Page 4 of Forever Enough
Leaning forward, I placed my drink down on the coffee table. “Josh, you’re not a disappointment to him. Or to your mother.”
“Then why are they both so pissed at me?”
I paused for a moment, trying to think of the best way to word what I was about to say. “I also don’t think they’re pissed at you. Shocked, even worried, maybe?”
“Worried? Hell, you know how dangerous it is to ride bulls. I don’t see Uncle Dirk or Aunt Merit forbidding you to do what you do. And when you left school to ride professionally, they weren’t mad at you.”
I gave a half-shoulder shrug. “I don’t think they were happy, and my end game was always to come back to the ranch, helping Dad run it. But that still doesn’t mean they like it. I know for a fact my mother hates that I ride bulls. I know I worry her. I know she worries about Avery in France. Hell, she’s still growing up, and our parents aren’t part of her life, but they let her do it because it’s something she truly wants. I think if you sat down with your mom and dad and talked to them about it, they’d understand how important it is for you.”
He slowly nodded and set his own glass down on the table. “I don’t think I like scotch.”
Laughing, I stood, and he followed.
“Talk to them, Josh. I promise you, they’re going to support you in this. I know they will.”
For the first time since he’d walked up to me earlier, the worry in his eyes turned to hope. “Thanks for talking it out with me, Bradly. Damn, I wish you were home more often.”
The ache was back, and I had to fight my instinct to rub my chest. “I do too. We better get back before they call for a search party.”
By the time Josh and I returned to the living room, it was clear Christmas game night was about to happen.
“You should have stayed hidden,” Avery said as she walked up to me and Josh.
With a groan, he asked, “What game did they decide on?”
Avery rolled her eyes. “Dominoes.”
“No!” Josh and I said at the same time.
Arguing started as Rose and Morgan tried to suggest we should skip game night and just do presents, since the snow was starting to come down harder and the night might have to end early. I wasn’t entirely sure who in the hell had come up with the idea of doing a game night before we opened Christmas presents, but it was one tradition that the kids in the family were not fond of.
Grams wasn’t buying into Rose and Morgan’s argument and insisted we play one game. Game night was a serious thing in the Shaw family.
Maverick appeared from down the hall and announced he and Lily needed to leave, because she was feeling sick. I could see half the room glaring at both of them. Kipton and Hunter looked especially mad, as if Lily and Maverick had used the same excuse they were going to throw out in order to leave early.
“Bradly, could you give us a ride back to my place?” Maverick asked.
Before I had a chance to reply, Tanner jumped up and yelled, “I can!”
Grams huffed. “Nonsense. You’ll get home and say you’re tired and not come back. Go on and take them home, Bradly—and come straight back.”
Feeling like I dodged a bullet, I smiled and replied, “Will do.” I followed Maverick and Lily down the hall to where we’d left our jackets. “What about your gifts?” I asked.
Lily smiled. “Mom said she’d bring them home for us.”
With a wide grin, Maverick slapped my back. “Thanks for taking us back.”
“No worries at all. The last thing I wanted to do was play dominoes.”
Lily chuckled as we made our way out to my truck. Snow had been predicted for tonight, with heavier stuff not expected until tomorrow. By the look of what was falling, Rose and Morgan had been right. It was coming sooner rather than later.
“Look, it’s starting to snow earlier than they predicted,” Maverick stated, reading my mind.
“Oh, I love that it’s snowing!”
Maverick laughed. “It’s been snowing for weeks, Lil.”
“I know, but there’s something so romantic about snow falling on Christmas.”