The group laughed, including Izzy. “So not true,” she said in a mock defensive tone. “He’s the one who wanted a big wedding.”

“Ok, so that was mostly true,” Tessa added with a laugh.

“Do you guys have kids?” Dalton asked, his attention still focused on the couple sitting across from him.

Tessa immediately glanced out at the yard, her heart pounding erratically. The pain of losing her baby was still there, although she tried to ease the discomfort by telling herself that Richie was cuddling their little one up in heaven these days. It helped, but not nearly as much as she would like it to.

“No kids. Not yet. We’ve been talking about it though.”

Tessa’s head jerked back to Izzy. They were? She had no idea. The idea made her heart double in size, happiness filling her for her friends. “It’s about time,” she told them. “I’ve wondered if you two would ever get with the program.”

The solemn look on Izzy’s face told her exactly why she hadn’t known about this. Her friend was so careful to ensure she didn’t hurt Tessa’s feelings or rouse memories that would make her grieve. But that was life. As much as she didn’t want it to sometimes, it moved on. Her losses, although she felt were cruel and pointless, had made her a stronger person. Even if she would prefer to be weak if it meant she hadn’t had to experience them.

“Do you want to try to have kids again?” Dalton asked.

For a second, Tessa didn’t realize he was talking to her. Her head felt like it was attached to her body by a bungee cord as she swung her gaze in his direction.

How did he know? Oh, God. She looked over at Cooper and noticed the sadness in his eyes. Or was that pity? Did he feel sorry for her?

Pushing to her feet, Tessa all but ran from the porch, heading around to the front of the house in a full on panic attack. Her dogs, loyal followers that they were, fell into step beside her. She had to get out of there. Her chest felt like it was caving in.

How did Dalton know? And Cooper?

Tessa had to stop, unable to drag air into her lungs. She was leaning over, her hands resting on her thighs as she fought for breath when strong arms came down on her shoulders. She refused to cry, but the tears were trying to ignore or specific instructions to stay back.

“Darlin’,” Cooper said as he turned her and pulled her against him.

She was angry and hurt and confused. She hadn’t wanted him to find out about how miserable her life had been. Not only had she lost their baby, but she’d lost Richie as well. And she knew it was her fault. All of it was her fault. She’d been rebellious and foolish, and no matter who tried to talk to her, she hadn’t been able to stop herself. There for a while, she had even convinced herself that her father had left because of her.

“Tessa, look at me.” Cooper’s voice was a loud crack in the silent night.

Tessa jerked her head up, realizing she was still heaving, trying to force oxygen past the immense boulder resting on her chest.

“Stop it!” he ordered, and she stopped cold.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

“What are you sorry for?” he asked, confusion lacing the words.

“It’s all my fault.” Why was she doing this? He didn’t need to know about her life before him. She was supposed to be enjoying the time they had together, knowing full well that Cooper would move on with his life, and she would be left to pick up more pieces than had been there before he arrived.

His strong finger curled beneath her chin, and he forced her to look up at him.

“We can’t control the outcomes, Tessa,” he said softly.

“That’s not true. Everything I’ve done in my life has brought me to this place. If I’d been…” She knew she shouldn’t be telling him this, but she suddenly couldn’t stop herself. “If I had walked the straight and narrow and not been so reckless, none of this would’ve happened.”

“You really think that’s true?” he asked, the incredulity in his voice making her shudder.

“Yes,” she said without conviction. She had no idea what she believed. When it came down to it, she knew everything happened for a reason. She had done so many things wrong in her life and losing everything was her punishment.

“How’d you meet Richie?” Cooper asked.

Tessa jerked away from him, not wanting to tell him. The answer to that question would give away even more about herself that she wanted to keep hidden from him.

When Cooper laced his fingers with hers and pulled her back toward the house, Tessa started to try and break free.

“Stop fighting me, Tessa,” he warned. “We’re going to sit right here.” He was pointing to the front porch, so she let the fight drain out of her arm. At least she wouldn’t have to face everyone else.

Glancing up, she noticed there were several cars parked out on the main road. Reporters, she knew. They were stalking Cooper.

Once they were seated on the steps, Cooper pulled her against his side, his arm a comfort she needed more than anything right then.

“Ignore them,” he whispered against her hair. “Talk to me. How’d you meet Richie?” he repeated.

Tessa swallowed hard. With the press in town, there was a chance that all of this would be dredged up anyway, so Tessa decided she might as well come clean. She didn’t know what it would mean for her relationship with this man, but at least she’d be the one to tell him. If he walked away from her, she wouldn’t have to guess as to why.

“I was a sophomore in high school,” she began, her head resting against his shoulder. “One night, I did something incredibly stupid.” No one knew that she had stolen Texas Shadow except for Richie and Mr. Deluth. Luanne hadn’t even known the details. Mr. Deluth had been too worried about the legal consequences if the sheriff found out, so he’d told her to keep quiet. As for Richie, well, he’d never told anyone either.

“Mr. Deluth caught me and my punishment was to work in his stable for six months, taking care of the horses.”

“What did you do?”

Tessa swallowed hard. No one would ever find out the details of what she’d done, she knew that. If she just kept her mouth shut, no one would know because Richie and Mr. Deluth had died with her secret. But for some reason, she felt like Cooper should know. It would help him to understand why karma was such a heartless bitch to her.

“I took one of his horses. I came out here after dark, took Texas Shadow right out of his stall and then rode for hours that night.”

Cooper didn’t say anything, so Tessa continued. “When I brought him back the next morning, Mr. Deluth was waiting for me. Needless to say, he was livid. Rather than call the law on me, he worked out a deal that I would take care of the horses for six months.”

Tessa took a deep breath and burrowed closer to Cooper. “Richie worked for Mr. Deluth. He was a senior in high school and part of the FFA. When he found out what I did, he was so mad at me. But then we had to work together for the next six months. The rest is history.”

“They forgave you.” It wasn’t a question, but Tessa didn’t know what Cooper was getting at.

“I guess.”

“But you’ve never forgiven yourself? You were what? Fifteen or sixteen?”

“Fifteen.”

“And you’ve carried this around for half of your life, never forgiving yourself?”

“That’s not the only thing I did, Cooper. That was probably the worst of it, but it certainly wasn’t the only thing.”

“Do you still do those things today?”

“God no!” she exclaimed, trying to pull away from him but unable to maneuver out from beneath the steel band that was his arm.

“Don’t move,” he ordered, glancing down at her.

Tessa stopped pulling away, all of the wind leaving her sails in an instant. She had never shared this story with anyone. At least not all of it. Izzy didn’t even know. Well, she didn’t think she did anyway. Tessa couldn’t imagine they would still be friends if she did. Although her best friend had stuck by her through the years, she didn’t think Izzy knew the worst of what she’d done. The alcohol, sure. But not the drugs or the theft.

“Look at me, Tessa.” Cooper’s tone was soothing, not an ounce of anger in the words and Tessa glanced up slowly. “You were a kid, darlin’. We all do stupid things when we’re kids. That doesn’t mean that you have to pay for it for the rest of your life.”

“But it does,” she retorted. “I lost my baby. Richie died.” I lost my land. She kept the last part to herself, not wanting to hurt Cooper.

Cooper’s hand cupped her jaw, his thumb beneath her chin forcing her head back farther. “It doesn’t. You couldn’t have stopped those things from happening, Tessa. You told me yourself that things happen for a reason.”

Yes, she did tell him that. And she believed it too. Which was why she blamed herself.

“You’ve got to let go, baby.”

“It’s not as easy as you think it is,” she said snidely and then immediately regretted her rebuttal. Cooper had told her his story just that morning. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize, Tessa. I can’t imagine the pain you’ve been through. My circumstances were different. And yes, they hurt, but I’m not comparing my life to yours. I hate that you’ve had to go through all of that, and if it were in my power to change things, I would. But, Tessa,” Cooper’s hand tightened on her jaw just a bit, “everything that’s happened to you has made you who you are. And you’re a remarkable woman who has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. I wouldn’t want that to change.”

A tear leaked down her cheek, and Tessa wanted to brush it away, but Cooper did so first, his thumb caressing her cheek. Was it even possible that he didn’t hold all of this against her? Would he change his mind after he had time to think it over?

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, Cooper’s strong arms around her, making her feel safe, secure for the first time in as long as she could remember. Maybe it was the night or the man or possibly both, but Tessa suddenly felt the urge to talk.

“Richie was always the sensible one. The guy who liked to have fun, but he walked the straight and narrow. When we fell in love, I think he was worried about what that meant because I was hell on wheels. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep me in line.

“We broke up several times during the years we dated, especially when I was still in high school after he graduated, but I think we both knew that we’d eventually be together forever.” The tears were steadily streaming down Tessa’s cheeks, but she didn’t try to wipe them away. It would’ve been pointless. “By the time I was a junior in high school, my mother had already been diagnosed with depression, but she didn’t take her medicine like she was supposed to. I hated being at home, seeing her like that.”

Tessa still felt like the worst daughter any mother could have because rather than trying to help her mother, she’d managed to put distance between them.

“So, I was gone from home more than I was there, and much of the time I would stay with Richie, even though he had to sneak me in his window at night. I knew he hated doing that because his parents would’ve been devastated to know their son was lying to them, but he did it anyway. For me.

“I hated working for other people, didn’t do well with authority of any kind, so after I graduated from high school I would jump from job to job. As much as I hated my father for not having anything to do with me or Adam, when he died and left us The Rusty Nail, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. After talking to Richie, I decided I would go for it. I didn’t go to college, both because I was broke but also because I didn’t want to. I hated school but I still managed to graduate. I just couldn’t see myself sitting in class again, so I refused.

“Taking over the bar was supposed to be easy, or at least that’s what I told myself. I mean it’s a bar, right? How hard could it be? Well, I soon learned that it wasn’t just serving drinks. There was the inventory and accounting, taxes and licenses. I learned real quick that I couldn’t just sit back and hope it worked out. So, I took Richie’s college textbooks, and I studied them.” Tessa laughed and sobbed at the same time. “He never even knew I did it, but I wanted to successfully run the bar and I knew I had to learn somehow. So, between his textbooks and the internet, I taught myself the accounting software. I found out I was pretty good at it.”

Cooper’s arm tightened around her, and Tessa relaxed. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt lighter all of a sudden. Everything she’d held inside for so long was spilling out, and she felt as though Cooper wasn’t judging her.