“Say something,” I say to Chloe.

She shoves the cardboard box labeled bathroom in the back of my truck. “I don’t know what to say. What do you think he’s hoping to get out of this?”

“I don’t know.”

“Forgiveness?” she asks, shaking her head. “Because I don’t think I can give that to him, Linc.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Mom put us through hell, and he stood back and watched.”

“I know.”

“And then he joined in. That was his choice,” she says, her voice rising with each word.

“I know.”

“Do you?” Hands on her hips, Chloe narrows her eyes. “Because I’m starting to wonder.”

“Fuck. Yes, Chloe, I know. I was there, remember? I have the scars to prove it. But he’s our dad. Never in a million years did I think he would offer up any form of an apology. But he has, and I’m not sure I can live with myself if I ignore it.”

“Yeah, well, maybe you’re stronger than me.” Chloe brushes past and grabs another box, depositing it in my truck alongside the others.

“I’m not stronger than you. This has nothing to do with strength.”

“Then what does it have to do with?”

“I don’t know,” I say, tossing my hands up in the air. “Peace, maybe?”

“Peace.” She whispers the word as if she’s never heard it and then takes a deep breath. “Yeah, well, if you find peace, let me know. Until then, he can stare at his precious fucking pictures and pray for forgiveness, because that’s something he sure as hell won’t be getting from me.” Her eyes fill up with tears, and she tries to turn away.

“Damn it, Chloe.” I pull her into my arms, grateful that she lets me. “I wasn’t trying to upset you, and I’m not going to just forgive him and pretend none of it happened. Can we forget about this, please? I really don’t want to argue with you.”

Her body relaxes, and she finally puts her arms around me. The memories of all the times she would cling to me at night when we were kids pop into my head. I tighten my grip on her and kiss the side of her head.

“Me and you,” I whisper.

She nods and sniffs. We stand like this for several minutes before I grip her shoulders and pull back.

“Let’s get you out of this dorm. How does that sound?”

“Like music to my ears.”

We spend the next several hours packing shit up, and when we’ve got the majority of it loaded in my truck, we drive to Rose’s and begin the daunting task of unloading it.

“I’m so excited,” Rose squeals, holding the door open while I lug in box after box.

“Me too,” Chloe answers. “I can’t tell you how excited I am to get out of student housing.”

“Oh, I bet. You’re going to love it here. Come on, I’ll show you your room.”

The girls disappear and then show their faces again when all the heavy lifting is done.

“One more trip to grab the things from your desk and your bedding, and that’ll be it.”

Chloe bites her lip. “Do you mind? I know it’s been a long day, but—”

“I don’t mind.” My phone buzzes in my pocket, and when I see it’s Adley, I answer.

“Hey. How’s the study group going?”

“Good. That’s sort of why I called. We decided to go to The Broken Boot to grab a late dinner. I was wondering if you’d like to come. You know, since we’re a thing and all.”

I turn and look at Chloe. “I, uh…I would love to, but I’m helping Chloe out with something right now.”

“Oh. Okay. Well, tell her I said hi.”

“I will. Adley?”

“Hmm.”

“If I wasn’t in the middle of something, I’d be there.”

She lets out a breath, and I picture her smiling. “I know you would.”

“Are you going to be out late?”

“No. Maybe a few more hours at the most.”

“Okay. I’ll see you at home.”

Home. Never thought I’d associate that word with a woman.

We end the call, and Chloe tilts her head and smiles at me.

“What?” I ask.

“What did Adley want?” she asks.

“How do you know I was talking to Adley?”

“Because you only get that dopey look on your face when you’re talking about her.”

“Who’s Adley?” Rose asks, her eyes darting between me and Chloe.

Chloe gives me a you tell her look, and I frown.

“She’s my…girlfriend.” The word falls from my lips more easily than I expected, and Chloe beams.

Rose’s eyebrows raise. “Girlfriend? I didn’t know you were seeing anyone.”

“For about five months now,” Chloe answers. “She’s super sweet.”

“Wow.” Rose’s smile is a little too bright. “That’s great. Congratulations, Linc. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks.”

“So, what did she want?” Chloe asks.

“She invited me to come hang out with some of her friends. But I told her I was busy helping you.”

Chloe’s jaw drops. “What? No. Go hang out. Rose and I can get the rest of my stuff. Right, Rose?”

“Yeah, sure. Absolutely. You should go.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Chloe laughs. She grabs my shoulders and pushes me toward the door. “Call her back and tell her you’re on your way. Better yet, surprise her. Girls love that shit.”

I hesitate, and Chloe gives me a final shove out the door. “Go.”

* * *

I’ve been to The Broken Boot more times than I can count. It’s the go-to place after a bull ride, the best place to get a killer basket of chicken wings, and it’s where I saw Adley for the very first time.

Old man Joe stops me as soon as I walk through the front door. “Heya, Lincoln,” he bellows, clapping me on the back. “It’s been a while. How ya doin’, boy?”

“Can’t complain.” I scan the crowd for Adley and her group of friends, but come up empty.

“That’s good. I hear you’re helping Roy out down at The Barn. Any chance we’ll see you back in the arena anytime soon?”

“Nah, probably not. But you never know.”

He shakes his head, looking disappointed. “That’s a shame. The boys these days have nothing on you and that Allen boy.”

“Well, they’ve got deep pockets and sponsors.”

“Yeah, well, that’ll only get ya so far.” He takes a drink of his beer. “You meetin’ somebody here? I ain’t seen anyone from The Barn walk in tonight.”

“Yeah, but I don’t see her.”

“There’s a whole group of people in back.”

“Thanks.” I pat Joe on the shoulder.

“Don’t be a stranger.”

I nod and turn for the back of the bar. I hear Adley’s infectious laugh before I see her. When I walk around the corner, my eyes are drawn directly to her. Head tipped back, she’s laughing at something someone said, and I stop so I can watch her. She must sense my presence, or feel my gaze, because she lowers her head and turns toward me.

Somehow her smile grows when she sees me, and then she’s out of her chair, walking across the room, ignoring whatever the guy next to her was saying. Fucking hell, she’s beautiful. Her long dark hair falls down her shoulders in loose waves. She’s wearing jeans, a tattered concert T-shirt and a pair of chucks, and she’s never looked as gorgeous as she does right now. And for the first time in five months, I can touch her and kiss her, and it doesn’t matter who’s watching because she’s mine.

Adley stops in front of me and opens her mouth to say something, but I cup her face in my hands and slant my mouth over hers. Soft hands wrap around my neck, curling into my hair. She presses her body against mine. We hear a few catcalls, and when I pull back, she rubs a finger over her bottom lip.

“What was that for?”

“Because I wanted to. And I can.”

“Well, feel free to do that any time,” she says with a smile. “What are you doing here? I thought you couldn’t make it.”

“Chloe didn’t mind me bailing on her a little early.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I was helping her move. She has to be out of student housing by the end of the month.”

Her smile falls. “Lincoln, why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve helped.”

“That’s why I didn’t tell you. You needed to study.”

“Now I feel bad. I never would’ve pulled you away if I’d known that’s what you were doing.”

“It’s okay.” I kiss her forehead, and she sighs. “We got the majority of it done. She only has a few more things left to get. She actually insisted I come.”

Adley purses her lips and nods, although I can tell she stills feels bad about it. “Thank you for being here. It means a lot to me.” She grabs my hand and glances back at the table. “Would you like to meet my friends?”

“I’d love to.”

Lacing her fingers with mine, Adley leads me to the group. “Lincoln, this is Emily, Jack, Tyler, Phillip, and you already know Abby.” She points to each one as she introduces them. They all smile, and Abby waves. “Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Lincoln.”

“Boyfriend?” Jack looks taken aback. “I didn’t know you were dating anyone.”

There it is. I knew these fuckers wanted to get into her pants. But my Adley looks up at me adoringly. Her smile takes my breath away. I don’t know what I did to deserve this woman, but I’m not letting her go.

“We’ve been seeing each other for about five months,” she says.

Jack’s eyes linger on Adley a little too long before he clears his throat and says, “That’s great. Congratulations.” He holds his hand out, and I shake it. “Nice to meet ya, man.”

“Yeah, you too.”

“Can you scoot over?” Adley whispers to Jack.

“Uh, sure.” He scoots his seat to the side, allowing Adley to slide an empty chair in next to hers.

I wait until she’s seated before I sit down. “Aren’t you guys missing one?”

“Taryn had to get home.” Adley’s hand finds mine under the table. “We ordered a bunch of appetizers. Are you hungry?”

“Starved. Today was crazy, and I didn’t get a chance to eat lunch.”

“What do you do?” Emily asks

“He’s a bull rider,” Adley answers.

I squeeze her hand and correct her. “Former bull rider. I stopped riding professionally after last season. Now I mostly train other guys.”

Emily’s eyes widen. “A bull rider, huh? That sounds dangerous.”

“It can be if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Do you have leather chaps?” Abby asks, grinning. Everyone stares at her, and she shrugs. “What? It’s a legitimate question. Bull riders are hot. Bull riders in leather chaps? Even hotter.”

“She’s right,” Adley agrees.

Phillip, Jack, and Tyler roll their eyes.

“I knew I liked you.” I hold out a fist, and Abby reaches across the table to bump it.

“Is it anything like riding that thing?” Emily asks, tossing a thumb over her shoulder at the mechanical bull.

“That’s Cheryl, and fuck no, it’s totally different. But she’ll give you a good ride,” I say, distinctly remembering last year when I watched the horror on Rhett’s face as his girl, Mo, climbed on Cheryl’s back.

A voice in the back of my head reminds me that I still need to talk to Rhett, tell him about Adley and me. Fuck, I probably need to talk to all of her brothers. And the sooner the better.

Rhett has been a rock in my life over the last five or so years. We haven’t talked a whole lot since he moved back to Heaven—he’s been busy with wedding stuff and building his house—but that’s no excuse. I can’t keep putting this off.

“A girl was on there when we first walked in. It looked kind of fun,” Abby says.

“Get up there,” I coax, but Abby shakes her head, and everyone at the table laughs.

“You don’t know Abby very well,” Phillip says. “She’s a bit…”

“Careful,” Tyler says.

Phillip nods. “I was going to say safe, but careful works.”

“There is nothing wrong with being safe,” I tell Abby, who is frowning. “But if you want to get up there and try it, I can help you.”

“I wanna try,” Adley blurts, surprising us, and the first thing that pops into my head is what Rhett said to me when Mo mounted Cheryl.

“You just wait. Your time is coming, and when it does, we’ll get the girl you love up on Cheryl and see how you feel about it.”

The girl I love.

Is that what this is? Love?

My eyes snap to Adley’s.

After watching my parents rip each other apart, I swore I’d never fall in love. But now that I have some perspective, I don’t think I ever really stood a chance with Adley. She’s too sweet and beautiful and perfect and… I love her.