Page 10 of Just Say When

Brax:

Nah. I’ve got it handled.

Jack:

I think we both know when it comes to my sister, that’s never been true.

“Is he here yet?” James asked breathlessly. She bounded up the stairs of the front porch to the big house with my twelve-year-old nephew, Ben, at her heels.

“Haven’t missed a thing, buttercup,”Adam said from his rocking chair next to mine. “Come have a seat.” He patted his thighs in invitation.

“Dad!” Ben protested, looking as appalled as only a twelve-year-old boy faced with public displays of affection could look. “No one wants to see that.”

“Give it another year,” Zack, my younger brother, said. He was in another rocking chair to my right, which meant I was sandwiched between them, the three of us lined up according to age and the alphabet. “You’ll be singing a different tune.”

Now it was Adam’s turn to look appalled. “Don’t listen to him, Ben. You have plenty of time before that happens.” His eyes were full of affection as he looked at his son.

My dad chuckled. “It goes quick. That’s a fact.”

My heart twinged in my chest. Hale men tended to fall hard, fast, and young. There were stories that my great-great-great grandfather Thomas—founder of the Painted Cat—had taken one look at my great-great-great grandmother Celine and refused to let her rent out her bed to another man. My mom and dad had been high school sweethearts, and to hear my dad tell the story, they had been meant for each other from the first moment they clapped eyes on each other. Adam had followed that same trajectory, marrying his high school sweetheart as soon as she graduated from college.

Of course, it wasn’t long before she’d left him for another man. So maybe that wasn’t the best example.

Still, I always figured I’d do the same sooner rather than later. Get married, start a family while I was still young enough to chase kids around. At this rate, Adam would be well into his second marriage before I had started my first.

Most days that didn’t bother me. Hell, most days I was grateful for it. As Aspen Springs’s only lawyer, I saw firsthand how nasty people could be when love turned to hate and marriage ended in divorce.

But sometimes, like now, when I watched my brother wrap an arm around James’s waist and pull her, laughing and fake protesting, onto his lap, I wasn’t all that grateful. Adam had had more than his fair share of misery, and I was glad he had found love with James. I didn’t begrudge him his happiness but staring it full in the face like that felt fucking unnecessary.

James only stayed in Adam’s lap for a moment before she was back on her feet again, bouncing on her toes with excitement. “Blaine and Jesse have a stall ready for Pirate in the birthing barn, since it’s not being used right now,” she said, referring to two of the ranch hands. “We’ll keep him quarantined until he gets a full vet check. Who knows what he could have picked up in that asshole’s yard. Probably nothing communicable, but better safe than sorry.”

“Remind me. What time did Essie say she’d be here, again?” Zack asked, tipping his bottle of beer to his mouth.

I glanced to where the sun was dipping below the mountain ridgeline. “She’ll be here soon.”

We hadn’t specified an exact time.You have until sundown, I’d told her.

Or what?she’d challenged.You gonna meet me outside the saloon at high noon? I’m a better shot than you.

Or I’ll take your mom up on her dinner invitation, I’d said.Not sure what I’ll say if she asks me a direct question. You know I can’t lie to Cat.

She’d glared something fierce, but we both knew it was game over. Risking jailtime for herself was one thing. Disappointing her mother was a bridge too far. Maybe it was wrong of me to play that card, but what the hell else was I supposed to do? Let her keepmyhorse in her backyard?

“And remind me, how is it that Essie is bringing Pirate instead of Gaffney?” Adam asked. “How did she get involved?”

James spun on her toes to face us. Her big brown eyes were almost comically wide with faux innocence. “HowdidEssie get involved, Brax? I would love to hear about it.”

I narrowed my gaze on her, wondering how much Essie had shared. “It’s not that interesting. She picked up Pirate last night so she could take care of his feet. Gave him a good grooming and dose of medicine.” Strictly true. Did it matter if she had taken Piratewithout permission? That was no one’s business but hers and mine now.

“Huh.” James slowly blinked her long eyelashes. “That was so nice of her to help you out like that. She must have spent her whole day off taking care of your horse for you. I hope you thanked her properly.”

This earned snorts of laughter from my idiot brothers.

“Yeah, Brax,” Zack taunted in a sing-song voice. “Did you thank Essieproperly?”

“Shut the hell up,” I muttered.

“Hey, man,” Adam said. “Watch the language.” He jerked his chin toward Ben, who rolled his eyes.

---