He’d been an all-star quarterback, so he didn’t correct her.

“I wanted her to marry me as soon as she graduated.”

“And Heather wanted that, too?”

“Heather wanted to go to college first. I didn’t want to wait. In the end, we compromised. We got married, and she went to the community college in Vail instead of going away to a four-year school.”

Ellie studied him. “I think I see where you’re going with this.”

“Do you?” He leaned toward her. “Heather cheated because I boxed her in. It was my fault. I pressed her to marry me. Her parents pressed her. I was heir apparent to the Diamond Bar Ranch. My family had money, social position. Heather craved freedom. I should have seen it, but I was too busy making plans for the future. Too busy working to build the ranch I’d someday own.”

“And after you were married?”

He scrubbed a hand over his face, weary of the conversation. He hadn’t talked about Heather and his failed marriage since the day she’d walked out. Hell, he’d never really talked about it.

“My father died a year after we married, and I took over running the ranch. I’d been working on the Diamond Bar since I was a kid. It was all I ever really cared about. I worked long hours, didn’t spend the time I should have with Heather. After a few years, she got restless and started cheating. The first time I found out, I pretended not to know. The second time I caught her, I filed for divorce.”

He sighed. “Maybe if I’d tried to work things out, she’d still be alive.”

“Or maybe not. You had certain expectations when you married her. I imagine she knew what those were.”

“She knew I wasn’t the kind of man who would tolerate a woman who cheated, if that’s what you mean.”

“Would you have let her go if she’d been the one to ask for a divorce?”

He’d thought about it after Heather had left. “I’d loved her since high school. I would have let her go if it would have made her happy.”

Ellie’s big green eyes remained on his face. “Then your failed marriage wasn’t entirely your fault. Heather knew the rules. She decided not to play by them.”

He just stared. No one had ever said anything like that to him before. He had blamed himself, and no one had ever disagreed. Not Heather’s family. Not his mom, who had died a few years after his dad. Not his brothers, who mostly stayed out of his life. Not even Sam. Kade looked at Ellie, and something loosened in his chest.

He rose behind his desk. “If we’re done here, I’ve got a ranch to run.”

Ellie stood up across from him. “Thank you for being so honest.”