Page 56 of One Lucky Cowboy

Bennett grabbed the twine on the second-to-last hay bale and lugged it over his head, tossing it on top of the others.

“It’s not that I don’t think you’re capable. It’s that you’re not twenty anymore. Rodeo’s a young man’s game.”

“I know. But you asked what I want, and that kind of life—on the road, wind in my hair—it’s more who I am than any corporate job.”

The heavy truth hissed out of his lungs like a necrotic leak. But it didn’t matter what was him. Not when caring for a kid was on the docket.

Bennett’s face twisted into a scowl. “You haven’t changed a damn bit, have you? You might’ve grown taller but not up.”

“Listen, you brought this up. I’m fine sticking around to help you and Maggie out for now, but if you don’t wanna know what I want, don’t ask.”

The sun was directly overhead, and heat attacked from all angles—off the dirt, reflected off the rocky outcropping to their left, and even off the black metal lining the truck bed. It was gonna be the kind of summer that made all of central Texas wish they had summer homes on the Gulf Coast.

Bennett slammed the tailgate shut and stalked off.

Only three steps down the path, he turned around and poked at Jax’s chest. “What about me? Mom?”

Ren? Would he really give up a stable job now that he had a kid?

“I told you I’m not going anywhere right now.” Or maybe ever. “I’ll stay and help.”

Besides, where would he go that he could hope Ren would find him? The walls of his poor choices from a decade and a half ago closed in on him. He shouldn’t ever have thought he’d be able to escape MBE or his past.

At least he had Ren to show for it. Hopefully.

“Don’t do me any favors.”

“I’m not, Bennett. I’m being a brother. But don’t forget you’re the one who brought this up. Maybe you don’t want me around anymore, you ever think of that? You’ve got a family of your own now, a business that doesn’t need one of your siblings slowing things down. Maybe this is your way of kicking me out.”

Both the men’s chests expanded and contracted and neither broke the other’s gaze.

“You wanna take off from your responsibilities, sure, fine. Whatever. But don’t pretend this is about me. You’re gonna leave your family behind, too. We already have one deadbeat brother, Jax. Find a new way to disappoint Mom.”

Before Jax’s clenched fists could find a solid spot to land on Bennett’s face, his brother was gone, only another cloud of dust marking where he’d been. Is that what he was doing? Shucking his responsibilities?

If only Ren would come back, maybe Jax could square things away with him, find the courage to introduce the boy to his family. Then maybe they could make a plan together for what came next.

“Can I get through one damn day without disappointing someone?” he muttered. His phone alarm went off, the electronic trill louder than the ruckus down at the corral. He glanced at the title he’d given the alarm and cursed under his breath.

“Shit. Speaking of people I’ve disappointed.”

It was time to meet up with Jill to get a delivery schedule hammered out. If it were for any other reason, he’d be looking forward to seeing her again. Sure, he had a couple tough things to knock out with her, but he’d take her scrutiny over his brother’s any day. Especially when it came with her laugh; it was something of a cross between a giggle and snort, and it always made him smile.

Even though it killed him, Ren would have to wait. He’d set some calls in motion, but he had to find a way to sort this mess before his family and their business fell apart, too.

It was ten after when he strolled through the doors of the town hall where he was supposed to meet Jill. It took him another two minutes to find the dang room she’d mentioned, and when he finally did, her scowl said everything her pursed lips weren’t sharing.

“Before you get pissed at me for being late, I have news.”

“I’m not pissed. But you have a phone, don’t you?”

“I do, but—”

“But nothing, Jax. I’m just saying, my time is valuable.” She gestured to the chair next to hers, but damned if he could sit still enough to take a seat. His skin felt like it might vibrate off his muscles. “We’re supposed to be managing Maggie’s whole company while she’s out for the baby, and you may balk at that level of responsibility, but it’s my dream to run this thing someday. So, whether or not you want to play ball, you will when you’re dealing with Steel Born on my watch, am I clear?”

“You done treating me like a schoolkid who got detention?” He towered over her, his arms crossed over his chest, but he couldn’t shake the feeling she had the higher ground here. Jesus. He’d really pissed some deity off today, hadn’t he? “I’m sorry I’m late, and I’m sorry for not talking to you earlier about what happened earlier this week, but—”

“I don’t want to talk about that. We don’t have time.”

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