Page 55 of Imperfectly Ours

Then I pointed directly at my mother. “You owe him an apology. And Tenley. And her family,” I snarled, and whipped my head to my sister. “And so do you.”

The chill in the air began to thaw as I slowly shook my head. “Now, I’m going to go find him, because he deserves to know that he has someone in his corner. Especially since he’s gone to bat for everyone in this family before at one point or another.”

I finished and spun around, finally feeling relief from the anger that had been boiling inside. “You guys need to grow up,” I added. Stomping back to the front door, I clamped my hand around the handle and jerked it open. Ready to go find my brother. Stepping outside, I took in a deep breath of fresh, crisp air and let go of the door.

As it slowly swung shut behind me, I heard my mom’s voice. “What have I done?” she gasped in realization, and it clicked shut.

Finally.

After everything, I think it finally sank in. I think she maybe had some idea of what was needed. I chuckled, a little shocked that I figured it out first. Weston hadn’t been acting immature, he was finally coming out of his shell. Letting go a little. And my mom had hopefully, finally figured it out. Man, I think it's time to see if Weston would be cool with me building my own home on the ranch instead of still living under my parents' roof. I popped open the front door of my truck, already knowing that Weston wasn’t at his house.

I’d gone there the moment after I finished my last bit of work. After the ranch hands came to me asking if they could head home for the evening before the big celebration tomorrow. That was the moment I knew something was up, that this wasn’t just a mild argument that would blow over. Since when did they ask for that permission from me and not Weston? I solidified that suspicion when his house was empty, his keys and truck gone, and yet, the lights were still on upon my arrival.

Lucky for him, I turned them all off before leaving his house. I wasn’t about to let the man come home to his belongings on fire.

Wait a second, what was going on with me? Two responsible, mature actions in one night? I shook my head and pulled the truck out of the ranch drive.

Glancing in both directions, I began speeding down the highway toward town. My first bet, he went to see Tenley, so I needed to go looking there first. Hopefully, he hadn’t done something too entirely dumb in the meantime. Though that wasn’t a major concern, this was Weston and not me we were talking about. He wasn’t quite as rash as I was when angry—well, at least I hoped not. I guess I couldn’t really remember the last time he’d been like this.

Pressing down harder on the accelerator, I increased my speed, feeling a bit more urgency in finding my brother.

Chapter 19

**WESTON**

Itrailed my fingers up and down the smooth skin on Tenley’s back, her naked body snuggled up against mine. She wrapped her arms tighter around my bare waist and slid a leg between mine.

“We should find you some shorts,” she said and I chuckled.

“Why would I need those? I’ll just put my jeans back on in the morning,” I replied, glancing down at her.

“Oh.” Her cheeks burned red, and she buried her face against my chest. I leaned back against the pillow, utter disbelief and peace filled me. If I died tonight, I would pass away a happy man, feeling completely fulfilled in life. Knowing the loving of a woman just once who had completely stolen my heart was all I needed. All I would need. All that mattered.

I placed a tender kiss against her forehead, tucking my free hand behind my head, and stared at the ceiling.

“Are you going home when we get up?” she asked, hesitancy filling her voice.

“I’m already home, darling,” I whispered, and she sniffled. I glanced at her face once more and found her eyes full of tears. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She quickly wiped them away as they streamed down her cheeks.

“That doesn’t look like nothing.” Concern chilled my belly as more tears filled the dry trails on her face.

“They’re happy tears, dummy,” she softly cried out. I smiled, but said nothing, looking back at the ceiling as a giant crash landed against the floor above us.

Tenley sat up, clamping the sheet against her chest. “What was that?” she gasped, wiping her face, and a cold panic pricked inside me.

“I’m not sure.”

If the sound had Tenley on edge, then my nerves were even more so. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as we waited in bated breath. Silence. Nothing more than the whispering of apprehension coating the winter chill.

She slid to the side and quickly grabbed her clothes from the floor. Panic replaced the blissful serenity we’d been locked in just a moment before.

She was dressed in those adorable Christmas pajamas within another minute as a shriek sounded from upstairs. Shooting across the room, she tore open a drawer and began digging through the contents.

I’d only managed to grab my boxers from the floor, when something smacked me in the face. “Put these on, they’re Luke’s.” I grabbed the shorts she’d thrown at me and tugged them over my skivvies. Jumping down from the bed, I snatched my shirt off of the floor and quietly followed her out of the room.

She raced up the stairs, with me silently on her heels. We rounded a corner, shot down a hallway, and she threw open a door. Lights were on in the master bedroom. The bed looked like it had been slept in but was now empty, which sent alarms off in my head. As I glanced away from the floral bedspread folded neatly at the end of the mattress, my eyes locked onto a hunched figure and some pale feet beneath her.

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