Page 57 of Rough

“Good. Let him focus his anger on you. Maybe that’ll distract him from Audrey, first off, and secondly, off of buying the Shefield property.”

“You’re not pissed about him?”

“At you?” He looked at me like I was crazy. “Hell, no. You did good. I heard you gave him a black eye.”

I couldn’t help but smile about that.

“That must’ve felt fucking good.”

I nodded.

“What the fuck did you say when I walked up—about killing Mom and Dad?”

I glanced at him, then away. “It’s true.”

“Boyd, you cannot possibly blame yourself for their deaths.” He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me around to face him. “Do you?”

My eyes smarted. “All the fucking time,” I admitted. “I was late at the fair. That put us in the canyon during the storm.”

“Mom called and said they would be late because they’d been chatting with another pack family that had moved away.”

“She did?”

“Yeah.”

“I remember them talking with the Gundersons when I finally showed up, but not her calling. It must’ve been when I went to take a leak.”

“She told me they were waiting for you but were glad you got behind because they’d have missed their friends otherwise.”

“I thought… I was unharmed in the rock slide, but I’d been trapped. I shifted, my first time, to get out of the wreckage.”

“Fuck.” He yanked me in for a hard hug. “None of that shit was your fault, you goddamn idiot.” He held me so tightly, I couldn’t breathe. After a moment, I hugged him back.

All the pain and hurt washed together, the loss of Audrey and our parents. I’d been wrong. I’d thought like a kid all this time. Assumed. It didn’t bring them back, but it made it… easier.

I finally pushed Rob away and shoved my hands in my pockets. I’d wished I’d talked to Rob years ago, but I’d stayed away. So much time I’d been wrong, that I’d been angry at myself. That I thought Rob hated me. Blamed me.

I cleared my throat. “I called Shefield’s heir.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. He left his property to a niece. She’s in graduate school for music. Seemed nice. She’s not sure what she’s going to do with the place but knows about Markle’s offer. I told her I’d match or beat any offer he made.”

“Are you serious?” Rob studied my face in surprise. “With what money?”

“Dude. How can you not have noticed?” I pointed to my huge belt buckle. “I am a fuckingworld championbull rider. I’ve made a fortune, and I haven’t spent a dime. I figured the time would come when I’d find an investment that interested me.”

Rob peered at me. “And this is it? Buying the ranch next door?”

“She said she had no interest in selling to anyone, so we don’t have to worry about Markle getting the land.”

He slapped me on the shoulder. “See, you’re dealing with Markle. I never would have thought of contacting Shefield’s heir. Since she’s not selling, you still going to settle here? I thought you couldn’t wait to get away from Cooper Valley.”

I picked up another stone but didn’t throw it. I rolled it around between my fingers. “Truth is, I couldn’t wait to get away from here. From our parents’ death and feeling like a fuck-up. Turned out, no matter how far I traveled, it never went away.”

Rob shook his head. “Boyd, I am sorry if I ever made you feel that way.”

I knocked the hat off his head. “Yeah, you did. All the fucking time.”