“Yes, ma’am,” we replied in unison. I kissed her cheek then headed for the door. I knew Steel would do the same.

“You taking Dixie to Jack’s after the game?” Momma called out behind me.

“Yes ma’am,” I replied.

“You talked to Luke about that?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. Didn’t want to hear you’d been shot by the neighbor. That would be inconvenient.”

Smiling, I left the house, pushing thoughts of my brother, Dixie and her father back and away from the game. My focus had to be there. We were undefeated. I had to keep it that way. It was my responsibility.

“Get your asses out here! I don’t want to run sprints after the fucking game because the two of you ran us late!” Bray yelled. He was right. I didn’t want to run sprints either. “We better hurry,” I told Steel, as I broke into a run. We tossed our bags into the bed of the truck beside Brent, Steel climbing in back with him. Bray was sitting on the passenger’s side. We had taken our usual seats. Next year, it would be Dallas in the back and Brent and Bray in the front. I’d be off at college. The thought made me sad.

Dixie would be ten hours away. My life here would consist of holidays and a few short weeks in the summer. Steel was right. I had the rest of the school year. What if Dixie got tired of her boyfriend never being around? I’d lose her. She’d move on.

Fuck. I couldn’t think about that right now. I had a game. I’d think about it later. There had to be an answer. We hadn’t had enough time together, and losing her wasn’t an option.

Dixie Monroe

FOR THREE YEARS, I’d wanted answers. Countless nights, I’d lain in bed, thinking that just knowing Asher still loved me would’ve made everything okay. That was all that mattered. Nothing could hurt more than Asher not loving me anymore.

I’d been wrong.

So very wrong.

“Come on, Dix. Let’s take you home,” Bray said, as we began moving toward my Jeep. Home. My home. Was it still my home? Did Daddy know this? Did he love me anyway? Could I tell him? How could I tell him?

“Does my daddy know?” I asked Bray.

He reached around me and opened the passenger’s door. “I didn’t even know. So I’m not sure who knew, but it won’t make a difference to your daddy. He loves you and has loved you all your life. In his heart, you’re his little girl. That’s something I’m fucking positive about.”

I let Bray help me up into the Jeep. I felt as if I was walking through fog. Nothing made sense. My bearings were destroyed. I’d watched as Asher’s truck drove away, but I never saw Steel leave. I couldn’t look at him now, he’d been the one I hoped could eventually heal me, but he’d just made it all worse.

“Why would he keep this from me?” I asked, staring out the window at the field of hay, the birds moving, dipping, enjoying themselves, while I was trapped in hell.

“Because since you were a kid he’s protected you. He’d do anything to protect you, Dixie. It wasn’t the right decision, but it was because he loves you. He’s suffered alone for three years with this and all because he loves you. He didn’t want you to know it. He wanted you happy. You can’t completely fault him for that.”

He wanted me happy? He’d broken my heart. How was that making me happy? “He can’t love me. His actions prove different.”

Bray sighed and cranked the Jeep. “His love ain’t normal when it comes to you. Never was,” he replied. “But don’t doubt that he loves you, Dixie. Damn, he smashed in our little brother’s face because he was trying to protect you. Asher’s never hit one of us. We’ve hit each other and he’s broken it up, but he’s always brought it to a halt. He picked you over Steel. That’s fucking huge. Be mad at him for not telling you, but don’t think he doesn’t love you.”

I couldn’t listen to this. He was my brother. Asher was my brother. The horror of that washed over me, a wail filling the Jeep as I curled into a ball and allowed the sorrow to consume me.

Asher stood with his arm around me as he laughed at Brent mocking Bray, the two battling it out over pool. I was at Jack’s after a game. At Jack’s and I was with Asher. This was another daydream I’d repeatedly played in my head so many times, I had a hard time now believing it was happening. That I was here with him, my daddy knew about it, and everything was okay. Asher went to see him after school, before he’d gone to the fieldhouse to prepare for their game. He’d talked to daddy and promised him I’d be safe and with him at all times. When daddy agreed to let me go, I threw myself at him, hugging him tightly and thanking him right there in front of Asher. I’d expected him to say no. But Asher was good with people. Everyone liked and trusted him.

“You want another Coke?” Asher asked me.

“No, thanks. I’m good,” I replied.

He pressed a kiss to my temple and whispered, “If you’re bored, we can go.”

As if I could ever be bored with Asher Sutton. “I’m enjoying myself. This is the first time I’ve ever been in the front of Jack’s. Daddy always made me pick up the food in the back.”

Asher chuckled. “I know. I’ve seen you more than once through that door over there.”

“And I’ve also seen you,” I replied. I’d been looking for him. I knew he was in here. I’d seen his truck. But that sounded stalkerish, so I kept that information to myself.

Andrea James then cooed, “Hey, Asher, you were amazing tonight,” sauntering up to him, and pressing her body against his as if I wasn’t standing right there next to him. “I have a special treat for you. Want to leave this party?”

Asher tightened his hold around me, scooting closer, and moving back from Andrea. “I’m here with Dix. I thought that was obvious.”

Andrea finally looked at me, as if she hadn’t realized I was there. “Oh, I didn’t think you’d be with her. Asher, she’s a freshman.”

“I’m aware of that and yes, I’m with her.”

Andrea smirked. “Okay then. When you get tired of babysitting, you know my number.”

When she turned to walk off, Asher looked down at me. “She’s a bitch. The crazy kind. Sorry about that, Dixie.”

“And Asher never tapped that ass. He’s smarter than that,” Bray said, a little too loudly for my taste. “But I might now that Asher’s off the market.”

“You know he’s an idiot, right?” Asher said with an apologetic smile. “But he’s right. I’m off the market.”

I laughed. It felt right. Being with Asher. Laughing at his brothers. I’d grown up with the Sutton boys. This fit. Made sense.

As for Andrea James, Asher would get a lot of that kind of attention in his life. I could get jealous every time it happened or accept it for what it was. The way Asher had kept his arm around me and dealt with her made it easier for me to handle, giving me no reason to feel insecure. He was beautiful and women loved him, but now he was mine.

“Don’t worry about her sister either. He won’t be going after Emily James’ ass. After Asher set her straight for doing that shit to you, he wrote her off. Hell, we all did. She messed with our Dixie,” Brent said, winking and smiling at me, like I knew this had happened.