Page 51 of Roots of Redemption (Hicks Creek #4)

Chapter Forty-Five

Wade

“ W here’s Sutton?” Caleb asks for the third time two days later.

The nurse just checked his vitals for the last time before his release, and he’s sitting up in the hospital bed, his leg propped up in a brace. His color’s better than it was when they brought him in, but he’s still pale, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion. He’s healing, but it’s going to take time.

“Hey, fellas,” Sheriff Clark says as he walks into the room. “How ya feeling, Caleb?”

“Better,” he says with a smile.

“Good. So, I remember Caleb saying that he thought there was a collar on the cougar that attacked him. I did some digging and questioned Mr. Carter. It seems that they had approached someone out at the plantation house looking to buy the property. They were run off, but not before Reed had realized they had some exotic animals on site. They went back and tranquilized that cougar because it was the easiest to get to. They held him in a cage for days without food or water and then set him loose out by your property.”

“He was so hungry, that’s why he wasn’t afraid to come up so close to the property,” I say.

“Bingo. I didn’t want to believe the reports about a cougar on the loose. I’ve heard stories about drug dealers using them and near-extinct animals to keep people away, but I didn’t think it was possible.”

“What about the skunk ape?” Caleb asks.

Clark chuckles. “Well, Bishop has been saying for years that there’s one out there, and it seems like you had a sighting.”

“I did,” he says softly as he looks down at the railing of his bed.

“Seems like that Langley woman had gone into the quarantine pens when they visited the various ranches and exposed the cattle to lepto. Every rancher said the same thing, that the cattle were doing good but the day after Reed and his cohorts visited, a few mysteriously died or got worse,” Clark explains.

“What kind of sick person does that?”

“An evil, money-hungry person does. They would go to any lengths to get the rights to the ranches at a low price so they could make more money off whatever they built here. They had Bob Nance believing that Sutton poisoned his herd after she rescued him,” Clark says.

“What a mess,” I say with a shake of my head.

The nurse comes in with a wheelchair, breaking the silence. “All right, Mr. Callahan,” she says cheerfully. “Let’s get you ready to go.”

Clark nods before ducking out of the room. The nurse helps Caleb into the chair.

The drive back to the ranch is quiet. Caleb’s dozing in the passenger seat, his head leaning against the window.

The hum of the truck’s engine and the rhythmic crunch of tires on gravel are the only sounds.

My mind’s spinning, though. I told Sutton I was fine bringing Caleb home alone.

I saw the hurt in her eyes when I said it, and I instantly wanted to take it back. For some reason, I didn’t.

When we pull up to the house, Caleb stirs. He blinks at the sunlight streaming through the windshield, his brows knitting together.

“Where’s Sutton’s truck?” he asks, his voice groggy.

“She’s checking on her dad. I told her I wanted to do this with you alone.”

I kill the engine and step out of the truck. By the time I round the hood to help him out, he’s staring at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“Dad,” he presses, “I heard the two of you talking. I thought everything is okay.”

I ignore him, focusing on getting his crutches from the backseat. “Let’s get you inside,” I say instead.

He doesn’t budge. “Dad?”

“Everything is okay. I just…I wanted to make sure you were okay with Sutton moving in with us and…”

“Are you crazy?” He gasps. “Of course, I’m okay with it. I already told you this. I hope you marry her.”

“This is different than you telling me she’s a good woman. This is a big change that affects you, too.”

“I’m okay with it.”

“Are you sure? You’re on pain meds…

“Dad, is this a joke?” he deadpans. “Of course, I’m okay with it.”

He finally takes the crutches, his movements slow and deliberate as he gets out of the truck.

Inside the house, Mom’s waiting in the kitchen, her face lighting up when she sees Caleb. “There’s my boy,” she says warmly, pulling him into a careful hug. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I got run over by a truck,” he jokes.

Mom fusses over him, making sure he’s comfortable on the couch, bringing him a glass of water and a blanket. I retreat to the corner of the room, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed. Caleb’s watching me.

“I’m not going to break, Dad. I want Sutton to move in. I’m okay with it,” he says. “I’ll call and tell her myself if that helps.”

“You just rest,” I say with a laugh and a shake of my head.

I walk out of the house and start out toward the barn.

I stop and lean against the tailgate of Dad’s truck, staring out at the field as the sun dips low on the horizon.

It’s quiet, except for the soft rustling of the wind through the trees and the occasional chirp of a bird.

Usually, this kind of evening would calm me, but tonight, it’s doing the opposite.

My chest feels tight, and my head’s spinning with thoughts I can’t seem to untangle.

Dad comes up next to me, leans on the tailgate, sipping on a cold beer, his face relaxed like it always is. He’s got that way about him, steady as a rock, even when the world feels like it’s falling apart. I envy that sometimes. Right now, I’m anything but steady.

“You’re quiet tonight,” he says, breaking the silence. “That’s usually my thing.”

I let out a dry laugh. “Just got a lot on my mind.”

He doesn’t push, just nods, and waits. That’s one thing about Dad. He’s patient. He’ll sit here all night if he has to, waiting for me to spit it out. Eventually, I do.

“It’s Caleb,” I start, my voice low. “And Sutton. I just… I’m worried I’m rushing things. With her, I mean. Caleb’s been through so much lately, and now I’m dropping this whole relationship in his lap, like, ‘Hey, here’s someone new to care about.’ What if it’s too much for him?”

Dad takes a long sip of his beer, then sets the bottle on the tailgate beside him.

He turns to face me, leaning one elbow on the truck.

“You’re not dropping anything on him, Wade.

You’re giving him something. Someone. Sutton’s good for you, and she’s good for him, too. Don’t let your fear twist that.”

I scrub a hand over my face, sighing. “It’s not just fear.

It’s responsibility, Dad. I’ve got to think about what’s best for Caleb.

He’s been through hell the last few days.

The attack, the hospital… it’s a lot. And now I’m over here trying to figure out how to fit Sutton into all of that.

I…” I trail off, shaking my head. “I love her. I do. But what if it’s too much? ”

I’ve been so steady, so certain all this time, but why am I not right now? When things are happening and I’ve said I love you, why am I backtracking?

Dad chuckles softly, the kind of laugh that’s more knowing than amused. “You’re scared because it’s all real now.”

I glance at him, frowning. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’ve already decided, whether you realize it or not. You know Sutton’s the one, but now you’re second-guessing because it’s not just you anymore. It’s her, it’s Caleb, it’s the three of you figuring out how to make this work. And that’s scary as hell. But it’s not a reason to back off.”

I let his words sink in, but they don’t quiet the storm in my head. “She gave up her dream job. What if she regrets it and resents me later?”

“That was her dream job. Dreams change. She told you as much. Why can’t you accept that?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been in a real relationship before, Dad. What if she gives up her dreams for me and I can’t get my shit together?”

“Dang boy, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen you scared like this. You’re normally so confident.”

“What if I can’t fix something, Dad? What if I mess up again?”

Dad laughs outright this time, a deep, hearty sound that makes me scowl. “You’ll never be able to fix everything, son. You’ll go crazy trying to. And as for messing up? You’ll do that, too. A lot. Probably daily. Welcome to being human.”

I roll my eyes. “Thanks for the pep talk.”

He grins, but his tone softens. “Wade, listen to me. A good relationship isn’t about fixing everything or never messing up.

It’s about grace, love, and patience. It’s about showing up every day and putting in the work, even when it’s hard.

Especially when it’s hard. You’re gonna make mistakes.

Sutton will, too. So will Caleb. But if you’ve got grace for each other, and if you keep choosing love, day after day, you’ll get through it. ”

I stare at him, the weight of his words settling over me. “You make it sound simple.”

“It is simple,” he says, “but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

You’ve got to be willing to get uncomfortable, to have the hard conversations, to admit when you’re wrong.

And you’ve got to let go of this idea that you’ve got to fix everything.

Some things aren’t meant to be fixed, Wade.

They’re meant to be lived through. Together. ”

I don’t say anything for a minute, just stare out at the field, the sky painted in shades of orange and pink. Finally, I nod. “I hear you. I do. It’s just… I don’t want to screw this up, Dad. I don’t want to screw her up. Or Caleb.”

“You won’t,” he says firmly. “Because you care. Because you’re thinking about this, worrying about it. That means you’re already a step ahead. And Sutton? She’s strong. She’s not some fragile thing you’ve got to tiptoe around. She’ll be right there with you, working through the mess.”

I nod again, swallowing hard. “I love her. I really do.”

“Anybody with two eyes can see that. So stop overthinking it,” he says with a grin. “Love her. And let her love you back. The rest will fall into place.”

I let out a breath. I know he’s right. I’m making this more complicated than it needs to be. All I can do is take it one day at a time, with Sutton and with Caleb. We love each other and that’s enough.

“Thanks, Dad,” I say quietly.

He claps me on the shoulder, his grip solid and reassuring. “Anytime, son. Now, let’s head inside. I’m starving, and your mom’s making pot roast.”

I smile, following him back toward the house. For the first time in days, the tightness in my chest eases just a little. Maybe I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve got people in my corner. And right now, that’s enough.