Page 27 of Afterglow

She smiles like she can hear the thoughts in my head, but it’s sad and doesn’t reach her eyes. “I know, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. You’ll be a great dad, Bryce. I’ve always known that; so did Sarah. She’d be happy you’re getting the chance to be one. Leanne will come around, I know she will.”

I let my eyes drift across the ranch—over the pastures where the horses and cows are grazing, to the mountains that will be capped with snow in the next couple of months and the blue sky dotted with clouds—and I breathe in the fresh air. Not sure I can say anything to that. Not right now anyway.

“I should go,” Becca says, breaking the silence. “Thanks for the coffee.”

She squeezes my shoulder and studies me for a moment, her dark eyes likely picking up on the anxiety bubbling beneath my skin. As she opens her mouth to say something else, the rumble of a side-by-side rends the air and she spins quickly to watch it pull up in front of my house.

The expression on her face when she turns back around makes me laugh, and it relaxes something that was feeling so tight in the area around my sternum. She’s begging me with her eyes to get her out of having to talk to Will, but she knows she’s trapped.

His heavy footfalls sound on the boards up to the porch and she stiffens. I tilt my head, silently saying, Oh come on, he’s not that bad. She narrows her eyes at me as if to retort, He is that bad. How is he your best friend?

Our silent conversation is cut short when Will drapes an arm over Becca’s shoulder—earning him a glare. He laughs good-naturedly. This is just how they are. Hell if I know why.

“Hey, darlin’,” Will says.

She shrugs out of his grip, completely ignoring his greeting, and leans down to place a kiss on my cheek. “I’ll see you soon, yeah?”

“Yeah. Drive safe, please.”

“You sound like Dad,” she scoffs.

When she stands, her eyes flick over Will. It’s a quick perusal of his faded dusty jeans, his work boots, and black T-shirt before she offers him a nod and nothing else.

“Come on, Bex, you really gonna do me like that?” He pouts, pulling his backward ballcap off his head so his dirty-blond hair shakes free.

“I’d never do you like anything,” she replies, and he barks a laugh and watches her walk away, wishing the little wave over her shoulder was for him.

Will is one of the nicest guys I know, but for as long as I can remember, she’s barely tolerated him.

When she finally drives away and he can drag his eyes from her brake lights, he looks at me.

“What was Bex doing here?” He takes her vacated seat, placing his hat on his knee, and picks up her coffee cup to finish off what’s left. He grimaces. “Jesus, that creamer is disgusting.”

My shoulders shake with the comfortable laughter I’ve always found with my best friend. Ever since he came back from veterinary school to join his dad’s practice, which happens to provide care for all the animals we have on the ranch, we’ve been close. And we got even closer after the accident. He was the one picking me up off the floor when I folded in on myself, and then picking me up at the bar when I’d had too much to drink. It was a dark time, and he was a solid friend. I don’t know what I’d do without him in my life.

I shove his shoulder. “She came to see me… and you scared her off.”

“Nah, I didn’t. It looked like she was already leaving. Why do you think I rushed up here so quick?”

He must’ve been down at the barn. I hadn’t even noticed his truck.

“Ah, so you enjoy being snubbed by her then?” I quirk an eyebrow at him.

He leans back in his seat with a smirk. “Deep down, she loves me… She just doesn’t want to admit it.”

“Right…”

“So, she came to see you? How come? You were looking pretty serious…”

Of course he picked up on the vibe, even from afar. For all his horsing around, Will’s an observant guy.

I tilt my head side to side, trying to decide if I should tell him about Leanne’s pregnancy. On one hand, he’s my best friend and I could use his support. But on the other, I don’t know how to share this kind of news. With Becca I just blurted it out on the phone through my panic over Leanne being so sick, but this is different.

“Dude, you look so nervous right now. What’s going on?” Will’s voice gentles, and when I finally look at him, there’s creases between his eyebrows.

Blowing out a breath, I nod and ask, “Do you remember the woman I told you about…? The one who was driving me crazy leading up to her sister’s wedding?”

“Oh yeah, man. You called her the Wicked Witch of Montana.” He chuckles, running a hand through his hair before returning his cap to his head.