Page 91 of The Hearts We've Broken
“Thanks. I’m just waiting for it all to die down. They can’t talk about me forever, right? Or maybe they’ll justkeep talking and I’ll be the butt of everyone’s jokes until I croak. Someone’s gotta be the funny guy who everyone makes jokes at the expense of, am I right?” I forced out a laugh without humor. When Colter didn’t laugh with me, I deflected. “Actually, it doesn’t matter, I’m just?—”
“No, man, don’t do that. Talk to me. What’s going on?” Colter’s face was written with concern.
I shrugged. “I don’t know, I guess I just deal with enough shit from the press. It’s kind of the cherry on top for my closest friends to also give me shit about my personal life and bull riding career.” I flicked my gaze away from Colter. I couldn’t meet his eyes.
He sighed. “Man, fuck. Mikey, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it bothered you. That’s on me, and I’m sure the others would understand, too. We love you, you know that, right? You’re our brother, our family.”
I nodded as I kicked the pebbles on the ground. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I try not to let it get to me because I give you all just as much shit, but sometimes it weighs on me. Especially this year with all the fans having opinions on my career being mediocre. I mean, shit, the whole reason I took that stupid bet was to hopefully get you all off my back for a little bit. Didn’t think it would blow up in my face like it did.”
Colter huffed out a breath. “Damn.”
I pursed my lips in a tight smile. “Yeah.”
“I…I can have a talk with the boys and Ellison and Isa. Eventually, they’ll probably have to hear it from you, but I can try to get them to tone it down a bit.”
“Thanks, Colt. I mean, I don’t want you guys to treat me differently or for our friendship to change. I still want to shoot the shit with you guys, but maybe someone elsecan be the punchline for once. At least until the media dies down with all their bullshit.”
He nodded in understanding then reached out his hand. I grabbed it, the firm handshake a symbol of solidarity between us.
“You know, I want to wish you’d talked to us about it sooner, but that would make me a hypocrite. I mean it, though, Mike, we’re all here for you. We’re not gonna leave you. We’re family, and family has each other’s backs.”
It wasn’t much, but a weight seemed to lift off my shoulders. I’d worried for so long that my friends wouldn’t want to be my friends anymore if I’d confronted them, but Colter was right. We were brothers. We may not always have gotten along—as families do—but at the end of the day, we always had each other’s backs. I’d go to war for those boys, and I knew they’d do the same for me.
Our hands unclasped, and Colter ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. I just came to check on you and make sure everything’s working right. Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks, man. I’ll see you all later at Reid’s.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
juniper
Two weeks had passed since the blowup at Gulch Days. Two weeks of wallowing in bed, because for some godforsaken reason, Mikey’s betrayal hurt worse than Brady’s.
Perhaps it was because, deep down, I’d seen Brady and Ava’s affair coming. I just didn’t want to accept it as a possibility. I’d seen the way he looked at her when he thought I wasn’t paying attention.
But Mikey wasn’t like that. He looked at me like I was the only girl in the world, despite his long history of women. He looked at me like he was a changed man, like hewantedme. Like hesawme.
Within hours, social media was blowing up with speculation and posts about Mikey and our fake relationship. I couldn’t deal with the fallout without spiraling, so I deleted my social apps and did my best to stay away from any rodeo news.
It was weird not being able to talk to Mikey about what was going on. He’d know exactly what to say or do in the situation. Technically, I could have reached out to Ellisonor Isa, but I didn’t think they’d like me too much after finding out what happened.
Tears pricked at my eyes, and I wiped them with my forearm, sniffling in the process.
Knuckles lightly tapped on my door.
I groaned, pulling the comforter higher over my head. “Please go away, Nat. I don’t want to talk.” I wasn’t in the mood to hearI told you so. After she picked me up in Goldfinch, we’d managed to drift past each other the last two weeks—me because I didn’t want to talk toanyone, and her because I was sure she didn’t want to kick me while I was already down so she just let me have space. She’d sent occasional texts to check in or ask if I needed anything, but I admittedly kept my answers short.
“It’s Liv.” My coworker identified herself. “I’m coming in, okay, June?”
The door creaked as she stepped inside, her footsteps approaching my bed. The bed shifted with her weight when she sat, and I uncovered my head, revealing her soft expression.
“How are you?”
“Fine,” I lied, fiddling with the bracelet Mikey had bought me.
I may have torn off the necklace he gave me in the heat of the moment, but I’d forgotten about the copper bangle. I didn’t have the heart to get rid of it, so I’d put it on every day, if only to serve as my own sick form of punishment for catching feelings.
She looked down at my wrist then back up, pouting her lips. “He’s an idiot.”
