Page 17 of Break the Barrier

It is a small town, and our allotted friends were a small bunch, but the friendships we made were fierce and strong.

CT is one of those people who showed his loyalty rather than spoke it. He’s always defended what was his, and after last year, I was certain he would keep on defending our family for life.

The spring weather was finally picking up, letting the sunshine in through the trees and down into the valleys of the mountain. It was chilly enough that I had to wear my vest and long sleeves still, and Thea had on a warm-looking hoodie, keeping the chill off.

However, as we moved, the slight breeze gave us the chills enough that I found my arms that were around her to guide the horse, wrapping in tighter, holding her a little more firmly.

It wasn’t completely necessary.

But then again, neither was this ride. Neither was her coming here to see me or agreeing to said ride.

I couldn’t put my finger on what was happening, all I knew was that something was.

I can’t tell if it was something I was ready for or not, but I’ve never felt like this about a woman in my life. And I certainly have never held myself back like I did with Thea.

Thinking on it, I know that I don’t want to scare her off or broach the subject when she is going through what she is.

Right now, I am the only one she trusts enough to keep her secrets, to help her through her vulnerable time.

This fact meant a lot to me. It wasn’t foreign to me to be the one people relied on.

My mom relied on me after my father left years ago to help raise up the boys and keep them in line. My brothers relied on me if they got into trouble and didn’t want to tell Mom about it or if they needed advice. Lue relied on me for literally everything.

Although, I frown to myself, it seems I rely on her a little bit too.

I was still thinking about what my mom told me about Lue not hanging out with friends because her dear old dad was lonesome.

I need to fix that too.

Now Thea was relying on me. For some reason, this seemed like a bigger deal than almost any other time, and I can’t put my finger on why.

My horse climbs until we hit a ridge that overlooks the property we just came from, and I hop off, taking Thea down after. She grabs on to my shoulders and lets me hold her for a minute when her feet touch the ground.

Her eyes meet mine, and I swear her eyes go to my mouth before she smiles shyly and turns away.

“Oh, wow.” Her voice is breathless, and I tie up my horse before going behind her, staring out at the view. It was a hell of a view to be sure. “This is fantastic.”

“Yeah, this is my favorite spot.”

“It’s a good place to get away.” She crosses her arms, her gaze looking out and mine stuck on her face.

We stand for a moment in silence, taking in the scene, the fresh air and the quiet of the moment, watching as the sun descends behind the mountains. We can’t stay for too much longer, or we’ll be a little vulnerable out here.

“So.” I clear my throat. “Was there some reason for this great surprise?”

Thea turns to me and smiles. “Oh, yeah. I guess so.” She reaches into her crossbody bag and pulls out some papers. “This is from the lawyer. Your copy of everything. I didn’t think you’d want to explain everything to CT, so I was going to give it to you in private.”

I take the papers, but I don’t look at them. “Thanks. You doing okay with everything?”

Thea takes a deep breath and looks out over the mountains. She shrugs. “It is what it is, but I have to say.” She pauses and bites her lip, a slight blush rising in her cheeks.

“What is it?” I ask with a grin. The side of Thea I was used to seeing is the no-bullshit side, the bar owner who took nobody’s shit, the one who stood up for everyone else.

But what I was seeing now is the side that is about her, and when she is dealing with shit about herself, it seemed that she is shy about it.

“I’m really grateful to have you at my back for this.”

My chest swells with pride I don’t deserve to have. But it comes down to the fact that she trusts me, that she put her faith in me to help her overcome a difficult situation.