“That was wild,” Caleb said as he slapped Gabe’s back. “Y’all nearly scared the daylights outta me.”
My aunt leaned back and observed Mr. Halden at arm’s length. Then she began to brush dust off his head and shoulders.
“Can we burn the rest of the house down now, Margareta?”
“Not on your life,” she said as she slapped his sleeves to loosen the dust. “Where will they all sleep, Joel? We only have a few weeks.”
Emmie started to squirm and squeal. Meggie lifted her from my arms and kissed her tiny nose. I reached for Gabe’s hand with the intention of pulling him into a hug and never letting go. He turned toward the house and held his elbow.
“Are you okay?” I asked as the sirens grew louder. He was unresponsive.
“Miss Ross, he’s just shaken,” Mr. Halden drawled. His eyes and mouth stood out against his ashen skin and dusted gray hair. I was so wound up inside that I couldn’t feel the difference between elation and distress.
“Something’s wrong,” I corrected.
Mr. Halden took a gamble, setting a hand on Gabe’s shoulder and shook him. “You risked your life to save my life, son. I owe you everything.”
Gabe flinched and Mr. Halden stepped in front of us. He and Gabe stared at one another. A few seconds later, Gabe’s chin dropped to his chest and his shoulders shuddered.
“Gabriel,” Mr. Halden said. “It’s okay, son.”
A swarm of pinpricks covered my arms when he grabbed Gabe’s back and pulled him into a hug.
Was my imagination starting to playing tricks on me? Mr. Halden was hugging Gabe. And even crazier—Gabe was letting him.
“Well ain’t this a sight,” said Caleb under his ragged breath. “I guess the last thing he was thinking about was kissing his ninth life goodbye.”
“You too, son. C’mere,” Mr. Halden said to Caleb, motioning with his filthy hand. His voice was soft and welcoming, not his typical authoritative tone.
They were all the same height and build, covered in dust. Mr. Halden reached out and clutched Caleb’s jacket. He pulled him into the embrace and lowered his head between the boys.
Gabe cried out.
“What the heckle and jeckle, little brother?”
“My shoulder,” he grumbled.
Caleb tugged down Gabe’s sleeves. “You may have dislocated it. Lemme see.” He gripped his brother’s shoulder and manipulated it. When he tried to lift his arm, he caused Gabe to wince and swear. He asked him some questions, and then Gabe closed his eyes and nodded.
“Ready?”
“Agh freaking hell!” Gabe shouted into his fist and then stood straight as an arrow. He rolled his shoulder and sighed his relief.
Caleb patted his back with a light hand. “Partially dislocated out of the shoulder socket. You’ll live. Legs can nurse you back to good.”
I held my breath while I watched Mr. Halden grasp both of their necks. My heart swelled with elation at the same time I felt a stab of pain for Gabe’s continuous grief and frustration. Nevertheless, they were breaking down some of his walls.
“You’ll always be my son, Gabriel.”
The fatherly embrace lasted longer than I could have dreamed. The best part came when Caleb grabbed Gabe’s head and kissed it. Even if he was trying to be funny and teasing his brother, the fact that Gabe didn’t wrestle him to the ground and beat him senseless was promising.
Meggie surprised me when she hooked her arm around my waist to hold me. Emmie was content sucking on her mitten in her mother’s other arm. I glanced at my aunt. Tears pooled in her eyes.
“I’ll be darned, kiddo. The one time the cameras aren’t anywhere near our faces.” She glared sideways, distracted and bemused by the sparkly ornament on my ear. “What do you know? I waited a lifetime for this moment. For the love of god, they finally realized they need each other. Uff-da! It’s a crying shame Lane is missing the whole thing.”
* * *
“Have you been inside the house? It looks like all of the damage is repaired,” I said as Gabe kicked off his boots and flopped himself onto the couch. He shadowed Lane overnight at HalRem Oilfield Services. They were finishing up putting in a production well-head. It was one of the last steps before the well could produce.
I leaned over and kissed his forehead. He grabbed my hips and pulled me sideways onto his lap. He claimed he had no discomfort from dislocating his shoulder. He definitely hadn’t been acting like it bothered him.
“I walked into the kitchen to drop off the mail. Nobody was home. Looks the same as before the fire.”
“It does not. It’s totally different. Even the kitchen is moved around. You must be blind.”
“Blind as a bat in a windstorm,” he replied as he lifted his glasses out of his shirt pocket and fixed them on his face. “I got the hell out fast. It gave me the willies being in there again.”
“Meggie said she’s moving in tonight. She wants a place to hide after the ceremony. Your father has an interview with Forbes, Time Magazine, and The New York Times. CNN Financial is filming the groundbreaking. I should’ve borrowed some more makeup.”
Gabe shrugged. “Why? Your face has already gone viral. Hand me my book, would ya?”
“My mom called last night. Meggie sent her the clean energy poster. Don’t tell your father.”
“Don’t worry,” he said.
“My mother sounded like she was hiding something.”
He didn’t remove his eyes from his book. “Adults hiding secrets. What kind of family do you come from?”
I made a phony grin. “She sounded weird. I think my father got the ax. Meggie will tell me if I ask her. She doesn’t keep secrets from me. At least they have one less mouth to feed if I stay out here.”
“I’m not staying here,” he drawled as he flipped to the back of his book. I tapped my nose on his shoulder and smelled the remnants of his last candy bar and a hint of cologne.
“Even after what happened? What about your land and your work contract? You said your father and Caleb brought you guys dinner last night and stayed to eat with you.” I sighed loudly. “I’m confused. Gabe, things have been so good these past few weeks. You’re all getting along for once.”
“I’ll finish the contract like I planned. I don’t need the land. I’ll let Lane take care of it.”
I swung my legs off his lap and stood as my frustration built. “Don’t forget to send me a postcard.”
That afternoon I put on my only dress and set out a pair of Gabe’s jeans that didn’t have holes. He agreed to wear a shirt with a tie. He didn’t agree to tuck it in.
“Deliah’s running up the driveway. They must have stopped by to make sure you’re ready.”
“Why do I gotta go?” Gabe asked from the bedroom. “I was up all night.”
“To show off your picture perfect family. Meggie is insisting we be there. Apparently, it’s a big deal.” I pulled my hair into a high bun and pinned the sides back behind my ears. My bangs were almost the length they were prior to chopping them off last summer.
“I doubt he’ll mention the fact that his children aren’t all his.”
The door opened before the hand knocked. “Train’s leaving. That’s what Meggie said to tell you. She said you need to be there in thirty minutes or else,” Deliah announced. “You should see her. She got her hair done.”
I was taken aback by the considerable stones in the necklace around her collar. She was twinkling in the doorway.
“Leave,” Gabe ordered when he emerged from the bedroom in his jeans. He was twisting his shirt into a knot and staring at me, not his sister. “We’ll get there when we get there.”
She stuck her tongue out at him before she shut the door.
“You look like my next girlfriend,” he said with a sly twang in his voice. “We need to start locking that door.”
I took his shirt, shook it out, and draped it over the couch cushion. He stepped into me and pushed my back against the wall. It had become his favorite
attack position since we moved into the trailer. Before I could stop him, his lips pressed into mine and silenced my objection. He kissed me like he was trying to suck the life out of me. He always managed to distract me when we were late because he knew very well I would fight him about the time.
“Remember last time you wore this dress?” He leaned back and ran his eyes down my front.
I nodded and bit my lip. Then I replied, “I’ll wear it every day if you stop this silly talk about leaving North Dakota.”
* * *
“This traffic reminds me of the state fair,” I said. We drove in an endless line with three hundred other pickups, tankers, and vans. “Is this all for your father’s event?”
“It’s a damn loop, if I ever saw one.”
Gabe was chewing through multiple layers of Juicy Fruit. Until I met him, I’d never seen anyone consume an entire pack of gum at one time.
“There’s Lane.” I waved as we followed a line of vehicles into a field. Molly and Eli were in his truck. Lane was putting up with her wishy-washiness. He must have loved her more than he hated her fooling around with Caleb.
Gabe pulled into a cordoned area that was labeled Halden-VIP parking. I recognized Caleb’s truck. Then I noticed Josh’s new wheels parked behind the Raptor.
“What kind of people are here?” I asked. “This is all farmland. Those limos and SUVs look like they belong to the secret service.”
“That’s the lieutenant’s entourage. They probably do belong to the secret service.”
My gaze flew across the lot and spotted helicopters on the white lawn. Beyond the fleet, were rows of vans, no doubt the newspapers and TV stations ready to cover the groundbreaking of Halden Remington 2.0.
“Oh wow. I’m glad I’m wearing a dress.”
Gabe raised his brows. “I wish you weren’t.”
“We’re sitting in chairs in the snow?” I asked when he escorted me through a gate into the audience. I stole a look at the stage as someone whistled. I turned around to find Caleb heading toward me with his arm draped over Deliah’s shoulder.
“Check out the bling on the two of you,” he said.
“These were mom’s jewels. Those are probably hers too,” Deliah told him when she pointed to me. “Didn’t you get something from Tessa?”
Caleb snickered. “That’s for me to know and you to never find out.”
“The girls at school won’t believe these are real.” She ran her mitten under the necklace and lifted it to show me. “I’m worth a fortune.”
“Kids!” I heard Meggie shout from the stage area, a simple platform covered by a tent made of a Texas flag pattern. Blueprints of Mr. Halden’s new headquarters were displayed as the backdrop. “Find your seats. Joel’s about to start.”
Gabe squeezed my hand. “He thinks the sun rose just to hear him talk. Good thing I brought a book.”
I was pulled up short when I noticed the only woman near the stage. “Is that Meggie?”
“I told you she had her hair done,” Deliah said in a snarky tone. “As usual, nobody listens to me.”
When I took my seat in the audience, I couldn’t stop grinning at my aunt. Her hair was darker and styled. Her face was done up. People were shaking her hand. Mr. Halden kept sneaking looks while he tried to hold a conversation with his supporters and the press. There were men all over the stage, waiting to shake the hand of the CEO of Halden-Remington. I stared at a man who looked just like my father, except he had a beard and a fancy suit.
“I hope this doesn’t go long. Eli is due to eat and grandma and grandpa up there are gonna need to get a room—ASAP.” Molly set the baby seat beside her and fell into a folding chair. We both got a kick out of watching Mr. Halden get distracted by Meggie’s new look.
“Where’s Emmie?” I asked when I realized she wasn’t with Meggie. “Shoot. Was I supposed to watch her?”
Molly jerked her chin over her shoulder. “Over there. Some woman is going gaga over her. Must be a friend of Meggie’s. I’ve never seen her before.”
I sat up tall and zoomed in on Gabe’s back. He was sitting two rows in front of me on the opposite side of the aisle, between Caleb and Deliah. Lane had his arm over the back of his chair and was talking to the man behind him. All of the boys were wearing cowboy hats except for Josh. His hair was spiked in the front.
“Are those from Gabe’s mother’s estate? They’re enormous.” Molly gaped at my earrings. “Deliah has a shoebox full of necklaces and bracelets. Meggie wants her to get it appraised and put it in a security deposit box.”
The microphone screeched and interrupted our conversation.
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of the Bakken Empire,” said Mr. Halden in his best Texan drawl as he tapped the microphone and raised it to accommodate his tall stature.
Cameras lifted into the air. Chatter fell silent and laughter rumbled through the crowd.
“I’d like to convey my warmest welcome and thank y’all for braving the cold on this historic occasion. Halden-Remington Global Holdings and International Trading Corporation, Halden-Remington Oilfield Services, and my entire family, are grateful to have the unanimous support of the state of North Dakota as we officially relocate HalRem headquarters and break ground in the epicenter of our nation’s oil recovery and production. We’re mighty pleased that y’all have joined us as we begin this exciting new chapter in Western North Dakota.”
Molly yawned when Mr. Halden discussed the need for his presence in the Williston area. I yawned when he rambled on about enhanced oil recovery and investing in the future. When he started to discuss the family, I sat up.
“I’d like to take a moment to introduce my family before we all meet an untimely death at the hand of Mother Nature. Please welcome Margareta Paulsen, my enchanting fiancé,” he said. Then he pointed to the front row. “My right-hand man, Lane, and my younger sons, Caleb, Gabriel, and Joshua. Stand up, boys.”
They all stood, but only Caleb took off his hat and turned to the crowd. Then he appeared to swat the back of his neck and scratch as if a bee were stinging him.
“Furthermore, I would like to introduce my lovely daughters, Deliah Remington and Emmeline Halden.” The crowd gave a round of applause. I didn’t see who was holding Emmie because I was watching Deliah bend forward and cover her face. Bashful wasn’t her thing. Maybe she was upset that he called her his daughter.
“I lost a diamond!” she shrieked.
A hush fell over the audience. Gabe and Caleb looked at one another and their shoulders shook with laughter. Molly lifted Eli out of the infant seat when his face strained into a wrinkly mess. He let out a cry that made the hairs on my neck stand up.
“Lastly, folks, he needs no introduction—that’s my grandson, Eli.” Mr. Halden waved at Molly who held the shrieking baby up in his snowsuit.
Deliah was still scouring the ground when the speech ended. Gabe had joined her search.
“I reckon it’s time I throw my hat over the barn and dig deep,” Mr. Halden said when a councilwomen handed him a shovel tied with a red ribbon. “Perhaps I should’ve asked for a jackhammer.”
The crowd stood as he stepped off the stage and positioned himself on a six-foot section of land. Cameras and microphones crowded the area, shouting for pictures and quotes as important people took photos with HalRem’s prominent first-in-command.
“Mama, what is he digging?”
I lifted my head and opened my eyes as wide as I could. My plan to join Gabe and Deliah in search of the lost diamond was quickly forgotten. The little voice echoed in my ears. Heat rushed to my cheeks regardless of the bitter cold temperatures.
“Is it a sandbox?” she asked excitedly.
A few people chuckled. I stared straight ahead. Maybe I imagined it.
Lane joined Mr. Halden and Meggie for a photo with one of the suits. My aunt caught my eye and bit her bottom lip as if she was hiding a grin. I made eyes at her until she released a smile that lit her gaze. The man with Mr. Halden turn
ed around and I saw his beard.
“I knew nothing, so don’t try to pin the blame on me,” Gabe whispered as he snuck up and squeezed my neck. “They flew in last night. Meggie just told me. I didn’t even recognize him.”
“That’s my father!” I spun around, irritated that he seemed indifferent to the fact that our private life was about to disappear. There was only one reason my father would be wearing a suit and standing beside Mr. Halden at a HalRem groundbreaking ceremony in North Dakota. “Can we leave now?”
“Leave here or leave the state, Av’ry? You’re the one who wanted to pitch a tent on my land and put down roots.”
I pressed my face into his shirt and muttered, “Oh my god, Gabe. Are they really here? What if it’s for good?”
“Avy! Avy!”
I slunk out of Gabe’s arms and found my little sister wearing a matching pink snow pant set, staring up at Caleb with a confused look on her face.
“That’s not Gabe,” I told her when I realized she couldn’t tell the difference. “He’s his bigger brother, Caleb.”
Brianna ran to me and tugged my hand. “Avy! I’m in North Tatota!”
I picked her up and kissed her cold cheek. “I guess you are. The question is why are you in North Dakota?”
She pushed back on my shoulder with one hand and played with my earring. “To work!”
“Where’s mama?” I asked. She slipped out of my arms and stood at my side. I couldn’t get over the fact that she grew three inches since Christmas. She was huge.
“With Aunt Meggie’s little baby, Ennie.”
I forced myself to wave and smile across the seats to my mother. I was completely blindsided. My mother held up Emmie and smirked her hello.
“Cowboy Gabe?” Brianna tugged on his tie. She was braver. He obviously made an impression on her when he was in Syracuse. “Can you spin me?”
Caleb snorted and crouched down to her height. “How about you let Cowboy Caleb have at it?” he asked.
She turned to him and lifted her arms to his waist. Then she changed her mind and turned to Gabe. “No. He does it better.”
“Do you even know what she means?” I asked Caleb as he straightened up and reached into his jacket to scratch his shoulder.
Stubborn Truth (The Stubborn Series Book 3) Page 26
