He shook his head. His rigid profile broke my heart. “I was brand new to the position. Sebastian was experienced, but he was arrogant and he made a major mistake. He didn’t listen to the financial managers at the sites. Their data was in the report, along with Sebastian’s reasoning why we should move forward with building more wells and hiring the personnel to do so. I should’ve caught it.”

He was opening up about what felt like a personal failure, but it wasn’t bringing him relief. He looked the same as he always did. Tense. His jawline hard, like he could cleave diamonds with it. Like he didn’t realize the wall he’d constructed around his emotions was as formidable as the Hoover Dam. He’d taken DB’s words to heart all those years ago, like the obedient oldest child he was.

Did Gentry know? Had he only added pressure, not understanding what Grams’s and DB’s words had done? All Gentry knew was that Aiden had taken the blame and was making up for it well beyond what his penance should be. Gentry didn’t understand what motivated his son, and Sarah wasn’t around to tell Aiden that he was only human and it was okay to mess up. That she was proud of him no matter what.

All Aiden had were the words “man up” when he’d been a grieving thirteen-year-old.

He had isolated himself, cut himself off from support. He wouldn’t listen to anyone who told him to back off of being a perfectionist. None of us had known what was driving him—an unbalanced sense of responsibility because he’d been taught not to ask for help.

He’d let all those families down. He was the reason they’d moved and found themselves in a new state with no job. He was the reason some of them had ended up stranded, divorced, or homeless.

Other than defending his resolution to always be better, no matter the cost, he didn’t have anyone to talk to.

Had he ever?

He didn’t talk to me. What would I have said? The same as Gentry. It’s not your fault. Quit beating yourself up. You don’t have to work so hard.

What else had gone on that Aiden had weathered alone?

“You can talk to me, you know. I mean, really talk to me, Aiden.”

He glanced at me, then slid his eyes back to the road. “I know.”