you still have a lot to learn... about yourselves, about life. I don’t give a damn about what people might think. I care about the two of you and I don’t want to see your hearts broken or our family torn apart when this inevitably ends.”
James squeezed my hand. “Don’t you think we’ve considered that?” he asked her. “Willow and I know how much we have to lose if this doesn’t work out. That’s why we tried to stay apart. But we couldn’t, because we love each other. You know if our situations were reversed and Willow and I admitted we were dating before you and Cole did, this wouldn’t even be an issue.”
Renee stared back at James with narrowed eyes. “Maybe you’re right. But that’s not how things happened and all that matters is reality. James, I love you more than anything else in this world. But I’m not blind. I’ve noticed that in twenty-six years, you’ve never once had a serious girlfriend. You’re not ready for the kind of commitment it would take to make this work. And you,” she said, turning to me. “Have you thought about what this could do to your professional reputation?”
“I thought you said you didn’t give a damn what people think?” James reminded her, his voice full of restraint. I put my hand on his forearm to calm him and met Renee’s gaze.
“I thought long and hard about that,” I assured her. “And I don’t think it will be a big deal. Like James said, we’re not related. And the fact that you’re marrying my father won’t change that, not biologically. I know people will talk, initially. But then they’ll see that we’re just like everyone else.”
Renee shifted in her seat and stared at us with intense frustration. Our confidence in our relationship seemed to be irritating her worse than anything. She looked away from us, took a long drink of her coffee, and sat her mug back on the table. She looped a finger through the handle and pushed the mug in circles while she gathered her thoughts. Finally, she cleared her throat and met my eye again.
“Do you really think you’ll be able to deal with James being gone for long stretches once he qualifies for the PBR Tour?” she asked, her brow furrowed with doubt.
“I’m not going on the tour,” James said.
“What do you mean you’re not going on the tour?” Renee demanded, her hot eyes flying to him. “You’ve dreamed of qualifying since you were a little boy. You’re suddenly giving up your dreams? That’s just another sign that this is a bad idea.” She stared down at our joined hands and then looked up at me and scowled. I pulled away from James and folded my arms across my chest.
He rolled his eyes. “You hate that I bull ride,” he argued. “Besides, Cole needs me here. I’ve taken on quite a bit of the workload since he’s been sick.”
“We appreciate that, James. But we could hire someone to replace you. I do hate that you ride. But I love that you have something you’re so passionate about. I won’t sit by and watch you give up your dream for something that will only bring you pain.”
James cleared his throat and stood up. I had no idea what he was doing, but I followed suit.
“Mom, it’s clear that we’re not going to come to an agreement on this today. I love you, but I’m a grown man. You don’t get to tell me what to do anymore. With all due respect, if Willow and I want to be together, you can’t really do anything about it,” he said, his voice firm and his jaw set.
Renee straightened her shoulders and pushed her chair back. “You’re not going to dismiss me so easily,” she said, rising to her feet. “And you’re not going to be together. For the love of God, Cole’s heart is just starting to get strong again. You want to give him this kind of shock, this kind of disappointment? Well, I won’t stand for it.” She shoved her chair under the table, tossed her plastic mug into the sink, and turned back to us, hands on hips.
“Let me tell you what’s
James squeezed my hand. “Don’t you think we’ve considered that?” he asked her. “Willow and I know how much we have to lose if this doesn’t work out. That’s why we tried to stay apart. But we couldn’t, because we love each other. You know if our situations were reversed and Willow and I admitted we were dating before you and Cole did, this wouldn’t even be an issue.”
Renee stared back at James with narrowed eyes. “Maybe you’re right. But that’s not how things happened and all that matters is reality. James, I love you more than anything else in this world. But I’m not blind. I’ve noticed that in twenty-six years, you’ve never once had a serious girlfriend. You’re not ready for the kind of commitment it would take to make this work. And you,” she said, turning to me. “Have you thought about what this could do to your professional reputation?”
“I thought you said you didn’t give a damn what people think?” James reminded her, his voice full of restraint. I put my hand on his forearm to calm him and met Renee’s gaze.
“I thought long and hard about that,” I assured her. “And I don’t think it will be a big deal. Like James said, we’re not related. And the fact that you’re marrying my father won’t change that, not biologically. I know people will talk, initially. But then they’ll see that we’re just like everyone else.”
Renee shifted in her seat and stared at us with intense frustration. Our confidence in our relationship seemed to be irritating her worse than anything. She looked away from us, took a long drink of her coffee, and sat her mug back on the table. She looped a finger through the handle and pushed the mug in circles while she gathered her thoughts. Finally, she cleared her throat and met my eye again.
“Do you really think you’ll be able to deal with James being gone for long stretches once he qualifies for the PBR Tour?” she asked, her brow furrowed with doubt.
“I’m not going on the tour,” James said.
“What do you mean you’re not going on the tour?” Renee demanded, her hot eyes flying to him. “You’ve dreamed of qualifying since you were a little boy. You’re suddenly giving up your dreams? That’s just another sign that this is a bad idea.” She stared down at our joined hands and then looked up at me and scowled. I pulled away from James and folded my arms across my chest.
He rolled his eyes. “You hate that I bull ride,” he argued. “Besides, Cole needs me here. I’ve taken on quite a bit of the workload since he’s been sick.”
“We appreciate that, James. But we could hire someone to replace you. I do hate that you ride. But I love that you have something you’re so passionate about. I won’t sit by and watch you give up your dream for something that will only bring you pain.”
James cleared his throat and stood up. I had no idea what he was doing, but I followed suit.
“Mom, it’s clear that we’re not going to come to an agreement on this today. I love you, but I’m a grown man. You don’t get to tell me what to do anymore. With all due respect, if Willow and I want to be together, you can’t really do anything about it,” he said, his voice firm and his jaw set.
Renee straightened her shoulders and pushed her chair back. “You’re not going to dismiss me so easily,” she said, rising to her feet. “And you’re not going to be together. For the love of God, Cole’s heart is just starting to get strong again. You want to give him this kind of shock, this kind of disappointment? Well, I won’t stand for it.” She shoved her chair under the table, tossed her plastic mug into the sink, and turned back to us, hands on hips.
“Let me tell you what’s
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