Page 64 of The Lies We Told Ourselves

It didn’t cost me anything to do what I had for my brothers. And yet, it hadn’t been enough. It hadn’t saved Gage from feeling like he could never face us again, and it hadn’t saved Xander from drowning his feelings in a bottle for most of his life. I hadn’t even been able to stop Trace from losing Delaney and Cade for ten years. It had all been for nothing.

Thankfully, before Reece could say anything else, the tree line came into view, and we were going to have to take the trail one at a time for the first stretch.

“Do you want me to lead the way or are you happy for Doc to? He knows where we’re going, and you can just sit there and enjoy the ride.”

Reece didn’t say anything at first. Judging by the cute little pout on her lips, she wasn’t impressed by the sudden change of subject. In the end, she sighed. “You go first, and we’ll follow,” she said, letting me pretend I was getting away with dodging the conversation.

This was where I got uncomfortable. I didn’t need a pat on the back or a damn certificate. It shouldn’t be so surprising when someone does the right thing. It should be the default setting.

We carried on a little way in silence until the trail turned into a slight incline. I turned in my saddle to check on Reece,and she happily looked at the scenery, her reins held relaxed in her hands as she let Doc lead the way. He preferred it that way, anyway.

Reece had naturally leaned forward slightly to account for the incline, but I still felt like I should point it out to her, so she didn’t panic when she realized we’d started heading up a hill.

“The incline gets a little steeper for the next couple of minutes, but nothing Doc can’t handle. Lean forward in your saddle to keep your balance.”

Reece made eye contact with me and smiled. All thoughts of our earlier conversation and the events of yesterday seemed to have slipped away. “Sure thing. I can see why you love it here so much.” She looked around again, taking in the trees as we slowly passed them by. “It’s so peaceful.”

“Yeah, this is my favorite place on the whole ranch. I’m honestly thinking of being selfish and not including this trail on any of the tours. We should keep it just for us.”

I glanced over my shoulder at a happy, blushing Reece and vowed there and then that this was what I wanted for the rest of my life. Every single moment would be dedicated to making this woman smile.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

REECE

Today should have been terrible. I was wearing someone else’s clothes because all of mine had been destroyed by some weirdo who went on a slashing spree in my home. The sheriff needed to talk to me, and I didn’t even get to have a slice of my pie.

Yet, here I was sitting on top of the sweetest horse, unable to contain my smile because the man in front truly couldn’t see exactly how incredible he was.

Booker sat on his horse, reins in one hand, looking like he was ready to conquer the West. The ends of his dirty-blond hair licked out from beneath his cowboy hat and cast a seductive shadow across his steely eyes. I was transfixed by his denim-clad thighs and the taut muscles on his forearms where he’d rolled up the sleeves of his red flannel shirt.

If Booker didn’t realize he was putting on a show for me right now, then I wouldn’t be the one to tell him. I could bask in this secret obsession every day for the rest of my life as my own private fantasy.

And that was when I realized it.

I was happy. Deliriously happy.

And the fact that I didn’t think I’d ever felt this way in my life didn’t make me sad, because it felt so right now. It felt like all these years I’d been waiting for Booker to find me on the side of the road.

I’d disappeared in my old life. Faded into the background and been hidden away like a possession that was coveted and hoarded. But Booker saw me. He let me stand in the light and shine any way I wanted. He didn’t try to steal that light just for himself. He stood in the glow and let me illuminate all the dark parts of him that he didn’t want anyone else to see. Even if it did seem like it was getting harder and harder for him to hide them away now.

I hadn’t even realized we’d come to a stop until Booker was standing at my side, taking the reins, and then reaching out to help me down. The way he let my body slide down his front set me on fire. My fingers trailed along his jawline, and he gave me that smile I could have basked in for days.

“Close your eyes,” he whispered, and I did without any hesitation. “It’s just a few steps this way.”

Booker gently tugged the brim of my hat down over my eyes, and his hands came to my shoulders as he steered me around the horses.

At least the hat and boots that Booker had bought me were saved from the stranger’s rampage because I’d had them on at the time. I’d have been devastated to have lost them. Part of me felt like I should have been more devastated about the loss of my other clothes, but there was a tiny voice in the back of my head telling me they were the last parts of my old life and maybe it felt right to finally let it go.

My wallet, on the other hand, wasn’t as optimistic. And now that I was in a relationship with Booker, I didn’t know how I felt about taking his money.

Booker drew me to a stop, and I felt his body press against my back as he turned me slightly to face whatever he wanted to show me. I leaned back into his comforting presence as he pulled the hat from my head.

I blinked. The bright light of the sun blurred my vision with tears. Then, as I focused on the scene before me, I gasped.

“Booker! This is beautiful!”

We’d somehow made our way up a hill that placed us above the ranch. The trail had ended at a small clearing on the crest of the hill, which the trees didn’t quite cover. Before us, you could see the ranch and the surrounding pastures, Booker’s house, and the little cottage that would forever hold a place in my heart. Beyond that, the town of Willowbrook covered the gentle dips and hills, surrounded by farmland and patches of trees.

---