Stubborn Truth (The Stubborn Series Book 3)

by Arnold, Jeanne

  “I’ll find him. You take care of yourself, Avery. You just got out of the hospital.”

  He took off in the direction of the coop, and Meggie crossed her arms and dropped her chin to her chest.

  “That boy is a saint. He’s a rock. He’ll be a delightful dad, you watch.” She looked up and sighed. “I pray they will all work it out. One baby, two fathers—two brothers. I don’t know, Avery. I don’t know what’s going to happen to this family now.”

  I could have told her what I predicted would happen to Caleb, but it wasn’t the best time.

  Deliah tapped on the window. Tears collected in her eyes. I opened the door. “Sit with me,” she said.

  “You shouldn’t have run into the house,” I scolded as I climbed onto the seat beside an empty car seat. “You’re not replaceable.”

  “Nobody would miss me,” she said. “Tessa gave me a box of my mom’s stuff, and I haven’t gone through it. I’ll never see it again.”

  We ducked our heads in unison and glanced out the front window to check the top floor. The bedroom window where I first set eyes on Gabe was clear and smoke free. “They’ll put the fire out before it reaches that high. Did you see where Gabe went?”

  “Why? Are you worried he saw you and Caleb?”

  “See me and Caleb do what?”

  She wiped her nose on her sleeve. “I didn’t say you did anything.”

  “Then why would I be worried? We all drove here together.”

  She looked the other way and spoke softly. “Because he hates Caleb, and you were talking to him when Gabe was tackling me. Because we all hate him.”

  I planned to tell Gabe about the kiss as soon as we were alone so we could discuss what to do. I didn’t need Deliah blabbing about her brother’s offenses in front of the entire Williston Fire Department.

  Caleb approached Meggie, and after some discussion, she pointed to the SUV where we were sitting. I rolled down my window as my heart pounded inside my ribcage. The aroma of burning house was hard to swallow. Meggie stuck her head inside and said exactly what I didn’t want to hear.

  “Caleb’s going to drive you into town to pick up Emmeline and take her to Lane’s. I need you girls to watch her today. Deliah, you can help Avery because of her arm. Make sure Emmie eats and naps on schedule. This is no place for you to be hanging around after what happened last night.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with Caleb,” I told her as I climbed down from the backseat.

  My aunt gave me a curious look.

  I drew my glance around the chaotic sight. I needed to talk to Gabe. I needed to tell him before I exploded. “I’m just not,” I said firmly.

  Caleb stepped closer to listen. He zipped his jacket up to his neck and crossed his arms over his chest to combat the wind. “What’s up, legs?”

  “Don’t you dare pretend you don’t know,” I spit at him.

  Deliah slid off the seat and stood beside me. I held my hand as still as possible. The pain radiated up my arm and across my shoulders.

  “Okay, kiddos. Whatever you have going on—deal with it later. I need you to help me out,” Meggie told us as she waved a hand at the house to emphasize her point. “Avery, please go with Caleb. Emmie needs to be with family today.”

  I closed my eyes and cringed at the thought. “Where’s Gabe? I need to talk to him.”

  Caleb didn’t open his mouth as Meggie grew frantic. I couldn’t make myself go with him. I’d had enough of his games. There was no way to tell what I would do to him if he touched me again.

  Meggie set a hand on my shoulder. “Avery Ross, I’m asking you to go. Gabe will find you later.”

  I glanced around the yard and found Gabe’s truck. I would lock myself inside. A few seconds into my mad dash, a hand grabbed my shoulder and stopped me. Gabe turned me around.

  “I need to leave. Can you take me and Deliah to pick up Emmie?”

  Meggie and Caleb followed Deliah around the truck. “You can’t take Gabe’s truck. Emmie’s seat is buckled into the rental,” Meggie said.

  “I’m not going with Caleb,” I repeated to Gabe. My aunt wasn’t listening to me, but he would.

  “Avery, honey, for crying out loud,” she said. Then she coughed into her gloves.

  “Where were you?” I asked Gabe.

  His features pinched, and he looked as tormented as I felt.

  Deliah opened the door to Gabe’s truck and tried to climb in, but he stopped her. “I gotta go. I’m not taking you anywhere. Y’all go with them.”

  My head jerked back and I gawked. Did I miss something? He wouldn’t look me in the eye. “Gabe, I’m not going with Caleb.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because he kissed me. He trapped me and kissed me right there against the side of your truck. Five whole minutes ago!” I shrieked my last thought into his face. I lost my temper. I lost my cool. I lost control. I needed him to listen.

  Caleb walked away as if he hadn’t heard any of my admission.

  Gabe shut the passenger door. He balled his fists and shouldered past me without looking up. My breath hitched when he grabbed Caleb’s arm to jerk him around. He slammed a fist straight into his brother’s jaw. Caleb staggered backward and fell on his back as Gabe bent down and seized his shoulder. Seconds later the brothers were rolling around in the snow, slugging each other in the neck and gut. Both of their HalRem hats came off. Gabe’s coat pulled off one of his arms when Caleb snatched the cuff to stop him from getting away. Legs and arms went at it like enemies in a schoolyard. Their clothes were soaked. Drops of blood stained the snow. I was too exasperated to speak.

  “Joel!” Meggie screeched into the smoke-laden air. “Over here!”

  A group of Meggie’s renters drew their attention from the fire to the Haldens and ran over. Mr. Halden darted from the road where he was talking on his phone. He shoved it into his back pocket and threw his arms in the air. “Boys! Caleb! Gabriel! Stop this madness!”

  Deliah ducked behind me and held my hips as Mr. Halden grabbed at Gabe’s back. “Gabe’s gonna win,” she said loud enough for me to hear.

  “Boys! Stop! I’ll have you arrested!” Mr. Halden shouted above the sirens.

  The brothers continued to kick and grunt. Caleb’s nose bled all over his face. I wanted him to lose, but I didn’t want him to hemorrhage. Their father’s attempt to pull them apart was pointless. He whistled for Judson who raced over and tried to wrench Gabe off of Caleb. Gabe continued pounding his fist into his brother’s arm, making it hard to stop him.

  “Y’all are being babies,” Judson said when he finally towed Gabe to his feet and held him against the truck bed with his upper body. Cameras rolled from the driveway. A line of media vans had materialized. “This isn’t how you treat your siblings in this family!”

  I clutched at my throat when I got a look at Gabe’s cheek and puffy lip.

  “You’re not my dad, so save it,” Gabe muttered. His chest heaved, his breath came short, and he coughed in his uncle’s face. He was wet to the bone, and he wasn’t done fighting. I could see it in his eyes. If only I had kept my mouth shut.

  Mr. Halden stooped over Caleb where he hadn’t moved aside from rubbing snow on his bloody nose. “You need to leave immediately,” his father barked without offering a hand. “Don’t come back. I don’t want to see the likes of either of you. You’re a disgrace to this family.”

  Lane stepped in and yanked up Caleb. Then he thrust his hands onto his brother’s chest and stuck his nose in his face. “What in the freaking hell is wrong with you? The house is burning down and you gotta pick a fight in the snow?” He shoved Caleb so hard he fell down again.

  “I sure hope I broke your nose, you bastard!” Gabe shouted and struggled in Judson’s hold. “If you let me near him again—if he touches her again—I won’t stop at his face!”

  There was nothing any of us could do to calm him down. He wasn’t going to be reasoned with.

  “Man, you youngins have a lot of pent up
energy,” Judson said while holding Gabe’s arms. “But you don’t want a murder rap, lover boy.” He motioned to Lane to remove Caleb from the yard before they went at it again.

  “Let me go!” Gabe shouted. His voice ricocheted between the fire and rescue trucks.

  “Excuse me. Miss Paulsen. Lieutenant Halden. I’m the fire chief. May I have a word?” A man wearing a white helmet and civilian clothing dared to step into the family boxing ring with a clipboard and a walky-talky. “If you can spare a moment, I’ll share my preliminary findings, and I’d like to ask you some questions.”

  Gabe wiggled out of his uncle’s grasp and jumped into his truck. He didn’t even look at me. The truck spun the tires and reversed until he hit the road. He disappeared amidst the traffic.

  * * *

  “It’s not your fault they act like jackasses,” Lane said as he drove me out to the trailer to look for Gabe. “They’ve always been like this. As far back as when my mom left. I’d find them beating the snot out of each other in the sand box.”

  “It is my fault. I told Gabe what Caleb did. I knew exactly what would happen. You should be with Molly and not driving me all over. I should be helping Meggie. I let her down.”

  “None of this is your fault, Avery. Caleb’s acting out because of the baby and mom and the news about HalRem moving up here. Those two never deal with anything like adults. We’ll find Gabe. The nurse is gonna text me if Molly needs me.”

  I turned in my seat and observed his profile. He was wearing glasses similar to Gabe’s. “Did you know your father was going to move his company to North Dakota? I can’t believe he didn’t tell Meggie.”

  He bit his lips and exhaled forcefully through his nose. When he glanced my way, his hazel eyes squinted in the sunlight. “I knew something was up. I kept seeing things in paperwork that didn’t make sense. He’s been having a lot of visitors. Literally a convoy of engineers and architects came out last month to survey land. It was practically a blizzard, and we avoid drilling wells in winter. I handle all well permit applications, and this had nothing to do with drilling. I don’t know if he knows about Tessa’s letter or not. It adds up that he would do this to keep an eye on everything up here.”

  “Why is your uncle in Williston? Is he working for your father? Do you trust him?”

  The wind spread a sheet of white frost like a blanket over the earth. Oil wells and pump jacks poked out of the snow.

  “What? Is this a cross-examination? Do you know something I don’t know?” He set his arm across the back of the seat. He was a dreamy guy. I could always count on the brothers to make my skin flush. All I had to do was look in their eyes and I grew lightheaded. Except in Caleb’s case. I knew better than to look at him again.

  “I’ve seen things.”

  “You’ve seen things? You’ve seen how Jud and my dad don’t interact well. They’ve always had a contentious relationship. It’s sort of like Caleb and Gabe. They put up with each other until they can’t anymore. But Judson has nothing to do with oil. There’s never been any competition between them that I’m aware of. Jud just does his thing and appears when it suits him.”

  As I was about to tell him I heard his uncle on the phone discussing Deliah and how I saw him going through her dresser and how he and Tessa had a quarrel, we both cranked our necks and observed a black Ford F150 fly by doing at least a hundred miles an hour into oncoming traffic.

  “Sonofabitch! Hold that thought,” Lane said. I held my sling to my chest and braced all of my muscles. The speedometer jumped, and we chased after Gabe’s truck. Our only chance at catching him was if he got pulled over for speeding. A mile down the road we got stuck behind a HalRem utility truck with a blown tire. Lane was such a good guy that he stopped and helped the driver before continuing to look for Gabe.

  “I’ll see if he’s alive inside,” I told Lane once we arrived at the trailer. Gabe drove his truck straight into a snowbank.

  The trailer door was unlocked. I stepped over wet clothes and boots as I made my way to the bedroom door.

  “Y’all be safe,” Lane told me from the front step. “Call me for anything.”

  I startled Lane when I returned to the front door and gave him a hug. When he hugged me back, I was reminded of the burned house smell on our jackets. My heart sunk for Meggie.

  After Lane drove away, I opened the bedroom door and found Gabe lying across the mattress with his arms and head hanging off. The window was covered, but I suspected he had a book in his hand. The Texas flag on the wall appeared in black and white. I flipped on the light switch.

  “Dammit, Av’ry. Turn it off.”

  I swallowed my disappointment. I shouldn’t have expected anything but a sour mood.

  “Sorry,” I told him. I walked around the mattress. Neither of us had been motivated to shop for new bedding or real furniture.

  He rolled over and scooted down on the bed so his head wasn’t hanging off. All he had on was his wet jeans.

  “Do you need anything?” I asked.

  “A new family.”

  I settled on the edge of the bed and tried to pull off my boot with one hand. Gabe sat up and leaned across me so he could reach my legs. I fell back and sighed.

  “You drive way too fast,” I said.

  “Never faster than my angels can fly.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

  He pulled off both boots and got me to sit up again. Gently he tugged on my jacket sleeve and then tossed it on the floor.

  “I need a shower. It looks like you could use one too,” I told him. Even in the dark I could see he had Caleb’s blood on his neck. “You split your lip.”

  “Make it better,” he said crawling over my legs and flattening me to the blankets. I pushed on his chest with one arm. He lifted the strap off my shoulder and over my head. I stretched my arm. The brace was uncomfortable.

  Gabe flipped over to relax on his back. We shared the pillow. I could see dark splotches on his chest and shoulder. His cheek was fuller than normal.

  “I thought you broke your ribs,” I told him as he rolled into me and began unbuttoning my shirt. “Why did you run off?”

  How could he think about sex? He didn’t answer.

  “Gabe, what’s going on with you?”

  I grabbed his hand and stopped him from undressing me.

  “I started the fire,” he said.

  “That’s crazy. You were at the hospital.”

  “I went back to the house for Deliah’s paperwork. I was the last one inside. There was a stack of brochures on Meggie’s counter with the lieutenant’s face on the cover. I chucked them in the fireplace. He hadn’t gotten around to blaming me for Rachel showing up again. I didn’t want to give him more reason to lay into me.”

  I knew there was more to her story than any of them let on.

  “Meggie throws paper in the fire all the time. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  Gabe snickered into my shoulder. “Then I wouldn’t doubt he burned the house down just to get her to agree to rebuild.”

  “I don’t think he would do that. Something else is going on.”

  “Sit up,” he said.

  “Gabe, answer me. It feels like something else is going on.”

  He lifted me so he could tug off my shirt. I let him even though I needed him to talk. I needed to know what to do about his brother or why he left me every time something went wrong.

  “I shouldn’t have told you about Caleb,” I said.

  “Goddammit, don’t say his name,” he snapped.

  My eyes closed automatically. I bit the inside of my cheek. The pounding behind my eyes made them impossible to open. I waited to see how strong I was, if I could hold back the tears I hadn’t realized were forming.

  Gabe’s lips pressed on my cheek. I smelled smoke in his hair and cherry drops on his breath.

  “Av’ry,” he said into my skin. He ran his hand up my arm and shook my shoulder. I didn’t respond. I wished my shirt back on. He forced
one of my eyes open and whispered, “Av’ry?”

  “I didn’t kiss him,” I muttered.

  “I didn’t say you did,” he replied. “I don’t want to think about him. If I do—I’ll have to go after him. Lieutenant doesn’t give a shit what Caleb does. He thinks I just start fights. I don’t need any of them in my life.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said, eyes still closed.

  Gabe shook my shoulder again. “Hey, you didn’t do anything. I’m sorry I cussed,” he drawled.

  A tear popped out of the corner of my eye at the same time a laugh came out. He was always swearing. It never bothered me before. Seconds later a trail of tears poured down my face. I remained soundless, still.

  “Aw, don’t do that,” he said. The back of his hand wiped my cheek. “Here, this will make you feel better.” He rustled with something on the floor and then tapped the center of my chest with a wrapper. I opened my eyes and found him unwrapping a Tootsie Pop with his teeth. He offered the candy.

  I shook my head. “That doesn’t fix me like it fixes you,” I told him.

  He grinned wide and his lip split open. “Shoot,” he said when the blood puddled in his mouth.

  “I was going to say a kiss would fix me. I think I changed my mind.”

  He held his hand to his mouth and stood. The bathroom door shut, and he ran a shower. I welcomed the time alone to think. I checked our phones to see if Meggie called. There was a voice mail for me from my mother and five missed calls from Deliah between the two phones. Instead of returning the calls, I checked the local news. Sure enough, Meggie’s house fire was breaking news, second to Mr. Halden’s impromptu press conference about HalRem.

  The door opened and Gabe stood at the bathroom sink in a cloud of steam. I watched him shave from my spot on the mattress. His beach towel was wrapped around his hips. I studied his concentration as he lifted his chin to admire his work in the mirror. I’d never watched him shave before. I was mesmerized by his glistening skin in spite of the fresh scuff marks and bruises.

  “My turn,” I told him as I managed to get up without using my hand.

  He stepped out of the steam and raised his eyebrows. “You’re gonna shower fully dressed?”