“This is about me selling your horses?”

“Selling my horses. In general, being an unsupportive tool about my choices.”

“That was a long time ago,” Hank said. “It would be nice if you didn’t assume I’m still who I was then. I’ve changed a lot in the past decade and a half, and you know it. I’ve done my damnedest to do what’s right. To do what’s right for this family, to do better by your mother. I’m trying to be a better man, Gabe. And at a certain point you have to let me. Your mother forgave me. You can’t just punish me forever. And if you want to do that, then maybe you should just cut me off. Do your ranching somewhere else.”

“I don’t want to not have a relationship with you,” Gabe said. “I think that’s pretty clear. I could have gone off on my own a long time ago.”

“You want to be angry at me about all kinds of sins I’ve committed, and I get it. But I’ve changed who I am. I have. What I did to you back then? It was a shitty thing to do. I’m sorry. I don’t blame you for running off to the rodeo angry with me. But you did well. So I never went after you. I thought you were happy.”

Gabe opened his mouth to tell his father that he hadn’t been, but that was a lie. He’d found quite a bit of happiness at the rodeo, the attention, the sex...the money. It was all good. And he felt guilty about the enjoyment because of what he thought it symbolized. Especially when he was only supposed to be going out there to punish his dad.

“I found a way to be. But only after going through a lot of shit. And I still didn’t do what you wanted me to.”

Hank shook his head. “I know. It’s why I never...why I never pushed again. Gabe, I felt bad about what I did.”

Gabe looked up, his eyes clashing with his dad’s. “You did?”

“But I didn’t know how to take it back. I didn’t know how to make it right after I broke it like that. And I lost you. I knew I did.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that?”

Hank shook his head. “I’ve spent a lot of my damn life asking why I did anything. And it’s only been with counseling I’ve gotten some of the answers.”

Gabe could have gotten knocked over with a damned feather. “Counseling?”

“Yeah, your mother and I started counseling when I retired. When she demanded I change. We had to figure out how. Because God knew I wasn’t going to figure it out on my own. Even with that... I’m not good at making amends. I like to ignore it and pretend it didn’t happen. I’m sorry, Gabe. I’ve been sorry since I hurt you. I want you to have the life you want.”

“So...you don’t have an issue with me doing this?”