Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Hey. I know what you mean. I don’t think you’re hitting on me or have feelings for me. What you’re saying makes sense. I think we kissed that night because we were both feeling a lot of things and there has always been a bond between us because of my friendship with Morgan.”
I breathe out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I appreciate that. But back to Tripp, I’ve never felt this way before…about anyone. It’s scary as shit.”
He chuckles. “Love always is. Welcome to the club, brother.” Dusty reaches over and squeezes my shoulder.
“Thank you,” I tell him again, so glad we had this talk. “Please don’t mention Tripp and me to anyone. He isn’t ready to tell Meadow. We don’t want to risk her getting hurt.”
Dusty gives me a simple nod. “I won’t say a word.”
For the first time in my life, it feels like I’m on the right track.
It’s not until later, after Dusty leaves, that I realize he said, “Love always is. Welcome to the club, brother,” and I didn’t have to think twice about the possibility of being in love with Tripp Cassidy.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Tripp
“What have you been up to? I haven’t seen you around as much.” My brother, Bruce, sits beside me in the family room, with the large picture window overlooking my parents’ snowy property.
It’s just the two of us here at the moment. Meadow is playing with her younger cousins and the grandparents, and Bruce’s wife, who is a nurse, had to work today.
“We’re lucky, ya know? To have the family we do.” To have a mom and dad who would do anything for us. Who want to spend time with their grandkids. I can’t help thinking about what I’ve learned about Gregory Swift, and how foreign some of the things I do with Meadow are to Rhett because he never had a dad who did the same. It makes me glad East found Archer because I know the Thorns will love him like their own. Glad that Morgan has Dusty because the James family will be the same for him, and it makes me wish even more that Rhett had come with me today because I want him to have that with my family.
I want him to have everything.
“We are,” Bruce says. “For sure. What makes you say that now, though?”
“Just thinking about some friends of mine. The things you learn about people when you take the time to get to know them. It’s so easy to look at someone from the outside and decide who they are, to imagine they have the perfect life. Or just not see their hardships, and then when you really look or take the time to listen, you see there’s more going on.”
Bruce frowns. “Is everything okay? Do you need something? Is Meadow having trouble?”
See? This is exactly what I mean. I don’t know what it’s like not to have this kind of support, and before Archer got with East and I started to get to know Rhett, I assumed the Swift brothers were the same. “Meadow and I are great. Things are better for me than they’ve been in a long time. Like I said, just thinking about a friend.”
“Okay, well, let me know if you need me to take care of some business for you,” he says playfully, making me snort out a laugh.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, B.” We sit there for a minute, watching the light snow falling. I’m thankful it’s been a mild winter for the UP because too much snow is a hassle, but damn, is it pretty.
I wonder what Rhett is doing. I hate the idea of him being home alone all day. I think he’s spent too much of his life alone, and that’s another thing people didn’t take the time to see.
“Real talk?” I ask Bruce.
“Always.”
I look behind us to make sure no one slipped into the room. “I’m seeing someone.”
“Oh shit. Who? How have you managed to keep that a secret in Birchbark?”
I chuckle. “I don’t think many people would question it because he’s a man.” My being bi is not common knowledge around Birchbark. I’ve never dated a man until Rhett. I’ve hooked up with men in secret, but really, I haven’t been with a whole lot of men. I haven’t been with a whole lot of people in general, since I got married young and hadn’t been looking for anything serious afterward.
Archer knows, of course, because there’s not much Archer Thorn doesn’t know about me. It’s not something I’ve shared with my family, but I don’t have any worries coming out to them. That’s not how being a Cassidy works. We love unconditionally and affirmingly. It’s how we’re built.
“Wow. I can’t pretend there weren’t times when I wondered about you and Archer.”
“No. Never us. He’s a brother to me. And my…” Hell, what do I even call Rhett? My boyfriend? My partner? “Person. It’s even newer for him. No one knows about him, so I can’t tell you who it is, but damn, B. I’ve never felt this way before in my life. Not even with April. It hasn’t even been that long, but there’s no doubt in my mind that I’m in love with him. I just… I worry about Meadow. I always want her to be okay. He’s good to her, so it’s not that, but what if he’s not as serious as I am? What if feelings change and he leaves?”