They’d talk. Everything would be okay. And then he could stop worrying about his dad and everything would go back to normal.

  * * *

  ••••••

  The longer they sat at the table and talked, Mae saw the way Kane’s shoulders dropped, saw the tension leave his body.

  His father had said all the right things about how he was fine, how great things were. The problem was, Mae didn’t quite believe him.

  Sure, she didn’t know him, like at all. But there was something about his eyes, the way they shifted down every time he said something positive, that made her think he wasn’t being truthful.

  After they cleared the table, Kane’s dad and grandpa went outside for a walk, Donna cleaned up the kitchen and Tess headed outside to go back to work.

  “You going to work outside?” Mae asked Kane.

  He nodded. “Want to come with me?”

  “Sure.” It would give her a chance to have a conversation with Kane.

  They walked outside toward one of the barns. They saddled two of the horses and climbed on, heading out on one of the paths on a slow pace to exercise these beauties.

  When Kane pulled up alongside her, she asked, “So, how’s your dad?”

  “He’s good. I think. I need to sit down with him and talk, figure out what’s been going on. But he seems okay.”

  “Kane, I…I mean, I don’t know him, but he seems…unhappy.”

  Kane slanted a frown as he looked her way. “Why would you say that? You don’t know him.”

  “I know. I don’t know how to explain it, other than I can see it in his eyes.”

  “Nah. You don’t know what you’re talking about. I know him, okay? You don’t. Trust me when I say he’s fine.”

  She didn’t want to argue with him about his dad. Maybe she was wrong and those shadows she’d seen on his face hadn’t been real. After all, Kane was right. He did know his father better than she did. So she’d wait it out and see. He’d talk to his dad. Then he’d talk to her and let her know.

  Hopefully, everything would be all right.

  And if it wasn’t, she’d be there for Kane in whatever way he needed her.

  Chapter

  twenty-four

  Kane loved Thanksgiving. Everything about it, from the morning breakfast casserole to the smell of the turkey roasting in the oven, which drove him crazy for hours on end.

  He’d gotten up early. So had everyone else, because on Thanksgiving everyone pitched in.

  They invited everyone who worked on the ranch over for Thanksgiving dinner—at least everyone who was staying—so it was a big to-do. Kane and his dad and grandpa brought extra tables in from the storage barn, cleaned them off and put fresh linens on while Mae and Tess helped Donna with the cooking.

  Whatever anyone needed, they did it. Kane chopped onions and celery, Dad peeled regular and sweet potatoes and Grandpa set the tables.

  And throughout all the prep, the smell of turkey filled the house, making his stomach rumble.

  Kane noticed that his dad had stepped out back and hadn’t come back inside, so he went outside to see if he was okay. He heard him talking around the side of the house. He started around the corner, then stopped.

  “I told you I was going to the ranch for Thanksgiving, Helena,” Dad said. “I even invited you to come along and you said no. Did you know Kane’s here?”

  He was talking to Mom. Kane paused, listening for the next thing his father would say.

  “It’s not my fault you don’t listen. It’s not my fault we don’t talk anymore or that you’re completely unreasonable about everything. If we could just meet somewhere, have one conversation without fighting—”

  Mom was obviously saying something, because Dad had stopped talking. Kane felt like a rock had dropped into his stomach.

  They had never fought. Ever. And Mom and Dad weren’t talking to each other? Was that the gist of the conversation? What the hell was going on?

  “You can still fly out here. Kane would love to see you.” He waited a beat, then said, “No, of course I haven’t told him anything. Don’t you think we should do that together?”

  Tell him what? His legs felt weak. He backed up and took a seat at the table on the porch, having heard enough. It was a while until his dad rounded the corner, his eyes widening when he caught sight of Kane.

  “How long have you been out here?”

  “Long enough to overhear you talking to Mom. So what’s really going on, Dad?”

  His father sighed, raked his fingers through his still-thick, dark hair. He pulled up a chair next to Kane. “I didn’t want to tell you like this. I wanted your mom and me to be together. The problem is, she’s avoiding the conversation.”

  “What conversation? Just tell me.”

  “Your mom and I have split up.”

  Kane frowned. “What do you mean, you’ve split up? Like, separated?”

  “It started out that way. We tried counseling, but then it became clear there’s no salvaging our marriage. Our lives have moved in opposite directions. We want different things. I’m sorry, Kane. Your mom and I are divorcing.”

  For a minute he lost the ability to use his voice as he tried to soak in what his dad had just told him. “A divorce? But you two have always been so happy.”

  “Not for years, actually.”

  “What? I had no idea.”

  “Of course you didn’t, because we didn’t want you to know.”

  Kane leaned back in the chair. “And that’s why I haven’t seen much of the two of you. Avoiding my premieres, not visiting the ranch here. All so I wouldn’t catch on to your struggles. But why? I’m hardly a kid anymore, Dad.”

  He shrugged. “We both feel like we failed you. We set up an example of a perfect marriage, and now this.”

  “Do you think I care about you two having a perfect marriage? I care about you. About Mom.”

  “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry.”

  “So what happened?”

  “I don’t know. I focused a lot of time and my energy on work. I chased promotions like they were the newest drug. One right after the other, working hours of overtime, traveling all the time, and I was never home. Your mom begged me to quit that job and I kept telling her the reward would be worth it at the end. But she got tired of waiting for something that hadn’t happened. She got tired of waiting for me and she…developed other interests outside of our marriage.”

  Dread filled him. “Mom had an affair?”

  Dad frowned. “Oh, no, nothing like that. Not that I’m aware of, anyway. She’s got all these activities and new friends that keep her busy and happy. She has a knitting group, a book club, she goes to the gym every day with a couple of her friends and she has something called a happy hour club. And I guess I woke up one day and realized that all I had was work and your mom. I had no friends, no social life whatsoever. And I no longer had your mom because she went out and found another life—without me.”

  Kane wanted to feel sympathetic toward his dad, but he couldn’t. “Dad.”

  “Yeah, I know. I brought all this on myself by chasing that rainbow of ‘someday,’ only to discover that the one wonderful thing I had was right in front of me the whole time. And now she wants a divorce so she can continue to live this awesome life she’s carved out for herself. Without me. And I have no one to blame but myself. I let her slip through my fingers, Kane.”

  Kane’s mom was the most wonderful person he’d ever known. Giving and unselfish. He knew it had taken a lot for her to make this decision. If Dad had truly ignored her all these years, then he couldn’t blame her for choosing to move on with her life. Still, it couldn’t have been easy for her to decide to end a thirty-five-year marriage. But damn, he was angry as hell at her for avoiding him just as much as Dad had. They were treating him like a kid and he didn’t appreciate it at all.

  “I want to talk to Mom.”

  His dad opened his hands wide. “You should. I’m going to go inside and tell everyone else what’s going on.”

  “Good idea.”

  After his dad went inside, Kane took a minute to catch his breath. Of all the things he’d expected to hear from his father, a divorce hadn’t been one of them.

  With a heavy sigh, he grabbed a spot at the table and pulled out his phone, about to call his mom when Mae stepped out. She had two glasses of iced tea. She put those down on the table and took a seat next to him.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “Not really.”

  “Your dad’s in there talking to the family. I figured I should step out. It seemed personal.”

  “It is. He and my mom are getting a divorce.”

  “Oh no. I’m so sorry, Kane.” She laid her hand over his. “That must have been devastating news.”

  “Yeah, it was.”

  “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  He looked down at his phone, then up at her. “I was about to call my mom. I’ve heard his side. I need to hear hers.”

  “I’ll leave you alone.” She started to get up, but he held her hand.

  “No. Stay.”

  “Okay.”

  He punched in his mom’s number and it rang a few times before she answered.

  “Kane.”

  “Hi, Mom.”

  “You talked to your dad.”

  “Yeah. He told me everything.”

  “I’m sorry, honey. We should have told you sooner. I guess we were waiting for the right time.”

  He leaned forward. “I don’t think there’s a right time to find out your parents are ending their marriage.”

  “I guess not. Still, I wish I could have been there with you.”

  “Then why aren’t you?”

  “It’s…complicated. Your dad and I aren’t in the best place right now. Me being there? On the ranch, surrounded by his family? That doesn’t feel right to me.”

  “And you think that the family is going to treat you any differently just because you and Dad aren’t going to be married anymore? Don’t you know them at all?”

  She went silent for a minute before she answered. “Okay, you’re probably right. But I’m with your aunt, and I need my family’s support right now.”

  “What about me, Mom? I’m your family. Don’t you think I need support?”

  “This isn’t your marriage we’re talking about, Kane. This isn’t your life. You don’t understand. Your dad and I are taking huge steps to split apart everything we’ve known most of our lives, both physically and emotionally. I need…I need some space. I hope you can understand that.”

  Kane had been wrong about so much, including his mother. “Yeah. Yeah, sure. You take your space. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Kane, I—”

  He hung up before she could say anything else. He knew he’d been short with her, but while his mom and dad had worked through this for months—maybe years—this was all brand new to him. And, to be honest, he was pissed off at both of them right now. Probably an immature reaction, but that was where he was at the moment.

  Mae rubbed his back, a balm to his tortured soul.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice low and soothing.

  “Yeah. Me, too. I didn’t expect this. For her to be so fucking heartless and only think about herself and her own needs.”

  “She’s probably in pain and isn’t thinking clearly. No doubt they both are.”

  He slanted a look at her.

  “I know. I’m not making excuses for her, I just think I understand her motivations. Right now both she and your dad are wrapped up in their own pain and feelings with no room for anyone else’s. They probably think you’re too busy to notice or care what’s going on in their lives.”

  “They’re wrong. And if they’d bothered to talk to me about what was going on, they’d know that.”

  She squeezed his hand. “Of course they’re wrong. And once they’re past this and can breathe again, they’ll both realize it.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not going to dwell on it. If they don’t care, I don’t, either.” He stood. “Let’s go back inside and help out with Thanksgiving prep, okay?”

  He started moving but she stopped him, wrapping her arms around him. He wanted to push her away, to stay aloof, surrounded only by his hurt and self-pity, but Mae was warm and, God, he needed to feel wanted right now. He pulled her closer and breathed in her sweet scent, holding her like that for a few minutes.

  Right now, she was his balance in a world that had been turned upside down.

  And he was damn glad she was part of his world.

  Chapter

  twenty-five

  Mae could tell that the family was doing their best to keep both Kane and James occupied during today’s Thanksgiving festivities. But Mae was focused solely on Kane and his well-being.

  They’d all sat and talked with James about the divorce. Mae had excused herself and gone upstairs. It didn’t feel right to be a part of such a personal family discussion, so she’d busied herself with checking email and tidying up her and Kane’s clothes, and then she’d walked out onto the balcony and enjoyed the beautiful day while she read a book.

  After a couple of hours Kane had come upstairs.

  “You didn’t have to hide up here,” he said, bending over to press a kiss to the side of her neck.

  She reached up to sweep her hand across his jaw. “You needed time with your family. Alone.”

  “Thanks for that. Now I need you, so come downstairs?”

  “Sure.”

  He brightened up considerably at dinner, and she was happy that he had his family around to help lighten the blow he’d suffered today. With the whole ranch crew there, there was no room for personal stuff, which was ideal. It was a real party, and it kept Kane occupied. He ate well, he laughed at Tess’s jokes and after they’d stuffed themselves with some incredible food, they all played poker and drank.

  She was also happy to see that he hadn’t had too much to drink. It would have been understandable if Kane had wanted to drown his sorrows in alcohol. Instead, he’d kept it to a few beers and then switched to coffee, which he’d had along with two different types of pie.

  He seemed okay, but he wasn’t quite himself. He was quiet. Answered questions and engaged in conversation, but she thought she knew him well enough by now that she knew his moods. And this one was still tense. Not that she could blame him. He’d had a hell of a shock today—one you just didn’t get over right away. So he might seem fine on the surface, but underneath there was a powder keg of emotion just waiting to explode.

  James, on the other hand, appeared to be blissfully relieved to have it all out in the open, and maybe that helped to ease some of the tension between Kane and his dad. She wished that Kane’s mom had come, but Mae wasn’t in control of that. She wasn’t in control of anything, frankly.

  And wasn’t that frustrating as hell? She was a helper, which was why she loved the business she was in. Helping people get married, making their dreams come true, was what she lived for. She was good at solving problems, alleviating crises, and calming anxieties. When there was a bride in meltdown? Mae had it all under control. Whatever the problem was, she could fix it.

  But this? Kane’s family falling apart? She did not have this under control. She couldn’t fix this.

  Some things couldn’t be resolved. The best she could do was to be here for Kane and offer comfort.

  Everything started to wind down around ten. Those who lived on the ranch took off. Early for most nights, but everyone had been up at dawn this morning, and would be at it again tomorrow, so they all headed to bed.

  Kane shut the bedroom door and heaved a sigh.

  Mae went into the bathroom, grateful to have a nice soaking tub in there. She turned it on and let the water run.

  “Taking a bath?” he asked.

  “I thought I might.” She leaned against the doorway. “Care to join me?”

  His lips curved. “Tempting. Think we can both fit?”

  “Oh, we’ll fit.”

  She undressed. So did Kane. He got into the tub while she wound her hair up in a bun. She turned from the mirror to see him holding out his hand for her. She climbed in, settling her back against his chest. The water was steamy, and sliding her legs along his felt intimate, and even hotter than the water surrounding them.

  She loved this deep tub that allowed the water to rise around them, covering her. Not that she was cold or anything. Not with Kane’s hot body behind her. She laid her head back and just…rested.

  * * *

  ••••••

  For the first time today, Kane relaxed. Having Mae’s body against his probably had a lot to do with his current state. Today had been a shitshow of emotions, and all he wanted right now was a little peace.

  Mae seemed to instinctively know exactly what he needed—some warmth and comfort. They stayed like this for a while, neither of them saying anything or even moving. It felt peaceful, serene, to just be with each other without feeling the need to talk.

  God, the last thing he wanted was to engage in conversation. He was talked out and his mind needed to rest.

  She sighed. A deep inhale followed by a long sigh. He wondered if she was getting uncomfortable.

  He swept his hand over her, his fingers resting on her rib cage below her breasts. “You okay?”

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  He smiled. Yeah, he was good, too. Really good, in fact. The hot water and Mae’s warm body were really doing it for him. The only thing he needed right now was—her.

  Just the thought of her, the feel of her, the way her body had started to shift against his—made him harden. When she turned around and straddled him, his breathing quickened and all he could think about was sinking inside her and losing all sense of time and place, being only with Mae.