by SJ McCoy
Cassidy nodded. “That’s true. Normally I think of people who live their whole lives in one place as being small, insecure, you know? Not wanting to venture out into the unknown. Mason’s not like that. He’s big enough to know that he already has what he wants. If the world wants to compete with him it can damned well come here and find him.”
“Yep, that’s him.” Gina checked her watch. “Hadn’t we better get to work, though? I don’t know how we ended up sitting here getting all philosophical.”
“We should get to work, yeah. But I think we got all philosophical because something inside us needs to. At least I know I did.”
“And do you feel better for it?”
“I guess.”
“That’s not very reassuring. Is there something else?”
Cassidy shrugged. “Maybe. How about I make us some fresh coffee and we get started. If anything else bubbles its way to the surface, I’ll make us drop everything and focus on me.”
Gina laughed. “That sounds about right, but I can make the coffee.”
“I’ll do it. You just sit there and let me wait on you.”
“I can hardly say no to that, can I? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wait on anyone before.”
Cassidy stuck her tongue out and went inside the cottage to make coffee.
Gina sat on the deck and stared out at the mountains. She loved this place. She loved her life here and the people in it. She rested a hand on her stomach; and she loved the little person who would soon be a part of it.
Chapter Sixteen
Dave looked around the kitchen. He loved it when everyone was here like this. He loved how happy it made Monique. She’d always been at her happiest when all her boys were home; these days she was even happier when all their girls were here with them.
He watched them all chatting and laughing and helping. Summer was rolling pastry at the counter, little Ruby standing on a chair beside her, helping. Carter and Mason were spreading the tablecloth over the long table. He’d bought that table for Monique when she’d first moved here to be with him. He’d teased her all these years about it. When they were first married, he’d told her they’d never have enough people over to fill it. He smiled, remembering the way she’d laughed and told him tables weren’t just for company—remembering what they’d done on that table. He brought his hand up to hide his smile, glad that no one could read his thoughts. By the time all the boys were at school he’d still been teasing her that they’d still need a whole bunch more kids before she could justify needing such a big table. She’d told him that someday, when the boys had wives and the wives had children, then he might understand.
Today he understood.
Corinne and Cassidy were sitting shelling peas at one end of the table. He hadn’t been sure about Corinne at first. She’d seemed too reserved to fit in well with the others, but she was opening up more every day. As he’d come to know her he’d realized that she wasn’t so much reserved as she simply had a strong work ethic and a huge sense of responsibility. He smiled, as he watched Beau stop by her chair and drop a kiss on top of her head. She was perfect for Beau.
Shane, Carter, and Gina were all standing at the fridge with the door wide open, discussing something or other. He shook his head. That was a scene that could have happened any time in the last thirty years. Gina was as good as one of his own—the daughter he’d never had.
She had a father of her own, though. Al was here with them. Dave had a lot of respect for that man. They’d been friends ever since Gina and Shane had buddied up in kindergarten. Dave watched him, sitting with Chance at the little table in the nook. They were polishing brasses. Dave smiled. Al had put a lot of work in over the last couple of weeks. The carriage, all the tack and even the horses, would no doubt be in the best shape they ever had been on the wedding day. Dave was glad to see him happy.
He sighed as he shifted his gaze to Chance. He wished he could say the same about him. He loved Chance as if he were one of his own. As far as Dave was concerned he had been one of his own for nearly fifteen years now. He loved Chance, he depended on Chance to run the cattle. He was a good son and a good man, but there was still something, some disconnect. Dave had thought it was gone, that Chance was healed, but he’d been kidding himself. All this business with Guy Preston had brought out the best of Chance, and yet that, it seemed, brought out the worst of Chance.
By now everyone knew, though no one had ever said, that Chance had been at Guy Preston’s place the night he disappeared. Chance refused to talk about it. Dave shook his head sadly. Chance’s motives were the best in the world. He wanted to protect his family. Dave preferred not think about it the other way round—that Chance was seeking revenge. Seeking revenge was what had landed Chance in prison as a kid, what had brought him into Dave’s life when he was volunteering with the youth rehabilitation program. He sighed again. He could only hope that it wasn’t revenge that would take Chance away from them again. If he had taken the law into his own hands—if he had dealt Guy his own form of justice—Dave had no doubt that it would eventually catch up to him—in one way or another.
Chance looked up and met his gaze. Dave raised an eyebrow, asking all the questions he needed answers for. Chance pressed his lips together into a thin line and shook his head slightly. Was that a no, I’m not telling you, or a no, I didn’t do what you fear? Dave couldn’t tell and his heart needed to know. Four of his boys were embarking on their future and all the happiness that came with it. He needed to know that the fifth wasn’t reverting back to his past and all the pain that came with that.
He jerked his head toward the door and headed out. He walked all the way down to the barn without looking back. A few moments later Chance joined him and leaned on the fence beside him.
Now they were here Dave didn’t know how to ask any of his questions. He waited. Chance would talk if he was going to.
“I did what I had to.”
Dave’s heart sank.
“It was for the family. You know that. I couldn’t let him take it any further. What if he’d gone from threats and fires to actually hurting people?”
Dave nodded. “What exactly did you do, son?”
“I made sure he’d leave us alone.”
“For good?”
Chance shook his head. “I didn’t kill him, if that’s what you’re thinking.” He stared out over the pasture. “I can’t tell you I didn’t want to, though.”
Relief swept through Dave. “I can’t tell you I didn’t want to. But what we want and what we do can’t be the same. Not if we’re going to live as a part of society. Not if we’re going to be decent human beings.”
“I still remember that, you know. I remember you saying those words when you let me stay here when I got out. I could hear you saying those words in my head when I got to Guy’s place that night. I felt the same way I did when I saw Kyle. I wanted to kill him, just like I wanted to kill Kyle all those years ago.” He turned to look Dave in the eye. “You must’ve been right though, there must be something decent inside me somewhere. I didn’t kill Kyle when I was a kid, and I didn’t kill Guy.”
“So why won’t you tell us what did happen?”
Chance shrugged. “I took care of it.”
“How?”
He shrugged again. “By making sure he won’t come after any of us again.”
Dave toed the gravel with his boot. He wanted to demand that Chance tell him, but he didn’t want to break their bond.
Chance held his gaze, eyes narrowed, lips pressed together. He sucked in a deep breath then slowly blew it out. “You really want to know?”
Dave nodded, not knowing that it was true, but knowing that want to or not, he needed to know.
“Okay. I did exactly the same as I did to Kyle. I beat the living crap out of him. And I told him that if I ever lay eyes on him again he will die.”
“And he believed you?”
Chance looked away. “I didn’t leave him much choice.”
&nbs
p; “And you don’t think that he’ll just come at us from a different angle now?”
Chance’s face clouded over. “I’ve been trying not to think about that.”
Dave shook his head. “I hate to say it, son, but he could have been locked up by now.”
“You reckon they’d have been able to keep him? I don’t. He’d have been in for questioning and out again by now.”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
“So you’re disappointed in me?” There was an edge to his voice that Dave hadn’t heard in years.
He put a hand on his shoulder. “No. That’s not what I’m saying.”
“But you’re saying that I should have left it alone.”
“There’s no point saying anything of the kind. What’s done is done. All I am saying is that I don’t think this is over.”
Chance hung his head. “Neither do I.”
Dave felt bad for him. He’d acted out of love for the family. He needed to cling to the belief that he’d put an end to it, but now he had to live with the knowledge that though he might have bought them some time, he’d probably only made things worse in the long run.
“I won’t let him hurt anyone.”
That was what Dave was afraid of. He had no doubt that Guy would come back at them someday, somehow. Chance had told him that if he ever saw him again, he’d kill him. And whatever Chance might or might not be, he was definitely a man of his word.
Monique was coming down the path to join them, a line of worry creased her brow, belying the bright smile she wore. “And why are my two favorites out here with the horses instead of inside with me?”
“We needed to talk,” said Dave. He wanted her to know that he’d broached the subject that had been worrying them both.
She hugged Chance. “You’re a good boy.”
For a moment Chance leaned against her and hugged her back. With his eyes closed like that, Dave could see a wounded little boy, hungry for love. When he opened them again, Chance the man was back.
“I try to be, but I don’t always succeed. If you don’t mind, I’d like to be excused from dinner. I need to ride up to the top pasture and check on a few things.”
They all knew there was nothing to check up there. The moment stretched out as Dave held back from telling him he needed to come eat with everyone.
It was Monique who broke the tension with a smile. She touched Chance’s cheek. “You are excused, but only if you promise me you’ll come into the kitchen on your way back and take yours home with you. I’ll dish you up everything just as you like it.”
“Thanks. You’re too good to me.” Chance gave her another brief hug, then tipped his hat at them and walked away.
Monique looked at Dave sadly. “Have we lost him?”
“Not yet, but it could still go either way.”
~ ~ ~
Back inside the house, Carter stood at the window watching his parents with Chance. His heart sank when Chance walked away. He wouldn’t be coming back for dinner, Carter just knew it. His heart had felt heavy ever since the night of the fire at the gallery. He felt like Chance was prepared to sacrifice himself—or at least his role in the family—in order to keep the family safe. Carter hated that. Family was everything to him, he understood what Chance wanted to do for them, but he didn’t understand why Chance couldn’t see that he was part of the family—not something separate—certainly not someone dispensable.
Beau came to stand by his side. “Why so sad, bro? What are you thinking?”
Carter pointed at Chance who was coming out of the barn on Maverick.
“What?”
“I’m thinking that at best he’s going to ride off into the sunset and at worst he’s going to end up going back to prison.”
Beau shook his head. “He can’t. He’s going to be my best man.” Although he smiled and tried to make light of it, he looked concerned too. When Carter didn’t smile back, he nodded. “What can we do, though? The way I see it, the dice have already rolled. All we can do is see where they land.”
“Maybe.” Carter hated to think there was nothing he could do.
“Maybe Guy’s gone for good, and it’s over.”
“And maybe pigs will fly.”
“I know, I know, but there’s nothing we can do today, is there?” Beau smiled at him. “So why don’t you come away from the window, stop your fretting and get the girls talking about flowers?”
Carter nodded. Beau was right; while there was nothing he could do for Chance right now, he needed to focus on the members of the family he could help. Today that meant helping the girls choose what flowers they wanted for the wedding. He was more used to dealing with live plants and shrubs than cut flowers, but he knew the florist in town pretty well and this was something he could contribute. He followed Beau back into the kitchen and tried to put his worries about Chance out of his mind for now.
~ ~ ~
Summer ended her call and sat down on the porch swing. She’d been pacing while she talked to Autumn, but now she needed to sit and to think. She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to help her sister out, but she didn’t want to jeopardize the rest of the family’s big day—the others’ weddings!
She turned her phone over and over in her hands. Then she stood up again. This wasn’t something she could decide by herself. It wasn’t her decision to make. She needed to talk to them all. Most of all she needed to talk to Carter. Never mind the others’ wedding day, this was his wedding day. He might hate the idea—and if he did, then her decision was made. She went back inside and found him in the hallway looking worried.
“What’s wrong?”
He shrugged. “I’m still worried about Chance, nothing new.” He put his big hands on her shoulders and looked down into her eyes. “You on the other hand are worried about something new. You were all smiley and carefree last time I saw you. Now you’ve got the worry worm.” He gently rubbed his thumb over the crease between her eyebrows. “What’s up?”
“I just talked to Autumn.”
“And?”
“And she asked if she can bring Matt to the wedding.”
Carter grinned. “You mean…Did they get together?”
Summer sighed. “No. But he broke up with Sheena.”
“And that means that he should come to our wedding? I don’t follow.”
“You wouldn’t. It’s far too convoluted for a decent mind like yours to follow. I lived in that business for years and it still stuns me how crazy it all is.”
Carter was giving her a puzzled look. “Fill me in? I’m not going to have any luck trying to guess what you’re talking about.”
“Sorry. Matt and Sheena broke up. Apparently, it’s gotten pretty nasty between them. Sheena’s using the press to paint Matt as the bad guy. Autumn thinks that the whole relationship may have been a set-up—that Sheena’s label wanted her name linked with Matt while his tour’s getting so much coverage.”
Carter shook his head. “I’m so glad you don’t live in that world anymore.”
“Me too.”
“And I know I’m being really dense here, but what has any of that got to do with Matt needing to come to our wedding?”
“Matt’s publicity team is trying to do damage control and save his image.”
“So they want to send him to weddings?”
She laughed. “No, they want him to be seen working hard and building good relationships with his team, including his business manager. The wedding falls during a break in his tour and they want to keep his name in the news, but for doing something good and wholesome instead of the usual stuff he gets up to during his breaks.”
“Like fast cars, fast women, and too much booze?”
Summer nodded.
Carter chewed his bottom lip while he thought about it. “So he wants to come to our wedding as a publicity stunt? And for there to be publicity there would have to be press, right?”
Summer nodded. She hated to even ask him. She hadn’t wanted any press coverage of her
wedding. For her sake or the others’, but this was for Autumn. It was to help her sister out. Matt was Autumn’s biggest star; she had a lot riding on his career. Plus, Summer knew that she was invested in him personally, too—even if she wouldn’t admit it. She felt torn.
Carter shook his head slowly.
She was stunned. He’d never said no to anything she’d asked of him before. “I’m sorry, darlin’, I can’t do that to the family. I wouldn’t put Gina, Cassidy, and Corinne in that position.”
She nodded sadly. She understood. It was only right. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have even asked.”
“I’ll do it. I’ll do anything you want. You know that, but I won’t do it on the same day as the others. If the press is going to be there, they can intrude on our day. Not anyone else’s. Is that fair?”
Summer wrung her hands together. “But you want to get married on the same day as your brothers. That’s not fair to you.”
He shrugged. “If you need to do this for your sister, then I understand. But at the same time, I won’t put my brothers through it.”
He smiled and rubbed his thumb between her eyes again. “We don’t have to decide right this minute, do we?”
“No.”
“Then let’s think on it a while. Let’s enjoy dinner with the family, okay?”
“Okay.”
He took her hand and she followed him back into the kitchen to join the others.
Cassidy called her over. “What’s up?”
She shrugged. “Nothing.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Nothing important anyway.”
“So tell me already.”
Summer sighed. “Autumn wants to know if she can bring Matt to the wedding. If she does, it’d be a publicity thing to help him out. His people think he needs to be seen having good relationships with the people he works with, and doing regular family stuff like going to weddings, and no doubt kissing babies.”
