Page 52 of Every Single Wildflower
“I know," he admits with a pained voice.
“Are you going to tell her?” I press.
At the question his face pales. “Ivy. It would destroy her.”
Then why? Why would he do this? Midlife crisis? Buy a fucking motorcycle like everyone else.
I’ve never hated him so much in my life. “This isn’t just my life, Ivy. Jamie and Aiden have a son. He works for me.”
So, multiple lives will be ruined for their mistakes. Their carelessness. Their lack of self-control.
“What are you asking me to do, dad?” I can hear the tremble in my voice.
“I’m asking you to not break your mother’s heart.”
That isn’t fair. None of this is fair.
I let his words sink in before I respond. “You’re right. It would break her heart, and I don’t have the strength to do it.” I turn to walk away, before peering at him over my shoulder. “But you didn’t just break her’s, dad. You just broke mine too.”
I never got the cups. I ran straight to the one man who always put me back together. Only this time. He didn’t.
Chapter thirty-nine
Ivy
“Jamie?” Maddox’s eyebrows raise. “Aiden’s Jamie?”
“Yeah.” I nod. “I don’t want to go into details. But I walked up on something I wasn’t supposed to see. They saw me. My dad was crying. She was too. They both swore to me it was over.”
He takes off his cap, placing it on the table. “Fuck, Ivy.”
“He said it went on for a month. That they ended it, and he asked me not to tell my mother because it would break her heart. That it also involved Aiden and Wylie, and it would only make the situation worse on everyone.” Even saying the words cause the memories to flood back. The ones I tried so hard to forget.
“I saw her kiss him,” I whisper. “I hated him.”
He leans forward, capturing my hand in his. “When did this happen?”
“The trail ride. The same night I came and…well. Emily was there and...” I trial off, not feeling like reliving that conversation again either.
Recognition appears in his eyes, and he closes them before cursing under his breath. “That’s why you came to me?” I nod, while his thumb caresses my knuckles. “And I fucking pushed you away.”
“It was for the best.” I pull my hand away.
“The best?” He scoffs before he forces himself back from the table to stand. “How was what I did to you for the best, Ivy?”
“It turned out alright. I went to Georgia. Graduated college.” I stand from my chair to match his stance.
“But you left!” His voice raises. “You left because of me?”
“No. I didn’t.”
“Don’t lie to me.” He’s around the table now, his fingers lifting my chin to look into his eyes.
I count the seconds, preparing to admit yet another one of my truths. “I left because I couldn’t look my mother in the eyes without guilt crushing my chest. I couldn’t look at my father without resent clouding my brain, and I couldn’t see Aiden walking on this ranch every day not having a clue what his wife did to him. I couldn’t look at Jamie because every time I did, I wanted to strangle her.” I take a deep breath just as his hand slides around to grip the nape of my neck. “And when I saw Emily with you.” His forehead leans down to mine. “I couldn’t bear the thought of staying here to watch you fall in love with her.” My voice cracks. “I know that doesn’t sound fair. I was with Brady for years. But you didn’t feel the same way about me. So, I ran.”
Taking another deep breath, I roll my shoulders back. “I know that makes me a coward, but it’s how I dealt with it.”
“You’re not the one who’s a coward, Ivy.” His jaw clenches and I’m not sure if he’s referring to himself or my dad right now.
