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She didn’t say anything, only nodded against my chest.
Chapter 35
Amazing Grace / This is How We Roll - Florida Georgia Line (ft. Luke Bryan)
Wyatt
Isat on the tailgate of my truck, hunched over and staring down into my hands. Finn ambled over and sat beside me without a word.
“I don’t want to do this,” I said.
“I know.”
“I hated him.”
“I know.”
“So, why? Why are we doing this?” I watched the crowd strolling towards the large tent set up at the Cedar Valley rodeo grounds. People were showing up. For him.
It had been a long time since I’d stepped foot in Cowboy Church—the Sunday service that took place at rodeos, usually in a tent or barn but sometimes in the arena. My dad had never missed a service when he was competing. A lot of good it’d done him.
The thought of stepping inside that tent made my stomach roil.
“You’ll regret it if you don’t do something. You need some sort of closure,” Finn said.
“He doesn’t deserve it.”
“Maybe not. But you do. You deserve to say goodbye,” Finn went on. “And yeah, he made a lot of bad decisions, but he wasn’t all bad. He’s the one who taught you to ride a horse and rope. You can love him for that, even when you hate him.”
I nodded, chewing on what he’d said. “Thanks for organizing all this.”
It wasn’t an official funeral or anything, but Finn had spoken with one of the circuit pastors about giving my dad some time during the Sunday service, and they’d called a lot of the guys who’d known him and ridden with him, asking if they would come out. I still couldn’t believe how many had agreed to show up.
“You’re welcome. I had some help. You should’ve seen that girl of yours charming the Stetsons off those old cowboys.”
A small smile tugged at my lips. Leave it to Kinsley to wrangle a group of grizzled old cowboys.
Speaking of Kinsley, I spotted her now, weaving through the crowd towards us, her sundress a splash of colour against the faded denim. Even from a distance, I could see the warmth in her eyes and the way her smile could chase away the shadows that clung to me.
She reached us, stepping between my legs, and pressed her lips to my cheek. “Ready?” she asked softly, her gaze searching mine.
I took a deep breath. “As I’ll ever be.” I pushed myself off the tailgate.
Finn clapped a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. “That’s my boy.”
I rolled my eyes at him.
With Kinsley by my side and Finn at my back, I walked towards the tent, each step a little lighter than the last. The anger was still there, a dull ache in my chest, but it no longer felt all-consuming. Maybe Finn was right, and I needed this. Maybe saying goodbye, even to a man as flawed as my father, was the only way to let go.
As we stepped into the tent, countless gazes settled on me. The low murmur of conversations faded, replaced by a heavy silence that pressed against my skin. I kept my eyes forward, focusing on the makeshift altar at the front, adorned with a simple wooden cross and a framed picture of my father.
Hands reached out as I passed, some offering a gentle pat on my shoulder, others clasping my arm in a gesture of support. The touch of the community, the unspoken understanding in their eyes, was both comforting and overwhelming. I didn’t think I’d expected anyone to care this much or at all. Each contact seemed to chip away at the armour I’d built around my heart, exposing the raw grief beneath.
Kinsley’s hand never left mine, her presence a steadying force as we navigated the sea of cowboy hats and solemn faces. Finn walked just a step behind like a silent guardian watching over us.
As we neared the front, I spotted Grady, Rhett, and Maisey, their faces sombre, but they offered small smiles as we approached. They had saved seats for us, so we slid into the row beside them. Grady’s hand reached over and gave the back of my neck a quick squeeze.
Their presence, the knowledge that they were here for me even amid my conflicted emotions, was comforting. For the first time since my father’s passing, I felt a flicker of something other than anger and pain. It wasn’t quite peace, but it was a start.
