Strong Enough (Meet Me in Montana 4)

“You want to tell me how it’s Merit’s fault?” Brock asked, anger evident in his own voice.

I sighed and took off my hat and placed it on my lap. I scrubbed my hand over my stubbled face. I hadn’t shaved in more than two days, and it felt rough on my palms. “It’s not her fault. I didn’t mean that.”

“You’d destroy her completely if she ever heard you say that.”

With another sigh, I replied, “Don’t worry, I would never say those words to her.”

“Good, because in case you hadn’t noticed, this has taken a toll on Merit, as well. Her own father is in rehab, and according to Timberlynn, her parents might be getting a divorce. Her losing your father has been devastating to her, too.”

That caused me to jerk my head around and look at him. “What do you mean, her folks might be divorcing?”

He shrugged. “Tanner told me. Timberlynn and Merit have grown close over the last month, and Merit opened up to her about her father’s drinking problem. She didn’t tell Timberlynn why, but Timberlynn thinks Roger might have cheated on Lori. That’s why he started drinking so heavily, the guilt of it all.”

I felt my eyes grow wide with shock. “Damn, I didn’t know that.”

“Well, Merit doesn’t really talk about it, Timberlynn said. Lincoln mentioned the few times they’ve all gotten together for lunch or to hang out that Merit is pretty tight lipped when it comes to her father. And that over the last month, Merit seems to have fallen into a depression.”

“Depression?” I asked, knowing it had been about a month or so since we were together.

Brock looked at me. “I don’t know, but I can tell she’s not herself. I mean, it’s been awhile since I’ve really been around Merit, but I’d like to think I still know her pretty well, and she is for sure carrying a burden.”

“Well, she has Michael, so I doubt he’ll let her take the brunt of it all.”

He gave a half shrug. “Yeah, probably not.”

Brock pulled up and parked. There was a plethora of cars parked all down the driveway and into a side field that looked like a temporary parking lot.

“You okay?” Brock asked.

“I will be as soon as I get a drink in my hand.”

He placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “I’m here for you, Dirk. Any hour of the day, anytime. You know that, right?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and gave him a nod. “I know. Thanks.”

With a few deep breaths, I opened the truck door and climbed out. I could feel my heart pound in my chest and in my ears as we walked into the house. Each room was filled with people my folks knew. It looked like damn near all of Hamilton had come to the celebration of life we were having in honor of my father.

Smiling, I shook hands or gave someone a hug or kiss as I made my way through the house and toward the informal living room where I knew Ty Senior kept the good whiskey. The kind he and my father would knock back whenever they were together.

When I finally got away from a majority of the folks, I slipped into the living room. Sitting there was Kaylee with Timberlynn, Merit, and Tanner.

Merit lit up when our eyes met, and she smiled. I gave her a tight smile and tried to ignore how the pressure in my chest eased up and I was able to breathe a little better at the mere sight of her.

“Dirk,” Kaylee said as she stood and made her way over to me. I smiled when I saw her waddling over. She was due next month, and I swore she was carrying two boys in that stomach of hers and not just one.

“Hey,” I said as I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You look…”

“Big?” she joked.

I laughed. “I just saw you two days ago, and I swear you’ve gotten bigger.”

She grinned. “Ty thinks so, too. Of course, he’s so proud to have a strong, growing son.”

“I’m sure he is.”

Kaylee was a good friend, and someone I knew I could always count on. I had zero romantic feelings toward her, and even though Ty would constantly tell me to stop flirting with his wife, he knew our friendship was strictly platonic. In a strange way, I always wondered if I’d become so close with her simply because I was longing for my friendship with Merit. But my feelings toward Merit were a complete one eighty from my feelings for Kaylee.

When I let my gaze wander back over to Merit, my smile faded slightly. She looked so tired, and her eyes seemed so sad as they bounced back and forth between me and Kaylee. When they landed on me, there was a look on her face I’d seen before. I fought to remember exactly when—and when the realization hit me, I nearly stumbled back.