Page 94 of Timber's Line

I’m glad these guys are back in my corner. Now, I need to get my girl.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE

TIMBER

Memphis asked me to meet him this morning. I had no idea why. Then secrets came tumbling out. I’m so pissed right now. It’s true, I have no family.

I ignore phone calls from Ivy and Ever. I ignore the texts from my dad and Shane and everyone.

I park at Ever’s house. I know she’s not there, and I go to her barn. I would go to the barn at Shane’s, but that’s where everyone is.

I will have to return tonight for another elimination. Still, for now, I slip into the stall where Ever’s two miniature pigs are. They are so cute. I sit on the floor, and they snuggle up to me. I lean my head back against the stall and cry.

I cry for myself, for Dayton, for my family. I never felt like I belonged, this just makes it true.

“Timber.” I know that voice. Beau.

“What do you want?”

“I’m just here to check on you,” he says as I exit the stall.

“Why?”

“Memphis has cameras. He knew you wouldn’t want to talk to anyone in the family.”

That’s true.

“Let’s go sit by the pond.” He leads me out, and we sit on the ground. I take off my sandals to dip my toes in.

“I know this must be hard,” he says.

“It is. I never felt like I belonged. To know that my real family didn’t want me . . .”

“There are reasons for that, but they need to tell you.”

I don’t say anything, letting that wash over me for a bit.

“I’m sorry for all of this.”

“I didn’t think you cared about me at all.”

He chuckles. “I did and still do.”

“You called me a little girl,” I sniff.

“I’m almost forty, so to me, you are. I don’t mean that in a bad way. I wanted to be with you, but I knew I would hold you back in some ways as I got older.”

“I wanted it to be you at one time.”

“I know. You need someone like Dayton. He’s your type,” he replies.

“He hurt me.”

“Sometimes we keep things from those we love to protect them.”

“Like Skye did?” Skye kept a miscarriage from everyone.

“Yes. She knew it would crush Lincoln and Memphis.”