by Zoe York
“The groom’s father tonight gave a really nice speech,” she said.
Cole’s brows lifted, but he didn’t interrupt her change in conversation.
“He was talking about how his son had grown up saying he wanted to be one thing. He went to college for it and wound up changing his mind. And that led him to his wife and the life they have now. I feel like that’s me. I’ve had this one plan, but maybe it’s not the right one? Maybe I need to let go of it?”
“I don’t think your plan is bad.”
“But maybe I’m expecting too much.”
“You deserve it.” He held up his hands.
“You’re not helping yourself in this argument.” She chuckled. “What I’m saying is, I think my plan needs to have wiggle room.”
“That sounds reasonable.” He stirred the pasta.
“And knowing what I want doesn’t scare you?”
“No.” He glanced up at her.
A sharp knock sounded at the door.
Scarlett groaned and twisted to see Benji with his face pressed to the glass. She wasn’t done with this conversation and she didn’t want an audience for it either.
“Go away,” she called out.
Instead Benji let himself in the house then stopped to inhale the smell of food he didn’t have to cook.
“None for you,” Scarlett said.
“Oh, come on.” Benji made a pitiful face and slid onto a stool next to her. “Wow, he’s cooking you dinner?”
“I know, right?”
“I might have to be okay with this if I get to stay. It’s just me. I don’t eat that much. Besides, Garth went to town and left me all alone.” Benji did his best to look even sadder.
Cole glanced at her and she shrugged. She could share her man for an evening.
Her man.
She liked the sound of that.
“There should be enough.” Cole chuckled and offered Benji a beer.
Scarlett let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
In all her years she’d never had a guy in her life that interacted well with her cousins. And now here was Benji and Cole getting along. Was it too much to hope this turned out well?
Chapter 9
Cole was surprised by how quiet Monday was. It was as though the universe had used up all its ill will on Saturday and Sunday. He’d made three emergency after hours house calls, something Dr. Green vowed wasn’t normal.
“Mrs. Billy?” He leaned around the corner and stopped when he saw the two male silhouettes standing at the desk.
“Dr. Odell.” Mrs. Billy swiveled toward him and thumbed at the two men. “The Lively brothers are here to see you.”
They didn’t have pets or livestock which meant this was not a professional call. He’d been wondering when this chat might happen.
“Come around and I’ll meet you in my office,” Cole said.
He wasn’t thrilled that this conversation was going down at his place of work, but it was good to get it over with. Now that he and Scarlett were on the same page he intended to spend a lot of time with her. Since she came with a tight-knit family that meant including them to some degree. It was best if they all got on the same page now. Besides, he had a bone to pick with Garth in particular.
Cole gestured for the two men to sit in the extra chairs and Cole took up his seat behind the desk. He could have talked to them in the break room or out in the parking lot, but he’d chosen the office for a reason. This was his turf, and while he respected the men, they weren’t going to boss him around or tell him what was good for Scarlett.
“I assume you’re here to give me the hurt her and die speech?” He leaned back in his chair.
“Something like that.” Benji smiled, but it was cooler, not as friendly as he’d been Saturday.
“You’ve gotten very close to Scarlett very fast.” Garth’s stern demeanor didn’t crack.
“We both have,” Cole agreed.
“I’m curious how you go from being engaged to one woman to involved with another.” Garth crossed his arms over his chest.
“I would be, too.” Cole nodded.
“Care to explain?”
Cole studied Garth then Benji in turn. Benji was a good guy. Cole had hung out with him enough that he had a measure of trust with the man. Garth, on the other hand, seemed to want to rule everything under the Lively name with an iron hand.
“Does Scarlett know you’re here?” he asked.
“No,” Garth replied.
“Look, you want to protect Scarlett. I can respect that. I’ll even tell you that my relationship with Allie was not half of what Scarlett and I have after only a few weeks of knowing each other. If you want to know more than that, I suggest you talk to Scarlett and get her take on things.”
“That’s not good enough,” Garth said.
“It’s not?” Cole quirked a brow at the man. “Then tough shit. You don’t get to come in here, where I work, and give me the macho brother routine when you’re the one who is making her cry and question herself.”
“What?” Garth’s gaze narrowed and his lips pressed together.
Was the guy that oblivious to how he affected his cousin?
Cole scowled at Garth, the blood in his veins beginning to boil.
“You know what? I’m fine with this talk.” Cole leaned forward, gaze locked with Garth’s. “Sure, if I hurt her—go ahead. Come and get me. I bet I’d deserve it if I hurt her. But it goes both ways.”
“Shit.” Benji shifted in his seat, covered his mouth and stared at the floor while his eyebrows tried to merge with his hairline.
“You don’t tell me how to manage my family.” Garth’s voice was a growl.
“Manage?” Cole grit his teeth. “If you’re trying to manage Scarlett you’ve already lost, man. After what you’ve been through with her, I’d have thought you would know she hates being jerked around and manipulated.”
“I do no fucking thing,” Garth said, heat leeching into his voice.
“That’s not what I hear.” Cole leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.
“You’re wrong.”
“Am I?” Cole directed his question at Benji, who still wasn’t making eye contact.
“I’m not here for this,” he said.
The room grew quiet. No one spoke for several moments.
Garth turned and stared at his brother’s profile while Cole watched on. Did Garth not see what he was doing? How his stranglehold was damaging their relationship?
“I didn’t want to like you.” Benji cleared his throat and glanced up at Cole. “You’re alright though. I’ll still kick your ass if you hurt Scarlett.”
“I’d expect you to,” Cole said.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here.” Benji pushed to his feet and slapped his brother’s arm.
Garth looked as though Cole had nailed him between the eyes.
Good.
Scarlett clearly loved her cousins, and they cared for her. But they couldn’t run roughshod over her like this. She deserved better.
Cole didn’t walk the guys out. Instead he went to the break room and grabbed a cold cup of coffee. The exact thing his nerves needed.
The rest of the afternoon passed quietly. He had a few patients, but it was manageable. He helped out with the weekly inventory and checked in with the emergency patients from Sunday.
All in all, it was a good start to his second week on the job. He had no idea how Dr. Green had managed by himself for so long. From what Cole saw they could easily do with a third vet. Maybe someone who split their time between livestock and domestic patients.
It was an idea for later.
His phone vibrated a half hour before the clinic closed. He only glanced at it because he hoped it was Scarlett but stopped in the hall on his way to his last patient for the day.
The email header sent fear into his bones.
* * *
I found your brother.
* * *
Cal?
Where was he? How was he doing? Was he happy?
Cole shoved his phone back in his pocket and went through his last exam operating on auto-pilot. It was just a check up and vaccines for an energetic puppy too young to be neutered yet. The sort of happy visit he needed after the weekend.
Once that was done, Cole shut himself in his office, but he still couldn’t tap on the email.
What if the PI had spoken to Cal? What if Cal hated him?
Cole found himself tapping his texts instead. He wanted to tell Scarlett about the update. She might not care, it wasn’t her family, and yet he’d told her about his search for Cal. She was the only other person who knew and might even care.
* * *
PI found Cal.
* * *
He hit send and laid the phone on his desk.
He should drive home or at least lock up the office.
The phone lit up with a message.
* * *
Really? Is it good news?
* * *
Cole grimaced and replied.
* * *
I haven’t opened it yet.
* * *
How pathetic was that?
The screen never went dark.
* * *
I’m coming to you. Where are you?
* * *
Cole blew out a breath. He was grateful for her show of support.
* * *
At the clinic, parked around back.
* * *
He gathered his things, locked the office and went out to wait for Scarlett. He didn’t have long to wait. No sooner than he’d put his lunch tote in the back seat than Scarlett pulled into the lot and jumped out.
“What do you mean you haven’t looked at it yet?” were the first words out of her mouth.
Cole shrugged and shoved a hand through his hair.
“I haven’t seen Cal since…he was born when I was eight. CPS took him and the girls when I was fifteen or sixteen.” Cole shrugged. “I was old enough to take care of them and I didn’t.”
“You were a kid, Cole. He probably has the same baggage you do.” Scarlett wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. “Or do you not want to know anymore?”
“I want to.” He knew that much.
“Want me to read it first?”
“No, but I’m glad you’re here.” He leaned on the car and pulled his phone out, keeping Scarlett tucked close to his side.
Here went nothing.
He clicked the message and braced himself.
* * *
Found Cal. He married and took his wife’s last name which made tracking him difficult. He’s Cal O’Mally, living in Burleson, Texas.
The girls are proving more difficult to locate. It sounds like they were adopted and changed their names. I can’t say for sure because of sealed records. I’ll keep looking if you want.
Attached is your brother’s contact information and my bill.
* * *
“Burleson?” Scarlett gasped.
“You know where that is?” Cole reread the note.
“Yeah, it’s just a straight shot down 35 on the other side of Fort Worth. Cole, your brother lives less than an hour away.” She stared up at him.
Her words took a few minutes to penetrate.
Cal lived within easy driving distance. The little brother he’d rocked to sleep and fed before he was old enough to really understand what was going on himself. Cole had family, and they were here.
“Let me see the contact information.” Scarlett took his phone from him. “Okay, so it looks like Cal and his wife, Evelyn, work for the state. There’s a phone number here. Cole, you could call him and see him tonight.”
He dragged his hand across his face. Was he ready for that? Could he take Cal’s reaction?
“What do I say?” he asked.
“The truth. You’re his brother. You wanted to find him.”
“What if he wants nothing to do with me?”
“Do you want to know?”
“Yeah.” He took his phone from her and stared at the screen.
Cal was married. He’d be about twenty-five. God, Cole hoped his brother was happy, that he’d found a place to belong after what their mother had done to them.
Cole tapped the number before he could over-think things and pressed the phone to his ear.
It rang.
Scarlett wrapped her hands around his and squeezed.
The line kept ringing.
Damn.
An answering machine sounded.
“This is Cal—”
“And Eve.”
“Hope House is closed right now, but we will return your call at our earliest convenience.”
Both voices said, “Bye,” in unison. Before the recording shut off, he caught the sound of their laughter.
Cal was married.
He was happy.
The silence stretched on.
“Cole,” Scarlett whispered.
“Shit. Yeah.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “Cal, this is Cole. Your brother. I, um, wanted to say, hey.”
The machine beeped, cutting off the message.
“Damn.” He squeezed his eyes shut. That was a crap way to start things.
“Okay, so that could have gone better.” Scarlett leaned into him.
“I’ve got to call back.” He hit redial.
“What are you going to say?”
“No idea.” He listened to the message again. This time he could hear the sounds of children in the background. Did Cal and Eve have kids of their own? “Hey, Cal. Sorry about the last message. Look, you might not want to hear from me and I get that, but…I’d like to know how you’re doing. If you know where our sisters are. I don’t want anything from you. I just…wanted to know you were okay.”
Cole ended the call with his number then turned, wrapping his arms around Scarlett and held her tight.
His brother was out there, happy. There was hope for his other siblings. Maybe he even knew where their sisters were. Cole wasn’t alone.
Hell, he wasn’t alone right now. He had Scarlett, and she saw into all the corners of his life and she was still here. He could have never shared this with Allie.
* * *
* * *
Scarlett placed the two drinks on the tall boy table and slid onto a stool. The Watering Hole was standard busy with locals stopping in for a happy hour drink after a long day.
Cole stared at the wall without seeing it. There was a nervous energy coming off him, but the brightness behind his eyes said he was excited.
She was excited for him. Family had always been a core part of her life, and if she could discover a whole new branch of them, it would thrill her. Since that wasn’t going to happen, she was happy to sit on the sidelines as Cole rediscovered the man who was his brother.
“Here.” She nudged the pint toward him and picked up her cider. “To family.”
His gaze slid to her, and he blinked a few times. A slow smile spread across his lips and her knees threatened to go a little weak. Good thing she was sitting. She could have wound up on the floor if he didn’t use that look responsibly.
Dang, the man could smile.
They clinked glasses and took a drink. This would only be better with some champaign, but that wasn’t a standard offering here at The Hole.
“Do you think they’ll call me back?” He slid off the stool and placed his pint on a coaster.
“I hope so. I mean, you were kids. You weren’t responsible for what happened to them. And from what you’ve said, you took care of them.” She set her bottle down and reached for his hand.
He took it and lifted her knuckles to his lips for a kiss while his gaze bore into hers, causing her body to warm from the inside out.
“Thanks for coming,” he said.
“Are you crazy? This is awesome. I’m happy for you.”
He took a step closer and leaned in, buzzing her lips with his.
She grinned and felt her cheeks warm.
<
br /> Not only was this a big deal for Cole, but now they were out in public together. It was one thing for them to see each other and spend time together in private, but now they were really making a statement. The people of Ransom talked and there were a handful of places where everyone saw everything. The Hole was one of them.
Cole was with her, and she didn’t want to hide it. No, they hadn’t put a name to whatever it was they were doing. They’d agreed to slow down, take it one day at a time. Maybe it was early and maybe she was being silly, but she cared for him and she didn’t want to hide it.
“You guys hogging the dart boards?” Detective Trevor Walters slid between their table and the next along with a few of the other local cops, most of whom were in their thirties.
“Not at all,” Scarlett said and glanced at the guys. She’d gone to school with Trevor and Liam Jones. Casey Smith was a recent transplant to the town.
“Hey, I’m Trevor.” He offered his hand to Cole, intently examining the other man. Trevor was tall, with brown hair and eyes that saw everything.
“Cole.”
The two men shook hands then Liam stepped forward. One would never know looking at him in worn jeans and a threadbare shirt that the Jones family were swimming in money. They were salt of the earth, good people, who never forgot their roots.
“We already met,” Liam said.
“Nice to see you. How are the kittens?” Cole asked.
“Kittens?” Liam frowned.
“Forget I said anything.” Cole held up his hands.
“Damn it,” Liam growled.
Scarlett hid a chuckle behind her hand. Luna going into the vet field had been no surprise to anyone.
“You’re the new vet.” Casey snapped his fingers and squinted at Cole. He had the darkest coloring of the group with tanned skin and dark brown hair. Even his eyes were a dark hazel color that was hard to pinpoint.
