Southern Secrets (Southern 7)

"Well, you should have shared the information with me," I say, and he laughs.

"Would you have listened?" he asks, and it’s my turn to laugh. "Exactly.

"Life is all about mistakes," he says, and I bring my legs up and hug them to my chest. I put my head on my knees as I watch him talk. "Everyone makes them."

"He lied to me, Grandpa," I say, the tears are running down and soaking through my pants.

"Did he?" he asks, and I huff out. "He isn’t Tex."

My mouth opens. "It’s the same thing," I point out. "Omitting to tell me who he was is just as bad as Tex showing up at my birthday party with his wife. Even when I say the words, I know it’s not the same. I know deep down it’s not the same, but the fact that he hid it from me. The fact that he wasn’t truthful. That he lied about who he was."

"Did you ever think about how he must feel?" he asks. "Knowing that you have a family out there after being alone all your life. Knowing that your father just left your mother and you like you were trash."

"He isn’t trash," I finally say. "He’s …" My voice trails off.

"Your father lied to your mother," he says, and my head comes up. "All those years ago, he lied to her about being Ethan’s father." My mouth opens, and he holds up his hand. "He’s Ethan’s father, there is no mistake about it, just as I’m Ethan’s grandfather and I would fight anyone who says otherwise. I love him just as much as I love all of you." He smiles and puts his big hand on my cheek. "But your father made a mistake and lied. What if your mother never forgave him?” He tilts his head, and I see the side of his eyes crinkle when he smiles. "I don’t even want to think of it."

"Me either,” I answer him right away.

"A man steps up when he’s wrong and admits that he fucked up," he says, and I laugh because he curses so infrequently. "He messed up, honey, and he knows it."

"I don’t know if I can forgive him." The truth comes out. "What if I say I do, and I throw it in his face?"

He throws his head back. "You know damn straight you are going to do that regardless. Your grandmother still throws things I did to her when I was seventeen." He looks down. "Can you imagine your life without him?" I don’t answer him. "All you have to think about is how will you feel knowing someone out there will be holding his hand?" The thought makes me sick. "How will you feel knowing someone else is going to love him? If that doesn’t bother you, then let him go." I put my chin on my knees and look at the creek.

Neither of us says anything when we hear a blaring sound of an alarm filling the forest. My grandfather's phone rings and so does mine. "Someone has broken into the utility barn," my grandfather says.

And at the exact same time, I yell out, "Asher!”

Chapter 33

Asher

I pull into the barn parking lot and let out the biggest sigh. I wrap my arms around the steering wheel and place my head on it. Walking away from her for the second time destroyed me. I didn’t think I could do it. I wanted to beg and plead for her to take me back. I wanted to promise never to lie to her again. I wanted to do all of that, but I knew I couldn’t. I knew I couldn’t drag her into this mess with Liam. Until we know where he is, I am staying clear of her.

Pushing off, I head toward the barn. It’s where I’ve been staying the past couple of days. Beau fought with me and so did Jacob and Ethan, but I couldn’t take them up on their offer. I also didn’t want Amelia to feel like they chose me over her.

I open the door to step into the barn, turning to turn the alarm off. I stop dead in my tracks when I see the alarm is already off. I turn around, looking into the dark barn, and the only light is coming in from the open door. "Hello?" I say, flipping the switch and seeing that none of the lights turn on. I take two steps into the barn, and I know someone is here. "Hello?" I call out again and walk a couple of steps in. The light from the top window gives a little light in the middle of the barn. Bales of hay are all around me. I stand in the middle of the room, looking in each corner, when I see a shadow on the right. I watch him walk toward me, the hair on the back of my neck sticks up when I see him finally in the light. "Who are you?" I ask the man who stands there wearing a linen suit. His black hair pushed back with the front strands falling onto his forehead.