“Did you cheat to win that thing?”
Kaci’s eyes lit up at the sound of Dirk’s voice. She turned and rushed over to him. “Brock didn’t say you were back in town too!”
Dirk grinned down at my wife like he was looking into the gates of heaven. I pretended it didn’t bother me that he was still just as much in love with her as I was.
Frowning, I carefully watched them.
“I’ve missed you, ya big dork. Are you being careful?”
Dirk nodded. “Always.”
It struck me then that Kaci had said the very same thing to me this morning.
Dirk looked my way. Seeing the look on my face, he took a few steps back.
It was then that Kaci faced me. She put a huge smile on her face and said, “I’m so happy to have both my guys back. It feels right.”
The memory left what felt like an ache in the center of my chest. Kaci had told me that night that she wanted a baby. I thought it was too soon. Plus, I couldn’t get the image out of my head of her looking at Dirk the way she had.
We were rushing with the baby; looking back, I could see that. Rushing for all the wrong reasons. I gave Kaci what she wanted because that was what I always did. Kaci had wanted me to take her to prom our senior year, so I’d taken her instead of Lucy Mae. I wasn’t dating Lucy then, but we had talked about going together. Kaci had wanted me to take her to New York City to see a ballet, so I had. Kaci wanted me to tell Dirk we were dating, so I did.
There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t have done for her. And I’d been completely blind to how manipulative she had been. Why? Because I had been so in love with her? Or because I didn’t want her to leave me for Dirk?
Jesus. Either way, I was still fucked up in the head over her.
The sound of Lincoln laughing pulled me from my thoughts. My eyes looked past her to see Dirk standing there, watching us. He raised his hand and waved. I did the same.
A feeling of sickness and déjà vu washed over me. I needed to push it aside. This wasn’t Kaci; Dirk wasn’t in love with Lincoln.
“Brock? Brock?”
My eyes snapped back to Lincoln. “Yeah? Sorry, I was lost in a thought.”
She raised her brows. “I’d say. You looked like you were a million miles away.”
“I was,” I stated, looking back at Dirk, who was now talking to someone. “Listen, how about we head on out of here and go get something to eat?”
Her eyes grew big. “You mean, like real food and not something full of grease and on a stick?”
I laughed. “Yeah, real food.”
The merry-go-round ride ended, and we got off. Blayze informed me he had to try one more time at shooting ducks before we could leave. As Dirk walked up to us, I asked Lincoln if she wouldn’t mind taking him, since I needed to talk to Dirk.
“Sure, I don’t mind at all.”
When I reached into my wallet, she slapped my hand away.
“Please, you’ve been paying all day. I’ve got this.”
I watched them walk away, Blayze lifting his hand and slipping it into Lincoln’s. The sight made my chest squeeze with something that felt like . . . happiness. That was something I didn’t feel that often anymore.
“So, rumors around town are true?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, focusing on my best friend.
“Seems like the latest rumor mill is talking about you and the new city girl dating.”
I laughed. “I’ve only known her a few days. She’s nice, and Blayze likes her.”
He nodded and rubbed his chin before throwing me a wink. “Blayze likes her. Okay, let’s go with that.”
“I thought you were leaving to head to Billings today.”
“Thought I would stick around for a bit. Dad is working on that car. It was nice, hanging in the shop with him last night, just working on that piece of shit and drinking some beer.”
I smiled. “Yeah, I’m sure they’re glad you’re home.”
He nodded.
“I need to ask you something, Dirk.”
Facing me, he smiled. “How to stay on a bull for eight seconds?”
I smirked. “Hardly. This is, um . . . this is serious, though, and I really need you to tell me the truth.”
His smile faded, and he looked back toward where Lincoln and Blayze were.
“Did Kaci ever tell you she wished we hadn’t gotten married?”
Dirk swallowed hard before he looked down at the ground. My heart was beating a mile a minute. When he finally looked up at me, I realized I had been holding my breath.
“No, she loved you, Brock.”
“But?” I added, feeling like there was one coming.
“But nothing, dude. I won’t deny I tried talking her out of marrying you, and she told me once she hoped she hadn’t made a mistake.”