Page 7 of The Texas Cowboy's Rescue

“What I’m reading between the lines,” Jaxson said, “is that you raised yourself, determined a course for yourself, took the harder road, and rode it out like any Texas cowboy might. That’s more than okay in my book for anyone. We have the same blood in our veins. Our history will always be the same. I’m glad you’re here in Burkitt finally. Let’s get on with it.”

“I agree with Jaxson,” Laurel chimed in, stepping through the doorway. “And that leads me to remind you all that there is a party beginning outside on the patios. We would love to have you all join the rest of us.”

“And we have our marching orders, gentlemen.” Jaxson grinned, standing, the other two following his lead. He stuck out his hand to Deacon, his gaze sincere on his stepbrother. “Welcome home to Burkitt, the Aces High, and the Hawkes’s homestead.” Beaudry stepped up and did the handshake next and added a good pat on the back.

“And I’ll just apologize now for anything Jaxson might do or say in the future that might take some patience on your part. We’ve learned to ignore him often.”

“Hey,” Jaxson responded. “He’ll figure out soon enough the true brains of the operation.” Then he paused and grinned. “Our wives have the brains. Let’s go find some food.”

Chapter Five

Deke felt aload had lifted. Maybe he hadn’t been aware it was weighing him down since his return to Burkitt and finding himself face-to-face with his half brothers when the emergency first occurred. Beaudry’s wife going into labor and having a flood and storms made the need for a rescue come into play. He had done nothing that he wouldn’t have done for anyone else in peril... even before he realized the identities and that he had a personal connection.

He hadn’t expected to be welcomed back with such openness. But then, his mother and her bitterness toward her first husband, father to Beaudry and Jaxson, might have colored his single viewpoint. Any preconceived notions needed to be set aside and a clean slate would be good. And his brain flashed back to how the morning had begun with Kenzie and Brooke. Pancakes with faces on a lazy Saturday morning... that was alien territory to him, but it felt really nice. Not that he expected it to ever happen again, but the fact it had once and he had found it oddly comforting, was something he wouldn’t forget. And as he stepped out onto the patio, he heard a familiar voice call to him.

“Mister Deke! Watch me! I’m going to do a cannonball! Watch my splash.” Across from where he stood was the small figure of a little girl in a hot-pink swimsuit with sparkles sprinkled over it. He grinned and returned her wave. She stood at one end of the diving board... the lower board and not the high diving one that the older kids and adults used. With a running start, she went off the end of the board and into the pool. She came to the surface quickly and dog-paddled to the edge where Deke had moved. He clapped for her. She stood up in the shallows, wiping the hair from her eyes. “Did you see me?”

“I did indeed, and it was a huge splash. Well done!”

“I want to go off the big diving board, but my mom said I wasn’t ready. I can do an even bigger splash that way. But I want to learn to dive. Do you know how to dive? And did you bring Ranger?”

“Yes, I do know how to dive. And Ranger is relaxing and pretending to guard the house while I’m gone.”

“Let the poor man enjoy the party, Brooke. Your friends are waiting for you to dry off and get ready to eat, so that the birthday cake can be cut. Run, get your towel.” Kenzie had seen her daughter show off for the tall man and then realized that she should have known he would be invited to the same party that afternoon as they were. After all, he was a Hawkes’s stepbrother.

While her daughter dashed off to join her friends, Kenzie was left standing beside her coworker. “I’m sorry. Brooke can be quite talkative to those she likes. Feel free to speak up and...”

“No, no... she is fine. Quite refreshing. And I know that I need to work on being more vocal, practice my conversational skills. That way, people won’t think I’m aloof and unapproachable.” He returned her gaze, and she knew without a doubt that he had heard her characterization of him with the other members of her staff and he had waited for the perfect moment to let her know. No use but to own it.

“I suppose those are easy labels to use when a person doesn’t really know the other person. It was obviously a mistake and colored by other things that had no bearing to you. I’m sorry that I was that shallow a person. I know better.”

For a few long seconds, he stood before her in silent consideration. Then he held out his hand. “Hello, I’m Deacon Hayes, lead pilot on the evac team. And you are?”

She felt a smile escape even as she tried to be at her sincere best. Her hand went inside his. “Hello, I’m your trauma evac flight nurse, Kenzie Calhoun. Nice to meet you at last.”

“Hope I’m not interrupting, but we’re going to have the kids gather for photos with Lacy and then she can blow out the candles. You said you didn’t want to miss out on that photo.” Laurel might have considered the fact that they were shaking hands a bit odd, but she said nothing. And she certainly didn’t mention the fact that neither had released the grip. Her smile just grew as she turned away.

At the same moment, they both dropped the handshake. Was that as weird as it seemed? Or was it something else? Deke’s smile faded.

“I need to catch some photos. Have fun.” Kenzie couldn’t seem to make her getaway fast enough. Had he scared her off by holding her hand too long? He was a bit rusty in interactions with the opposite sex. He had blocked off that part of his life while he was getting out of the military and working to establish his own aero business. He had been told that time would heal all wounds, physical and psychological. Deke had hoped that would be the case. And then he had channeled energy into saving his partner, Ranger, and getting permission to bring him back to the States with him. He had simply made up his mind that his singular path was probably the way it was best.

Deke’s attention was captured by a tall man stepping forward to join him on the patio.

“I have to say that when I was told that there was a third component in the Hawkes’s bloodline, I was speechless... and a little frightened. To think there was another one out there like Beau and Jaxson in the world. But then I held out some hope that there still might be a chance that the third time would be a charm, and you just might be the pick of the litter, so to speak.” The man voicing those words offered them with a wide grin and his hand. “I’m sure your brothers have mentioned their best and most brilliant friend, Matthew Matteo. We’ve been buddies since grade-school days. Welcome to Burkitt.”

Deke accepted the handshake. “Seems they might have forgotten to mention you, but it’s good to meet you now.”

“Well, I had planned to call you later in the week, but this is even better in person. I’m an attorney and there are some documents in your name from Thomas Hawkes’s will. I searched for you after his death, but it seems you and your mom were well off the grid for a while. My letters came back each time. Then, word did come a few years back that your mother had died in a wreck in Georgia. But they knew nothing about you and your whereabouts. If you call my office on Monday, I’ll set up a time that we can look over those papers. You look a little shocked by that fact.”

“I’m shocked that my mother’s ex-husband even thought of me at all. Why would he have done that?”

“Regardless of how things ended between him and your mother, I can tell you that when she left him and the boys behind, she took his heart. He never got over her. And when he heard about you... well, he knew the importance of a connection that Beau and Jaxson would want to have with a half brother... the fact they would know that someplace out there, they had a half brother. He was a good man.”

“I’m beginning to see there was a lot my mother left out when she would take off on a rant about the life she left behind her. How hard it was and how her husband had no ambition. I figured out after a while that her version might not be exactly truthful. And I’ve seen the hard work he had to have put into the Hawkes’s Ranch over the years to build it up and turn it over to Beaudry and Jaxson. But the past is done. I’ve learned it’s a waste of time to look behind you.” He offered his hand again.

“Well, I’ll look forward to talking to you next week. Now I think I see some pretty ladies by the pool that need my attention. Enjoy! The Burkitt parties are always the best.”

Deke had to agree with that assessment as time progressed and both Hawkes brothers made certain to introduce him to the townspeople and ranch hands in attendance. Some were surprised by his relationship to Beaudry and Jaxson, while others took it as old news. All were welcoming, and he was both overwhelmed by their invites to join this or that or just drop by for coffee here or there. And he realized that there were a few females that weren’t giving their attention all to Matt Matteo. He was a bit uncomfortable with that. Especially since he had caught Kenzie looking a time or two in his direction, and he could almost feel a certain chill in the air as she watched a female or two do their best to flirt. He wasn’t interested in their efforts, but he somehow doubted it mattered to his neighbor. It was time for him to take his leave.

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