Page 92 of Chasing Home
“Wanda gave you your father’s address? I haven’t had a chance to ask you how your meeting with her went.”
“It went . . . alright. She gave me his address, amongst other things. Most of which were warnings and examples of how shitty of a father he is,” Rory replies, that blissful look in her eyes stomped out.
“Lee Rose is a selfish bastard. Leave him in the past, Aurora,” Wade says, his tone as stern as the one he adorns before every breeding season.
Safety isn’t an option; it’s a necessity.
Eliza rests a hand over the one Aurora has clenching the edge of the table and scoots forward to peer up into her eyes. “I told him about Lee being your father. I was curious if he remembered much more about the Roses than I did. Your grandfather helped on the ranch from time to time, and they spoke often.”
“And did you remember more?” I ask Wade when Aurora doesn’t show any sign of being upset with Eliza. “Have you told them about her?”
He stares across the table at Rory. “No, I didn’t tell them about her. And I didn’t remember anythin’ of use. They’re good people, James and Bernice. If you want to meet them, I can make that happen. I guarantee they’ve got more of the answers you’re lookin’ for than we do. If you want my advice, I say talk to them instead of goin’ to your father. This town, it’s better for you.”
“I need to meet him. Even just once. I should have that right,” Rory says, back straightening. “I’ve spent the past thirty years of my life thinking my mother never knew who my father was because that’s what I was told. I could have known who he was the entire time. Maybe that wouldn’t have changed anything, but I’ll never know now. If this is the only chance I have to see him face to face and ask why he left, then I’m taking it. I know the risks that come with that just as much as I appreciate your efforts to protect me from them.
“If he’s as bad as everyone says, then that’s for me to see. I just . . . I want this done with. I want to move on with my life without this hanging over me. Okay?”
Silence falls over the table. I look nowhere but at Aurora, my heart in my throat and stars in my eyes. A rush of adoration fills me from head to toe, and I lean closer to her without meaning to.
The determination in her expression has my dick trying to punch a hole through my jeans as I spread my legs to alleviate the pressure. This is my fucking dream girl, and I want nothing more than to take her back into my bedroom and keep her there for the rest of our lives.
I never could, though. She deserves room to run, and as long as I can be beside her while she does, I’ll leave the door wide open.
“Okay, sweet girl. When are you leaving?” Eliza asks.
Aurora doesn’t hesitate. “As soon as possible.”
“And you’re goin’ with her?” Wade’s focused on me now. “You’ll take care of her? Beat that fucker’s ass if he steps out of line?”
“I will,” I declare. I’ve already gone over every outcome in my head five times over. Lee Rose already hates his hometown, but I’ll make it my personal mission to make sure it hates him more if he hurts Aurora the way I fear he will.
He nods just once. “Then go. We’ll make do without you for a few days. But sleep in again like you did today and we’ll be havin’ a very different conversation.”
“Thank you,” Rory says, blowing out a long breath.
Eliza pats her hand. “You’re family. And we take care of our family out here. No matter what.”
I can see the moment her words hit Rory. The visible shake of her features has me pulling my chair toward her until we’re so close my knees jam into her thigh. I wrap my arms around her and pull her into my chest, kissing the side of her head while meeting Eliza’s waiting stare. Her concern is evident, but so is the love she feels for the woman in my arms.
All I can do is nod, hoping she can tell that she isn’t alone in that department. It’s nice seeing someone else who cares this much about Aurora showing it. There are so many of us now, and it pains me that she doesn’t have any idea.
In this moment, I decide to make it my mission to help her experience this feeling over and over again. I’m done allowing her to feel so alone when we could fill a football team’s roster with the number of people who care about her and still have leftover players.
Cherry Peak was exactly where Aurora was supposed to be, and if I have anything to do with it, she’ll be staying for as long as possible.
Not just for me either. But for her. For the family that she deserves.
31
AURORA
With tears dripping down my face, I launch the box of letters and memories down the attic hatch and listen to the box fall to the floor. I follow after it, too pissed off to care about the gasps my mom releases when she sees the lies spilled all over the floor.
“Aura,” she whispers, squatting above a collection of torn-open letters.
“What the fuck is this, Mom?”
“It’s . . .” She trails off.