Amelia gets up on her knees. “No way, storms aren’t scary, they’re fun.”

“Fun?”

“Daddy and I go on the deck to watch them.”

Grayson and I used to do that as well. We would go in the back of his truck, watching the electric storms on the other side of the mountains. I had a ridiculous sense of false security because he convinced me that the tires would prevent us from being electrocuted, ignoring the fact we were in the metal truck bed.

“There has to be something,” I tell her.

Amelia taps her finger on her lips and it’s so easy to forget she’s only four years old. “I know!”

“You do?”

“He’s afraid of me.”

“Oh? Are you scary?” I ask with my voice dramatic at the end.

“Yes! Look!” She lifts her little fingers and growls. The laughter is instantaneous, and I grab her, tickling her sides.

I get why he will give up his own happiness for her. You protect the ones you love. You protect your child, even if it means cutting out your own heart.

Chapter 17

Grayson

Everything at this property is a mess.

It’s in the middle of nowhere, smells distinctly like cow shit no matter where you are, and needs to be completely gutted.

“How the hell did Dad think this was a great investment?”

Oliver shrugs. “The fuck if I know.”

“Why did you agree to come here?”

“Do any of us have a damn choice? He said he bought land and said I should go. After the breakup with Devney, I was all too happy to leave Sugarloaf.”

I know that feeling all too well. If Jessica had stayed in Willow Creek, I would’ve begged to take one of these locations, even if it meant I lived in cow pie hell.

“Jessica knows his brother,” I tell him.

“I’m aware, she was in the crash with him.”

It seems that everyone was aware of that except for me. “Have you spoken to her?”

“Jessica? Yeah, she was at the party last week. The one you somehow got out of.”

I didn’t get out of it, I just didn’t go. There’s absolutely no reason I need to pretend we’re this idyllic family to keep my mother happy. She doesn’t give a shit about any of us or what we want. It’s about appearances and status. Two things I give zero fucks about.

“I had plans.”

He smirks. “Sure you did.”

“I had no idea she was going,” I say as we enter the lobby area.

“Would that have changed your plans?” my little brother asks, and I have the urge to put him in a headlock.

“No.”

“Liar.”

I flip him off. “Let’s see what you screwed up and needed me to come out and fix.”

He groans but leads the way back into the office.