Ryland didn't respond right away. He just gestured toward the stairs. "Let's go downstairs."
Thaddeus followed quietly, his heart pounding as they descended. Once they reached the living room, Ryland walked straight to the cabinet, pulled out a bottle of whiskey, and grabbed two glasses. Without looking at Thaddeus, he poured the drinks and pushed one toward him.
"Sit," Ryland said simply.
Thaddeus sat down, hands resting on his knees, eyes lowered. After a long pause, he took a breath and said, "I'll start first."
Ryland leaned back slightly, swirling the drink in his hand. "Go on," he said flatly.
Thaddeus nodded. "Firstly, I want to apologize to you, for everything. You shouldn't have had to find out about me and Kayden on your own. I should've come to you, explained everything, told you the truth myself."
Before he could continue, Ryland cut in sharply. "Can I ask you a simple question first?"
Thaddeus looked up, meeting his friend's steady gaze. "Sure."
