Collide (The Barker Triplets 2)

“Nope. What’s up?”

“I’m not sure if you know this or not, but Bobbi is working for Billie now.”

Irritated, Shane’s eyebrows shot up. “And I should care because…”

Logan took another sip of his coffee before placing it onto his desk. “I’m not exactly sure what happened between you two last week, though judging from your mood I have a pretty good idea. I just…”

Christ, here we go.

“What?” Shane asked. “You gonna warn me off? Tell me that she’s bad news and that I’ll end up a fucking mess again?” Shane ran his hands through his hair and shrugged. “You don’t need to do that anymore, Forest. I’m a big boy now. We laid down the ground rules before anything happened. We had sex. Just sex and nothing more. Just for one night. I got her out of my system and I’m good.”

Logan leveled his gaze. “You’re good.”

“Yep.”

Keep saying and you might believe it.

“So why the hell have you been such an asshole all week?”

Shane was quiet for a few moments as the old anger rolled through him. His hands balled into fists and he had to work real hard to keep his breathing controlled.

“I’m surprised you haven’t heard,” he said eventually.

“Heard what?”

Shane sank into the seat opposite to Logan’s desk, his long legs sprawled out in front of him as he took a moment to gather his thoughts—to make the chaotic anger inside him, smooth and controlled.

“My father is back in town.”

At Logan’s frown, Shane exhaled. “For good. He’s moved back with his wife and my little sister who isn’t so little anymore. She’s in high school if you can believe it.” He ran a hand over his chin and shook his head. “God, I haven’t seen Eden in nearly five years.”

“Shit,” Logan said gruffly, grabbing his coffee and downing it in one long gulp.

“Yeah,” Shane answered. “And that’s not the half of it.” He glanced down at his work boots. “He came by the carriage house last Saturday. He knows I finally met with my grandfather’s lawyers and he’s pissed that White Hall was left to me. He offered to buy it back – says he can’t let me have it and I know it’s because he thinks I’ll fuck it up. Ruin everything.”

“And?”

Shane glanced at Logan sharply. “I turned him down.”

“But you haven’t even been out there. I know that the farm’s manager, Steve Mathews, has been trying to get you to agree to a meeting for months.” He shook his head. “Seems to me like you don’t want it.”

“I want it.” The words fell out of his mouth before he could take them back. Before he could berate himself for even thinking them.

He looked Logan straight in the eye and spoke firmly so there was no way his friend could misunderstand. “I want White Hall but I don’t deserve it.”

“It’s been four years, Shane.” Logan stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Your grandfather would never have left you White Hall if he didn’t want you to have it. If he didn’t think you deserved it.”

Shane shook his head, his throat tight, his mind shadowed with memory. “You don’t know what happened that night. The things I said to him…the things I did.”

“No, I don’t and I don’t want to know. But here’s the thing, you paid your debt and you’ve been given a second chance.” Logan leaned forward. “Your grandfather wanted you to have a second chance. So why the hell are you throwing it away? You want White Hall? Then do something about it.”

Logan pushed off from the desk and crossed over to the office door. He paused, his hand on the knob. “A few months ago when Billie had my head so screwed up I didn’t know which way was up or which way was down, you told me that that life was too short to not take a chance on something that was good. Something that was meaningful. Someone that I wanted.” He cleared his throat. “You were right about that Gallagher, so maybe it’s time you listened to your own advice.”

“Easier said than done my friend.”

But the room was empty and Shane was talking to himself. He sighed heavily and jumped to his feet. The only way he was going to get through this day was to dig in and finish the damn bike he was working on. Once he clocked out, he’d go home and lose himself in his art.

In this crazy life that belonged to him, it was the one thing that grounded him. Calmed him. Kept him sane.