“Wow.”
He pulled over and parked. He turned my way with a wink. “I guess it does sound like a cult, doesn’t it?” He chuckled. “Many think that, I believe. But we’re a family. I’m so grateful my dad loved this place so much he couldn’t bear to sell it. Bentley felt the same way. Maddox wasn’t as big on the idea, but even he grew to love it here.” He climbed out of the golf cart and took my hand. He turned and swept out his arm, indicating the area of houses. We had been climbing elevation in the cart, and below us, the houses looked like a little village spread out with the water and trees a lovely backdrop. “They made this place so we’d have roots. It’s my favorite spot in the world. It’s not for everyone, and many come and go, but it’s our nucleus, and we all find our way back for important times. Family times.”
“I see why you love it.” I paused. “Your house…” I trailed off, unsure how to say what I was thinking.
“Is sort of empty?”
I thought about the layout. The sparse décor. One chair and a still-in-the-box TV in the living room. When I’d peeked in, his bedroom held only a bed and a dresser. All the other rooms were vacant. The kitchen cupboards had the basics, but that was it. When I thought about it, his condo in Toronto was much the same. It looked as if he were either just moving in or getting ready to move out. As if he were in limbo.
“Rather,” I said.
“I’ve been in between the two spots for so long,” he admitted. “The condo was easier to stay at for work, but my heart was here. Yet, when I was here, I couldn’t put down roots, as if I wasn’t ready. I’ve been living half lives in both spots.”
“You’ll move here now the company is opening up?” I asked, feeling sad he would be so far away and wondering what that meant for us. I certainly wouldn’t see him very much. I was shocked how distressed that made me feel.
“Not right away. We’re doing a slow transition until everything is set and running. We’re working on a schedule.” He gripped my hand. “I’ll still be around. I’m not going anywhere, little bird. We’re going to work this out. I promise.”
His words made me feel better.
He tugged on my hand. “Come with me.”
We walked through the trees, the area familiar. When we broke through the woods, I knew why.
“This is where we came for the picnic!”
“Yes. I come here because it’s right at the edge of the property. BAM owns everything behind us and as far as the water’s edge. This bluff is the last of it. We leave it undeveloped for many reasons. Privacy, wildlife, and the fact that it’s so beautiful. I don’t think they had the heart to disturb it. I always came here when I was younger. When Paul and Jeremy drove me crazy and I needed to be alone. I could see the water, feel the wind on my face, and hear the silence. I was the only one who ever did, for the most part. It felt like my special spot.” He paused before confessing. “We came from the other direction when I brought you. We parked just beyond those trees.”
“So your family wouldn’t know.”
He sighed. “Yes.”
He sat down on a huge boulder, his legs splayed. He gripped his thighs, meeting my eyes. “I shouldn’t have kept who I am from you. Who my family is. I kept telling myself, by not saying anything, I wasn’t lying. But I was. I was hiding. Partly to protect myself, even though I knew you were nothing like Loni, and partly because I didn’t want to have to share.” He laughed. “Then today, they meet you and fall as hard as I did. And I realized what an idiot I had been. It doesn’t matter if we’re in a room full of my family or alone—you still make me feel like Ronan. Just me. All you have to do is look at me, and I am more me than I have ever been.” He shook his head in wonder. “I risked you, us, because I was stupid.” He reached out his hand. “I will never lie to you again, Beth. I promise. Give me a chance. Let me be Ronan with you.”
I slipped my hand into his and let him pull me close. I stood between his legs and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. With a sigh, he buried his face into my chest, pulling me close. I felt the weariness in him, the need of his huge body melding to mine. I ran my fingers through his thick hair, smiling at the groan of satisfaction that escaped his lips. He nuzzled closer, and I loved how he felt next to me.