. None of us did anything though. Cowards. I tried to run him over once but it didn’t work?—”

“Mamie!” I chide, shocked by her admission.

“Child, I’m not a good person.” She lets go of my hand to pat it. “I’m fine with that, but I need you to know this because I need him to suffer.”

“Who, Juliette?”

“Your father, of course.” Her sniff is 100% disdain and sounds so normal that it’s hard to believe we’re in the hospital. Surrounded by machines. That her lips are turning blue. That her breathing is raspy. That her words are slightly slurred. “I always hated him. Clayton was a good boy. Just like you. Never did trust Clyde. Thought he did Clay in but no one would listen to a McAllister. Never did. Never will. Until now.

“God, that day he came to the Bar 9 to see me, I was sure I was dying because happiness was that old bastard coming tomeformywater. And I knew exactly what to do. The whole town’ll listen to a McAllister now. You’ll see to that, won’t you, Colton?”

“You know I will.”

“And you’ll protect my grandchildren?”

“Damn straight,” he rumbles. “And your great-grandchildren.”

“Knew it. I called it from the start when I saw you and her cozying up in the stables.” She harrumphs. “As if I’d be too scared to enter Korhonen land. You little shits always trespassed on our lakes so I did the same when Susanne, I mean Zee, went missing one too many times. Thought about blowing your head off with a shotgun. But then I saw you care for her. Help her after that useless father of hers died?—”

“Mamie!”

She huffs. “Oh, child, he was. I know you love him but his head was in the clouds. No good for a ranch. None at all. But Colton is. He’ll bring the Bar 9 back to how it should be. Biggest in the whole of Canada. Put us in the record books again.” A satisfied expression settles on her weary features. “And no Clyde around to muck it up. I want him to rot in prison, child, do you understand?”

I blink at her. “I-I understand,Mamie.”

“When I tell you that I’m not a good person, child, I say it only so you’ll brace yourself.” I protest but she shakes her head. “I’m not. I always knew I’d do anything for the Bar 9, but I didn’t realize until I was older what I’d do for my daughter and her children.

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