Page 6 of The Cowboy Who Came Home

Of course, Momma had said Sammy had grown right up while Finn had been gone. He was almost eighteen now, and he’d graduate from high school in another couple of weeks. Oh, and he didn’t go by Sammy anymore, but Sam.

As he stood there and watched the bus come to a stop and the kids who lived here at Three Rivers start to spill out of it, Finn wondered if there’d been another reason he hadn’t gone with his daddy for the school bus pick-up. A reason he’d stayed here, that he’d needed to be here.

And that was to see and meet and talk to Edith again. Get her number. He slid his hand into his pocket and felt his device there, all while a feeling of goodness and rightness came over him.

It sure was good to be home.

And you won’t make a fuss over your parents making a fuss over you.

The stern voice in his head reminded him of the General he’d worked under in Germany. There were no jokes while on duty in the intelligence department, and Finn had learned that quickly. The work they did there mattered, as it did in every department of the Armed Forces, but General Hutch did not allow for joviality. That could happen outside of the tactical room.

Finn watched the kids, ages five to eighteen, scatter toward the various houses and cabins out here on the ranch. Uncle Pete and Aunt Chelsea lived across the street, in the two-story house with the blue door, but Finn didn’t see their youngest head that way.

Instead, Rich and Sam walked in through the garage door, both of them bellowing, “Where you at, Finny?” They laughed as Sam came through the doorway and into the kitchen first, and wow, Finn did not recognize him at all.

His hair had grown a little long, and it waved and curled in all directions. He had broad shoulders and stood as tall as Daddy now, with Momma’s blue eyes shining at him as they crinkled with his smile.

“Sammy,” he said, unable to censor himself. And then it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter that Sam was only his half-brother. That they only shared the same genes as their mother. That Finn had missed the last ten years of life here in Three Rivers, on this ranch, with his family.

He opened his arms and saw Sam’s face fall, the crinkles for a whole new reason, a brand new emotion.

All Finn could feel was love. Love and acceptance and forgiveness. He’d relive Sam’s life through the stories they’d tell each other over the next few days, weeks, months, and years.

“I missed you, brother,” Finn whispered in Sam’s ear as he held him tight, right against his chest. “I love you so much.” His voice broke on the last word, and he couldn’t even imagine the reunion he’d have with Mike and Libby.

They wouldn’t be home in time for tonight’s party, which meant Momma would simply have another one when they arrived. He wished he could’ve told her when he’d be arriving sooner, but the Army didn’t exactly play by a Texas momma’s timeline.

He’d found out yesterday that his flight would be that evening, and he’d land on the ranch this morning. And that was what had happened.

Libby had graduated from Faithview, a Christian college in Amarillo, and she now held a degree in ranch and business management. She hadn’t come back to Three Rivers yet, because she wanted “outside experience.” Those had been Momma’s words, and Finn had only read them in an email. He could hear her voice as she said them, though, and Momma just wanted all of her chicks to come home.

Daddy had assured Finn multiple, multiple times that he’d always have a place at Three Rivers Ranch. Whenever he wanted it. In whatever capacity he wanted it. The problem was, Finn had no idea what he wanted.

Libby worked at another ranch as their general controller, and she claimed to really like Oklahoma. She couldn’t just up and leave her job with only twelve hours’ notice, and she’d said she’d talk to her boss about coming home for the weekend to see Finn.

Mike had just finished his junior year at Baylor, and he was off living the life Finn was pretty sure his momma had anticipated he’d live. He’d gone to Baylor for a year, but the environment simply hadn’t suited him. He wondered if it would now, and he prayed that God would simply illuminate the path Finn should be on.

He hadn’t yet, and Finn was starting to wonder if He ever would.

Then he thought of Edith standing on that sidewalk, in plain view, and Finn knew God loved him, cared about him, and had possibly shone a light on the first step Finn should take. Maybe.

Edith hadn’t seemed all that keen to rush out to dinner with him that night. She’d even turned down his invitation for tonight’s party.

In truth, Finn didn’t want her to come to any of his welcome home shindigs, and relief filled him as he stepped back from Sam.

His younger brother wiped his eyes. “When’s Mike coming home?”

“The weekend,” Momma said, and Finn let her hug her youngest as he moved over to Rich.

“Look at you all grown up.” He grinned at his cousin and hugged him too. “What’s it like being the only kid at home?”

“It’s not so bad,” Rich said. “I mean, Daddy’s not yelling at Henry all the time, so it’s good.” He grinned as he stepped out of Finn’s arms. “You’ve got a beard.”

Finn’s hand went to it, and he grinned. “Yeah, I think it’s nice.”

“It looks great,” Rich said.

“Your neck needs to be trimmed up,” Momma said, her eyes appraising every little thing.

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