Finding His Sun

Chapter Seventeen

Adam couldn’t pull his thoughts away from Erin, she flooded his mind. He was hurriedly trying to finish his work so he could ride back and see her. He was lost in another thought when his radio beeped in his pocket. 

“Yeah, Adam, whatcha got?”

“Hey when you get back come to the bunk house” Ben’s voice on the other end sounded different, but he didn’t know why. 

“10-4!” Adam replied and went back to his task, trying not to worry. 

He rode up the bunk house where a few of the guys were sitting outside. Adam talked to them for a second until he entered the little house and saw his father standing there. That was a weird sight considering his father almost never came to the bunk house, he was really worried now. 

“What’s going on?” Adam asked his father, now noticing Ben, Neal and Callum were in the room as well. 

“Ben was telling me Erin heard me and your sister talking this morning, and she had some questions” his father stated. 

Adam just looked at him with confusion, not understanding why that was an issue. 

“She heard us talking about… past events on the ranch. Your sister was angry with some of the moves I was making to protect us, and Erin heard it”. 

Adam’s confusion suddenly turned into silent understanding, he pulled off his work gloves and took a seat at the table. 

“I explained to her as best as I could, about how the ranch came to be. She honestly took it really well, but she said she wanted to talk to you” Ben explained while Adam listened. 

“We aren’t here to lecture you son, we just wanted to let you know the situation. She’s your girl, tell her what you see fit” his dad said and left. 

“Erin’s a tough one Adam, I don’t think she’d run over a few mistakes like this” Callum tried to reassure him, and Neal nodded along. 

They were right, Erin was tough, but she also deserved to know the truth. He didn’t have some deep dark secrets locked in the vault of his mind, it was just that his past was dark and complicated, and he didn’t want her to be scared like she had been for years. He wanted to be honest with her, so she would trust him, and that’s what he would do. 

Adam made his way to the house and found Erin laughing with his sister in the kitchen. He walked in and locked his eyes with her, she gave him a knowing smile and excused herself to follow him. He held her hand as they walked outside to the oaktree on the hill. He looked back at her, she was taking in the view, so was he. 

Erin looked from the scenery to see Adam staring at her, she could not help but lean in and kiss him. He met her with the same love she was giving him. They broke away and sat down under the tree. They sat in silence for a while, while Erin rested her head on his chest. She finally took in a breath to face him. 

“Adam, I know you heard I talked to Ben about earlier today,” she looked down, “I wasn’t trying to pry, I just do not want to be left in the dark anymore. Whatever it is I can handle it. I’m not going to break into pieces if you tell me something. I want to know you, really know you, and everything about you”. 

Adam tried to hold in his smile but couldn’t. He loved the woman sitting in front of him. No matter what she had thrown at her she stood there and took it head on. 

Adam sighed, “Well Ben told you how my father inherited this ranch, he killed a man for it. I know that sounds bad, but sometimes it’s kill or be killed, he had to decide. I think he always regretted that decision. After that he took his anger out on everyone around him, he thought he was a monster, so he turned into one. He took land from people who had no other choice, like Lance’s father. Yes, it saved him from going bankrupt, but still, he took from people in their most vulnerable state. When he met my mom that helped some, he wasn’t as brutal as before, or at least that’s what Ben tells me”. 

Adam went on to tell Erin about how his father was devoted to his mother, but only her. He stopped sending his men out to find people looking for a fight, he only took land when necessary, but his heart was still cold. Adam thought his father felt like he had a duty to make this ranch something his predecessor never thought was possible, and he would do whatever it took to get there. 

“Growing up with a man who only cared about the wellbeing of his ranch wasn’t easy. He was hard on us, more on me than Sarah, but still hard. He wasn’t one to show love, only anger. Most of the time I was out in the field with the guys, and then I would come home and sleep in the bunk house with them. It was easier to look at them than the disappointment my dad always held. He never thought we did a good enough job taking care of this place. He always wanted more out of me when I was already giving my all”. Adam’s voice was low, and Erin felt his pain. 

Erin placed her hand on his chest and tried to comfort the ache he held inside. An ache she knew all too well; she wanted to ease his pain. 

“The day I graduated, me and my dad got into a big fight. He was mad I wanted to leave and go to college, but I had already decided. It got so bad, I remember Ben and some of the other guys had to tear us apart, and my mom was crying. But I didn’t want to be here anymore. I wanted my own life. Once I was in school my dad had reached out and I knew he felt guilty for his actions. I came back that same year, finished school online, and we mended our relationship. I didn’t understand then that he was just protecting what he loved. He didn’t show it in the right ways, but he was trying to save this land for us, me and Sarah. He wanted to fight for this life, so we could have something amazing. I understand now”. 

Erin just looked at Adam and understood. She understood him better and why he had such a passion for what he did. She understood why all of these people stood together like a family, it was because they were. 

“He was rough, but he cared, he still does. He’s made mistakes, but he’s made up for them. When Sarah and Lance got married, my father let them get married on Lance’s family's ranch, he even lets his parents live there now, no payments. He’s making up for his past. He just loves fiercely enough to act when no one else does”.

Erin cuddled her head underneath Adam's chin while he grabbed her into a hug. They sat there together under the oak tree and didn’t speak; they didn’t have too. Both knew what the other was feeling… comfort. Both of them had endured suffering in their lives, but together they found solace. 

The couple stayed in their embrace until they were ready. They got up and headed to the house for dinner with the rest of the family. Smiles strode across both of their faces as they walked hand in hand, like they did it all the time. 

They were greeted with smiles and laughter when they got to the dinner table. This was a room of the house Erin hadn’t been in yet, the dining room. There was one wall with windows touching all four corners, and the ceilings were at least twenty foot high. As Erin looked up, she noticed a dazzling gold and silver chandelier right above the table, it was gorgeous. Around the room there were scattered pieces of artwork of beautiful landscapes. In the middle of the room everyone was seated at the largest dinner table Erin had ever seen; there was enough room for everyone on the ranch and then some. Adam led Erin to the far end of the table where Sarah had saved them a seat. 

As everyone ate Erin couldn’t help but look around in amazement once more of the family she now grew to love. The men making jokes at another’s expense, Parker and Adam making funny faces across the table and Sarah scolding them, and Mr. and Mrs. Graves admiring each other. Erin felt like she was in a dream she didn’t want to wake up from. 

As the evening began to wind down, the women had finished cleaning the kitchen while the men went and closed everything up for the night. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, it was Jackson, one of James’ men with a small box in his hand. 

“Sorry to bother you all so late Mr. Graves,” Jackson said while following the Graves’ family and Erin into the den, “but I figured you’d want to see this right away”. 

The group got to the den and Jackson handed the box to James who opened it and immediately looked at Erin. He held up a picture of Erin sitting on the porch steps of the ranch house, and what looked like blood drippings stained down the side of it. Alaina and Sarah just looked at Erin with a worried look. Erin was confused and looked at Mr. James and Adam for more explanation. Then he pulled out a note with her name scribbled on the front. She recognized the handwriting, Mason.