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“I do hate her though,” I continue. “My standards are a lot higher now than they were in high school. I don’t let women treat me like I’m disposable, not anymore. She didn’t just break my heart, she put it through a meat grinder.”

My gaze moves to the window overlooking our property, trying desperately to find peace in the familiar landscape. Bobby travels all around the United States, but I’ve never wanted to be anywhere except right here on the ranch.

The snow-capped mountains cut an impressive shadow against the slowly rising sun, and soon our world is going to be blanketed in clean, white snow.

A fresh start.

A blank slate.

A chance for new beginnings.

Right when Ashley comes back into town.

“People change,” Cade replies. “She isn’t an eighteen-year-old girl anymore either. And I was always sure there was a lot more to the story than what everyone around town assumed.”

“But she never even had the decency to share her version with me.”

“No,” Cade agrees, “And I guess I can sympathize with her because it took me a long time to tell Victory my truth. Ashley might be as guilty as everyone assumes, and maybe she even deserves your hatred. But what if she doesn’t?”

“Guess I’ll never know.”

“You could know.”

“Fuck off.”

“Very mature.”

“So says the king of maturity himself,” I quip.

“All I’m saying is there are multiple sides to every story.”

Like the dutiful wife Cade asked me to be, I rise from the table and fill a travel mug of coffee for him. We’ve been friends since we were born, and he’s my brother as much as Bobby is. It’s a true gift to have bonds with people that you know can’t break.

“Are you worried about what people will say if you talk to her again?” Cade asks.

It’s a reasonable question because even if I wanted to date Ashley again – and Idon’t– there isn’t a single person in my life who would be onside.

My parents despise her, Bobby and Victory think she’s a bitch, three-quarters of the townsfolk want to kill her, and the other quarter wants to run her out of the state.

It wouldn’t be an easy path.

But that isn’t the reason behind my hesitation.

The things that are worth it in life never come easy or else everyone would have them.

“No,” I reply honestly. “I would have stood by her no matter what anyone said. People in small town America have long memories, that’s for sure, but my family is a pillar in this community. We’d find a way to make things right. But I genuinely don’t want to be with her.”

I pass Cade the mug and walk with him out to the truck, noting that the snow is already starting to fall ahead of schedule and there’s a sharp bite of cold in the air.

“I’ll pick up Victory and Aidan,” I say. “Just head here after work so it’s less driving for you.”

Aidan has become a surrogate grandchild to my parents. They probably assumed they’d never get any of their own, and that’s definitely correct on my end.

Bobby will carry on the family name and I’ll just stick with raising cattle.

Watching my two brothers and best friends find the loves of their lives has made me even more tired of the casual hookups I was already getting sick of participating in.

I haven’t bothered to have a woman in my bed in a very long time, and it hasn’t been for a lack of opportunity. The older I get, the less I’m willing to just have meaningless sex with people I don’t give a shit about.