Page 34 of Aisle Be The Groom (Bristlecone Springs #1)

GRAY

F or the umpteenth time, I checked my phone. Ozzie would have reunited with Carter already. What were they talking about? Was he sticking to the plan of us facing the criticism together and loving each other anyway? Or did one look at my son remind him of feelings he might still have for Carter?

The nausea in my gut that made me light-headed had nothing to do with my concussion. I couldn’t do any work on the ranch, so I had way too much time to think. And to conjure up many scenarios, which all resulted in Ozzie going back to Carter. Despite the rational side of my brain reminding me we’d cheated and Carter wouldn’t forgive us for it, the part of me ruled by my feelings for Ozzie was still terrified of losing him.

For years, my life had revolved solely around the ranch. I’d never been celibate. I’d had hookups, but no one had come close to making me feel the way Ozzie did. He was the rainbow in a cloudy sky. For so long, I’d thought of the ranch as home. Until Ozzie showed me home wasn’t a physical location. It was where the heart was the most settled. It was where the heart was at peace. It was where the heart was happiest. And that was with Ozzie.

I’d spent over four decades on this earth and finally understood what love was.

My phone vibrated, pulling me out of my thoughts. Pascal. Just who I needed to talk to.

“Hey, Pas.” I muted the television and rested the remote on my thigh. “What’s up?”

“Haven’t heard from you in a while. Thought I’d catch up. How are things at the ranch?”

“Good, good, good.”

Pascal chuckled. “That’s one too many ‘good,’ my good man. Something wrong?”

“I don’t know yet.” I spilled my guts about sleeping with Ozzie. When I was finally finished, the other end of the line was silent. I couldn’t even hear his breathing. “It’s bad, isn’t it, Pas?”

“Fucking hell, Gray. I-I don’t know what to say.”

I swiped a hand over my face and groaned. “I’m not pretending like it’s okay. I know it’s not. Carter’s fiancé should have been out of bounds, but…”

But nothing. Ozzie should have been off-limits, period.

“I know you had a thing for him when he came here that Christmas. Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t over it?”

“I thought I had it under control. Physical attraction alone means nothing. I never counted on liking and understanding him this much.”

“Like? Sounds to me like you’re in love with him.”

What was the sense of hiding it? “I am.”

“And he feels the same?”

“Yeah. We’ve been spending so much time together, and the more I do, the more I’m convinced that I was right last year. He’s the one, Pas. He is the one.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m divorcing Emma.”

“Oh shit. This is serious.”

“It is. As soon as my divorce finalizes, I’m gonna ask Ozzie to marry me.”

“This is going to turn the town upside down.”

“The gossip will eventually die down.”

“You sure this is worth damaging your reputation? You’ve always been private.”

Ozzie’s sparkling eyes and bright smile flashed through my mind. “He is worth everything. I’m willing to be the bad guy this time for him.”

“Okay, my friend. As long as you’re sure. And you can count on my support. Seems like a good thing I’m moving back to Bristlecone.”

“Wait…what?”

“That’s why I called. Figured I should let you know before I pop up in town with all my belongings.”

“When did you make that decision?”

“Things haven’t been working out in Florida, but don’t worry about it. I’m not hankering to go back to the ranch. In fact, I’ll be there sometime next week to scope out a property that would be an excellent choice for a bed-and-breakfast.”

“Damn, you’ve made up your mind already. What does your boy think?”

Pascal gave a bitter laugh. “What does he have to do with anything? We’re no longer together.”

“Man, I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

“It’s all good. I knew what I was getting into with him. Didn’t expect the relationship to end so soon, but that’ll happen when you walk in on your partner fucking the gardener in the garage, but it’s better I found out when I did.”

“Ouch.”

“Have to be careful with these younger men, Gray, especially given we’re loaded. Let’s hope yours is better than mine.”

“Ozzie isn’t like that.”

Pascal grunted. “Time will tell.”

I didn’t hold his belief against him. He obviously had cared more about his boy than he’d let on. The hurt bled into his words and what he refused to say, but it had no bearing on my relationship with Ozzie.

“The minute you get here, you call me,” I said. “We’ll sit over the pit, talk about our rodeo days, and get shit-faced drunk.”

Pascal laughed. “You’re on. Well, I gotta go. Will keep you up to date.”

“All right. Take care of yourself, Pas.”

“You too. Good luck. Carter’s a brat, but I hope he forgives you for this.”

Pascal’s words rested heavily on me long after the call had ended. He’d been so happy with his ex, and I’d enjoyed seeing him that way. It’d been way too damn long since he’d been in a steady relationship with anyone. I’d hoped he would be happy.

Feeling restless, I went to the porch and sat in the chair. The afternoon heat was ripe, but I didn’t return inside. Horses plodded along idly, their heads low as they grazed. This land was my heartbeat, my lifeblood. It was what I woke up to every morning and what lulled me to sleep at night.

Was I willing to divide it with Emma to be with Ozzie?

In the distance, dust billowed, and a vehicle came into view, but it was too far away to make out whose it was. Were they back? I clutched the armrests, a familiar flutter of anticipation settling in my gut.

Instead of Matty’s truck, a silver car neared and screeched to a halt a few feet from the porch. The car door opened, and a black stiletto heel emerged, followed by another. Emma got out, her blond hair gleaming in the sun. She removed her sunglasses, then slammed the door shut.

Her confident strut set me on edge, but I stayed put. I couldn’t avoid her forever, and we still had a lot to say to each other.

“Well, you’re getting your heart’s content.” She stopped in front of me, pulled an envelope out of her purse, and waved it at me. “Just my luck to be served with divorce papers while I was in town making arrangements for myself and the son you wronged.”

“Emma, I already told you about the divorce. Why do you act like it’s a surprise?”

“And you conveniently left out that you were divorcing me for your son’s boyfriend.”

Groaning, I rubbed my temples. “For the last time, I didn’t intend to hurt Carter. Come on, you know how much I love my kids.”

“Hah! You have a weird way of showing it.”

“Can’t we talk about this in an adult manner?”

“I am pissed off at you, Gray.” Her eyes flashed.

“Why don’t you say the real reason you’re angry?”

“Carter—”

“This isn’t about Carter.” I lowered my voice. What I was about to say would sting, but I couldn’t hold back any longer. “You’re upset because I’m willing to sacrifice the ranch—the one thing I used as an excuse for us not working out—for someone else.”

The angry lines in her face softened, and when she inhaled, her chin quivered. My stomach tightened. Me falling in love with Ozzie had hurt her, but I’d never intended that to happen. There was just no getting around it. Our relationship would always hurt the people we cared about.

“Why wasn’t I good enough?” she whispered. “You gave so many excuses why you couldn’t leave the ranch, why you couldn’t leave Bristlecone Springs. But it was never about the ranch, was it? It was always me. You didn’t love me enough.”

“But can’t I say the same about you, Em? That you didn’t love me enough to stay? That Denver meant more to you than me?”

The truth stretched between us, unmasked and raw. Still, to have it out in the open felt like a relief.

“I guess that means neither of us loved the other enough to make the sacrifice necessary to keep us together.”

“We had good years together. It just didn’t work out. We don’t need to blame anyone for that. I truly wish you well, Emma.”

She glanced away, shaking her head. “This isn’t about me. It’s about them.” She pointed toward Matty’s truck. They were home. “I’m going to support my son in this.”

“Of course. I’m glad he has you at a moment like this when I’m the villain. The only thing I want to ask of you is not to make it any more difficult than it will be. Allow us to talk father to son.”

“And the man who stole his fiancé.”

I groaned, squeezing the armrests to control my frustration. “Please, Emma. You think I don’t know I’ve done him wrong? I can only beg for his forgiveness and hope like hell he still allows me to be a father to him. That’s all I want.”

“Then do what you need to.” Emma entered the house, closing the door quietly behind her. The truck drew nearer, the dust kicking up behind it ominous. My heart pounded as it pulled into the yard. The engine died, and for seconds, nothing happened.

Matty emerged from the driver’s side. I took my cues from him, the quick shake of his head, the tension in his shoulders. Things hadn’t gone well. Torn between opening Ozzie’s door and greeting my son first, I stood rooted to the spot.

Matty opened the door for Ozzie, and I breathed easier. At least someone else in the family treated him kindly. Ozzie made a beeline for me, his smile resembling a grimace. A few inches away, he stopped as if uncertain how we should proceed. He’d already made the first move approaching me. I took the step of bridging the gap between us and taking his hand.

“How did it go?”

“As well as expected. It’s not a pleasant situation to be in for anyone.”

“I’m sorry you had to do it alone.”

“It’s okay. I know you wanted to come with us, but there are certain things I needed to say to Carter alone. I’ll go in and give you two some privacy.” He pressed a kiss to my cheek. Although it was a chaste kiss, it wasn’t that of a friend but of a lover.

Carter got out of the truck, his movements slow as if every step sapped him of strength. He clenched his jaw, his gaze on where Ozzie’s lips had met my skin. Eyes so similar to mine darted between Ozzie and me, then fell to our intertwined hands.

“At least we’re not pretending anymore,” Carter said, his voice rougher than I’d ever heard. “My fiancé and my dad, how rich!”

Ozzie trembled against me. I squeezed his arm. “It’s okay. I’ll talk to him. Go on in and rest. You look a little flushed from the heat.”

With a nod, Ozzie slipped into the house. Turning my attention back to Carter, I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what would be the hardest conversation of my life.

“Carter, how was your flight?”

“You mean the flight I was on, making preparations for a wedding that won’t happen because you thought my fiancé was fair game?”