Brothers South of the Mason Dixon

by Abbi Glines

  Ethel’s voice carried from the kitchen to where I stood as she went on about not letting “the boy” make any more coffee, then I heard my name. She was fussing loudly as she walked into the dining room. With her hand on her hip she pointed a finger at me.

  “You better have a damn good reason for being back here so soon. I told you to go have fun. Not rush back.”

  I had the best and worst reason. Both of which I would never tell her.

  “Wedding was over, Ethel,” I shrugged. “Dixie left for her honeymoon. I had no one there to stay and visit.”

  “That hot young man!” she argued.

  “He’s years younger than me. I dated his older brother once,” I didn’t explain that.

  She sighed and shook her head. “Shame a girl like you ain’t got no one worth staying around for. Guess it’s Sunday as usual then.”

  “Guess so,” I agreed.

  “Oh, and you met Diesel. He’ll be here a few weeks maybe months. He needs a job and he needs to get away from Denver. Got himself into a spot of trouble up there. He’s a good kid though. Hard worker.”

  I would say that prison was more than a spot of trouble. But I didn’t. I just nodded my head again.

  Bray

  BRENT GOT OFF the ground from his latest attempt at riding Satan. Norton Knolls had got himself a wild mustang and the fools thought they were gonna break him. It had been a year now and they still weren’t able get on the damn thing for longer than a minute. Brent had already been tossed a dozen times. He was gonna end up with a broken bone or dislocated shoulder. Damn idiot.

  “That mustang don’t want ridden,” I yelled at him while getting Desoto, a thoroughbred, from his luxurious stable. This was what we were here for. Training race horses that would win races and sell to the highest bidder. Not fucking around with a mustang who had shown no interest in calming down.

  “Majestic needs warming up. A new jockey is coming in later to meet Majestic and see if they’re a fit,” I told him. He hadn’t been here when Norton came outside with his list of things he needed done before leaving to go see a horse in Kentucky he was interested in buying.

  Brent was scowling when he dusted himself off once he was out of the ring with the wild animal. “Damn beast won’t even give. Not a fucking inch. I swore to Dallas I’d ride him first,” he grumbled.

  I wasn’t going to argue with him. Because I knew Satan’s personality. I understood it. He didn’t buckle for anyone. He was in control. Getting on him and thinking you were going to dominate him was your first mistake. He was never going to give up his power.

  “Waste of time,” he barked at Satan who could give a shit. Satan flared his nostrils and walked over to glare at me. I glared back. It was our thing. He knew I understood him. The fucker didn’t want to be tamed. He wanted to be free.

  “You want me to warm up Majestic?” Brent asked as he headed for the stables.

  “Yeah. I’m gonna work with Desoto. His leg is better but I’m going to let him stretch it some. Then massage him. Jockey should be here around two.”

  “We know this jockey?” Brent called out as I walked off.

  “She’s never been here to try out one of Norton’s horses,” I told him keeping her identity to myself. He would know her. Anyone in the business knew who Cat Carmichael was. She’d won more races in the last five years than anyone else in the circuit. Norton was frustrated she was coming while he was gone but he didn’t want to miss this horse either.

  “Asher and Dix come home today don’t they?” Brent asked this time.

  I’d forgotten about that. They weren’t coming home to our home. But yes, they’d be back in Moulton playing happy home and shit. “I reckon.”

  “Momma’s cooking dinner for them I think,” he added.

  We had horses to work and exercise. There was no time to chat about our brother and his new wife. I’d rather not think about them. If I thought about them, then I remembered the fucking wedding and Scarlet running off again. That shit put me in a foul mood. DeSoto was sensitive to my moods and he needed to relax before we worked his leg.

  “Momma cooks every night,” I pointed out, then walked off without giving him any time to say some stupid shit. He had a horse to warm up. Sometimes he was chatty as a damn woman. So was Dallas. Who would be here after he got out of school today. If he missed Cat riding Majestic he’d be pissed. Almost wished he would. Just so he could pout for a few days like the damn baby he was.

  “Bray!” Brent called out.

  Jesus! Could he not shut up long enough to get something done?

  Sighing, I stopped and stared back at him annoyed. “What?” I yelled.

  Brent frowned as he stood there with his hands in his pockets looking at me. “You good?”

  I wasn’t going to be if he didn’t shut the hell up. “I will be when I can get to work and stop listening to you carry on like a female.”

  Brent’s frown only deepened. “I mean . . . with Scarlet leaving again. You’ve been pissy. Not that you were a ray of sunshine before. But you’ve been in a dark funk.”

  “I live in a dark funk. It’s who I am.”

  That wasn’t the response he wanted. Shithead was going to try to Dr. Phil me. We didn’t have time for this.

  “She isn’t worth it. She didn’t want to stick. You deserve someone who is less flighty and selfish.”

  Now if that wasn’t the fucking wrong thing to say to me. I had to count to ten backward in my head before opening my mouth. Even then, my blood was still boiling. Brent hated Scarlet for her cheating. Yet he’d forgiven me. It wasn’t fair to hold all his anger toward her. She had personal shit he didn’t even know about. She hadn’t had the same home life as us. He didn’t know her like I did.

  “We have work to do, Brent. Even I we didn’t, I don’t want to hear you talk shit about Scarlet again. You don’t know her the way I do. If I want to fucking miss her I will. Telling me she’s not worth it, will get you thrown further than the fucking mustang can toss you.”

  I didn’t wait for a response. He’d say something stupid again and my patience would snap. Not that I had a lot of that to begin with.

  “I was the one in a relationship with her! I was the one who wanted to marry her! I did know her!” he yelled out as I put more distance between us.

  I could stop and respond, but I didn’t. I kept walking. He was wrong. He’d never see it that way but he was. If he had known her, he wouldn’t be in love with someone else right now. It wouldn’t have been so easy to move on. If he had known her he’d have understood why she fled. He’d have stayed up at night worried about her. If he had known her he’d have fought to keep her.

  He would never be able to hate her.

  So no, the asshole didn’t know her.

  He knew what he wanted to know. I was sure he could tell me her favorite color, the way she took her coffee, and the outfit she wore on their first date.

  What he couldn’t tell me was the first time her mother’s boyfriend touched her where he shouldn’t have, the first time she caught her mother in bed with the pool boy while her father was out of town, he also didn’t even know about the cigarette scar on her arm that was left by her mother when she was six and tried to sneak out of the house during a loud drunken party her mother was throwing.

  He’d never gotten the real Scarlet. She thought she was damaged and fuck she was. That didn’t make her less perfect. That made her strong. Brent would never see all that though. He lived in the happy world were all he ever faced was the death of our father.

  I took several deep breaths while I rubbed DeSoto’s back. He would know I was tense and that wasn’t what he needed. I’d calm myself down and make sure he was equally secure before we did his therapy. Luckily, his ligament injury had been a mild strain. He would fully recover.

  “Brothers can be pains in the ass,” I told him.

  DeSoto looked at me as if he was trying to read my thoughts.

  “I’m good. Annoyed with him but y
ou and I are fine. Now, you work that leg for me and we’ll see about a few carrots.”

  He understood me. I’d lead him around a few times and let him stretch out first.

  A loud whinny came from the pen over. Smiling I glanced back at Satan. He wanted my attention. But the little bastard knew I wasn’t going to show my hand in front of anyone. If Brent knew I could ride Satan he’d tell Dallas and then Dallas would be even more determined to ride him. Satan would end up killing his reckless ass.

  Desoto shifted nervously. Satan made most of the others nervous. “It’s okay. He’s a jealous fuck. We’ll move further away,” I assured him.

  This was what I did best. Horses understood me and I them. People, however, I wasn’t real crazy about.

  Scarlet

  THE BREAKFAST RUSH was over and the lunch rush would begin in an hour. This was the most popular lunch place in town during the weekdays. I tossed the garbage in the dumpster, then stood there a moment. It was quiet out here. No one asking for more coffee, water, butter, jelly, etc.

  Reaching in my pocket, I pulled out my phone to check it. Not that I was expecting anyone to call me or text me. Dixie had texted yesterday that she was home from her honeymoon. She wanted me to call when I had time. I hadn’t done that yet.

  “Expecting a call?” Diesel asked interrupting my alone time.

  Rolling my eyes, I stuck my phone back in my pocket. “No.” I tried to keep speaking to him at a minimum. Having him around was annoying. He flashed his dimpled grin and female customers of all ages went silly. Don’t get me started on the charming everyone thing he was so good at.

  I turned to go back inside, walking past Diesel and the bag of garbage he was carrying. I must not have gotten it all.

  “Why do you dislike me so much, Scarlet?” he asked before I could get to the door.

  “I don’t,” I lied.

  “Yeah, you do,” he replied with a chuckle. “I can’t figure out what it is I did to you.”

  Used his looks to get better tips, made terrible coffee, thought he could smile at me like he did everyone else and have me fall at his feet. “Nothing. You did nothing.” I made it to the door and my hand was on the knob when my phone rang. I stopped, confused by the sound because it was rare that I heard it.

  It rang again.

  “You gonna answer that?” Diesel asked.

  I ignored him and took my phone from my pocket to see a number I didn’t have saved in my phone but I knew all too well. My heart sped up and my grip tightened. Bray.

  He’d gotten my new number.

  I couldn’t talk to him. Not here. Not now. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know if I’d ever be ready. I moved my thumb over the decline button and pressed it. Closing my eyes tightly I took a deep breath, then put the phone back in my pocket.

  “I’m not him,” Diesel said reminding me he was there.

  “What?” I asked confused. Had he said something else that I didn’t catch.

  “The guy. The one who made you so damn bitter and angry. I’m not him.”

  I wasn’t bitter and angry. Bray hadn’t done this to me. I had. I made my own choices. I wasn’t a hurt female protecting my heart. He was guessing and he was wrong.

  “No, you’re not,” I agreed.

  “Then why do you look like you would rather slap me than speak to me?”

  He wasn’t going to let this go. I needed a moment alone. To get myself together after finding out Bray had my number and had just called me. But Diesel wasn’t going to give me that. Spinning around, I glared at him.

  “No guy made me angry and bitter. I made my own choices and I am living with the consequences. And you annoy me. It’s not hate. That’s too strong of a word.”

  He grinned. Like what I had just said was funny. “How do I annoy you? Please tell me and I’ll do my best to work on that.” He didn’t sound sincere. Bastard.

  “That.” I pointed at his face.

  “My face? It annoys you?”

  “Yes! Your dimples and your grin. They flash and you get better tips and everyone talks about what a good guy you are. They completely overlook the fact you’ve been in prison. Freaking prison! That’s all okay though because you’re pretty. You can charm them. It’s annoying!”

  It felt good to get that off my chest. I probably shouldn’t have said it out loud but it still felt good. Now if I had a punching bag I could get some frustration out on, then I’d be even better.

  “You think I’m pretty?” He sounded like he was about to laugh.

  “Is that seriously all you heard? You know you’re pretty. You use it like a weapon. It annoys me. We need to get in there and prep for the lunch crowd. I’m sure the new corn casserole Ethel was determined to change is going to cause a fuss with some of the regulars. We won’t have time once they all get here to get things together. I’m going inside now.”

  Jerking the door open I stalked inside and let it slam behind me. I liked the idea of it slamming in his face. Maybe mess up his perfect nose. Men shouldn’t be so pretty. It was wrong. Furthermore, it was hard to believe he was ever in prison. He didn’t look like tough enough to survive that.

  “You look ready for battle,” Ethel said as I entered the kitchen.

  “Mentally preparing for the drama that the corn casserole will create,” I told her with a smile I had to force.

  She laughed loudly. “That’s my girl. Get tough,” she said, then looked around. “Have you seen Diesel?”

  Ugh. “Yeah, he’s out back.”

  She nodded, then headed that way. I used that as my chance to escape to the dining room without having to talk to anyone else. Cleaning the tables and setting them for the lunch crowd would give me time to get over Bray’s call since Diesel hadn’t given me a second of peace.

  When the swinging door closed behind me I stopped and pulled out my phone again to look at the missed call. I debated calling him back knowing I wouldn’t. Wonder who gave him this number. Did they think he should have it?

  A text appeared as I was staring at my phone, fighting the urge to call him back.

  “I miss you.”

  That was all it said. Bray could text three words and my chest tightened. My eyes stung with unshed tears and I had to lean against the wall and get myself together. It hurt. Simply because I missed him too. I knew if I didn’t stay away I’d be hurt much worse than this.

  I stared at his words a few more seconds, then put the phone away. Dwelling on this wasn’t helping me heal. I wanted to tell him I missed him too. But that would only make it harder.

  The door behind me swung open and I closed my eyes briefly, took another deep breath to calm myself then straightened up before moving off the wall.

  “Don’t mind me. Continue to lean against the wall. I’ll take my pretty face and get these tables ready. I like to be as annoying as I can,” Diesel said. Did he ever go away?

  “I’ve got it,” I told him and grabbed the soap bucket. “Go do something else.”

  I didn’t look at him. “Can’t. Ethel told me to come help you.”

  Great. Freaking great.

  “I didn’t tell her your annoyance with my pretty face. She doesn’t know she’s not helping you out.” He was trying not to laugh again.

  I took the bucket and shoved it into his hands. “Fine. Clean the tables. I’ll get the flatware.”

  “Yes ma’am!” he said, taking the bucket and not complaining when some sloshed over the edge onto his shirt. I should have apologized for being so aggressive. I didn’t and I walked away feeling guilty about it. Damn his dimples.

  Bray

  IF I LOOKED at my phone too often they’d all notice. Nosy bastards. Since I couldn’t check to see if Scarlet had responded to my text I took another bite of the fried pork chop Momma had made for dinner. Asher and Dixie were having their first meal at our house as a married couple. Momma was asking them about their trip. Don’t get me wrong I was happy for my brother. But damn I was sick of listening to their wedding shit.
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  It was like never-fucking-ending. They got married. Could we move on with life? Talk about anything else? I glanced at Steel. He wasn’t talking much either and I imagined he felt like I did. Enough already with the happily ever after shit. Not all of us were blissfully happy.

  “We still gonna paint the kitchen at your apartment this weekend?” Brent asked Asher.

  Asher nodded. “Yeah. Dix hasn’t decided on the color yet though.”

  “I have it narrowed down to three. I will know for sure by then.”

  Asher chuckled and leaned over to kiss her. Jesus, we were eating. Give it a rest.

  “You make pecan pie for dessert?” Steel suddenly asked, standing up from the table. He wanted to leave the table possibly more than I did. Everyone’s eyes swung to him but he acted like he didn’t notice and walked toward the counter.

  “There’s peanut butter pie in the fridge too,” Momma told him. Normally, getting up like that while we were all still eating would have gotten him a tongue lashing from her. But she knew. Like we all did. Steel was accepting this. He’d given his blessing even. Didn’t mean he stopped having feelings for Dixie.

  “I’ll get me some too,” I said, standing up and leaving the table. Steel needed to get out. He didn’t need any damn pie. Whiskey and women. That would help.

  “Don’t leave those dishes dirty in my sink,” Momma replied.

  “Never do,” I drawled. As if I’d be that stupid. The woman had taught us to load our dishes into the dishwasher when we were old enough to stand in a chair and rinse the plate.

  Momma made a humph sound but said nothing more. She knew I was right.

  Coming up to stand beside Steel I muttered under my breath. “Let’s go drinking. Out of town.”

  Steel cut his eyes at me. He studied me a moment while he made up his mind. Then finally, he nodded. “Yeah. Lets.”

  “Hurry with the damn pie. I’m done with this family dinner shit,” I told him.

  He smirked. “Not as much as I am.”