Page 75 of Every Single Wildflower
Something tells me Ryder has been busy. And it didn’t have anything to do with cattle.
Two hours later I’ve got my two bulls that are needed for my next sample separated and the ones under contract for a rodeo about thirty miles south pinned on the back side of the barn. I walk around the building, shaking the dust from my jeans when Brady’s truck pulls up the drive. I watch him park before he steps out and meets me in the middle of the gravel.
He motions to the office. “Got a sec?”
“Sure.” I lead the way, stopping to grab two bottles of water from the fridge in the small kitchen inside of the office door.
Tossing him one, I walk past him and into my office, dropping back in my chair.
He sits in the seat across from me, his eyes trained on the water bottle in his hand.
“Why didn’t you tell me about dad?” He asks. “That he was the one driving?”
I let my hands rest on the arms of the chair. “I don’t know. I thought I was protecting you. Protecting his memory.”
“You let me say some awful shit to you.” He looks up. “You let me treat you like an outsider for something you didn’t do.”
“Brady…” I start.
“Did you do it because you felt guilty? About Ivy? That you deserved my hate because how you felt about her?”
No. Maybe?
“We wanted to tell you together. To explain what happened.” I run a hand down my face.
“What Emily said about the barn? When was that?” He asks.
His tone isn’t accusing, it’s almost as if he’s surprised that he missed the signs.
“It was almost a year after y’all broke up. I swear to you, Brady. Nothing ever happened while you two were together. Ivy was loyal, and I respected your relationship.”
He nods, then looks up at me. “Did you love her? Even then?”
“Truth is I’ve been in love with her for a long time. Probably before I really even understood what it was or what it meant,” I admit. “But you were…” I pause and consider my words. “My brother. Important to me and after the night in the barn, when things turned physical, I panicked. I pushed her away. I told her it was a mistake.” I lean my elbows down on the desk. “I chose you, Brady.”
His eyes widen before I continue. “I chose you because deep down I knew she was just as scared as I was. We both loved you, but we loved each other too.”
He glances away, before facing me again.
“I chose you, Brady,” I repeat. “But I can’t choose you again. Not this time.”
He searches my face for a second before he surprises me.
“I need to apologize.” He stands. “For blaming you. For holding you accountable when it was an accident. For not taking responsibility for my fuck ups.” He pounds his chest. “That’s on me. I loved Ivy in my own way. She was one of my best friends. But I can be man enough to admit that I never was in love with her. Not the way you are. Not the way I see it in your eyes when you talk about her. I didn’t think about her after she left. Maybe a random thought or two. Maybe when I saw something that reminded me of her. But I didn’tmissher. Not like I should have.”
I push to my feet and round the desk.
“What I’m trying to say is, I want you both to be happy. And I'm glad that it’s with each other. You deserve to be happy, Maddox. So does she.”
Lifting my arms I grip him in a hug, an embrace I haven’t felt in a very long time.
“I should probably apologize to Ivy too about the things I said," he offers before stepping back.
I hear his words, but my gaze is locked over his shoulder as my Goldie stands in the doorway. Her beautiful smile wide.
“Here’s your chance, brother.”
Chapter fifty-six
