Page 21 of His Fresh Start Cowboy
“No.” Brand turned his head. His eyes were red but his cheeks dry, and his accent had thickened a bit. “Can’t stand seein’ an animal in pain.”
“It’s worse when it’s an animal you love. Or a person.”
He snorted, then looked back out the window. Sipped what was probably whiskey. “I gotta find Jackson and thank him for savin’ Brutus.”
“I’m sure he knows you’re grateful.”
“Still. Sometimes you gotta hear the words.”
“I can agree with that. About a lot of things.”
Brand looked at him again, his brown eyes stormier, full of something Hugo couldn’t name. He held Hugo’s gaze for several long, charged moments. “I appreciate all your help and support today, Hugo, but I need you to leave.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t invite you in.”
“I’m just trying to be your friend, Brand.”
“I’m not interested.”
“Liar.”
Something seemed to battle in Brand’s eyes briefly, as if wanting to amend his own statement. Before Hugo’s heart could trill with hope that maybe Brand would open up about today, Brand smashed it into bits by saying, “We need to stay boss/employee.”
If today’s events had told Hugo anything, it was that Brand was fighting something. Maybe the need to reach out to Hugo, instead of always being the stoic ranch foreman. Why? Hugo could guess, but he wanted Brand to tell him exactly why. That obviously wasn’t happening today, because Brand had the same obstinate face Rem got when he was digging in his heels on a subject.
Pressing on the bruise anymore today wouldn’t help. If Brand was this determined to keep his distance, even with the sparks Hugo felt bouncing between them, then Hugo wouldn’t push. He’d stay away just as he’d done these last few weeks and pretend they hadn’t shared that long, comforting hug. Hadn’t held eye contact in a way that made Hugo’s insides wobble with desire. Hadn’t forged a new, intense connection today.
“Fine,” Hugo replied, trying to hide his disappointment. “I’ll get back to work, Mr. Woods.”
Brand frowned and started to speak, but Hugo didn’t want to hear it. He pivoted neatly on his boot heel, yanked open the office door, and strode out of the room. He had fucking work to do.
Chapter Seven
Brand hadn’t meant to drink more than one glass of whiskey before returning to work, but after his non-argument with Hugo, he’d downed a second. When the third went down a little too smoothly, he realized he was done for the day and face-planted in bed. He’d just drifted off to sleep when Rem’s sharp voice belted out, “Dude, why are you asleep in the middle of the day?”
Disoriented from both alcohol and emotional distress, Brand rolled to his side. Too close to the edge, he fell right off the bed and onto the hardwood floor with a pained groan. His mouth was dry, his head hurt, and he really needed to whiz.
“Shit, sorry,” Rem said, crouching beside him. “Didn’t mean to scare the piss outta you.”
“Not quite the piss, but you’re close. Fucking ow.”
Rem helped him sit up, concern etched all over his face. “I heard about Brutus. That’s why I came over. He’s okay, though?”
“Doc thinks so.” Brand rubbed both hands in his sandy eyes. “Sorry, I just...fell asleep.”
“Yeah, you smell like you fell asleep with a bottle of Jack. Come on.” He helped Brand up to sit on the bed. Rem sat beside him. “Can’t imagine how scared you were today. Brutus is a good dog. He’ll be home sniffing our crotches and tryin’ to hump Dog before we know it.”
Brand smiled at the humorous comment but felt no real mirth. “Hope so. I just...haven’t felt that kind of stress in a long damned time.” Not since what happened with Ginny their junior year of high school, which had firmly cemented Brand’s path to where he was now. Single and in charge of the ranch.
“Well, don’t let stress send you into a bottle too much, bro.” Rem knuckled him on the shoulder. “Don’t wanna lose the operation the way old Elmer did.”
Alcoholism was only a rumor as to why Elmer Pearce’s only son, Michael, left town a few months after two things happened: Elmer’s wife died and Elmer lost the majority of his land to a bank foreclosure. Brand didn’t trade in rumors, and he had never once seen Elmer anything except fully sober on the occasion he visited the man’s home.
Some of us are really good at hiding secrets, though.
Brand had quite a few of his own he was pretty damned good at hiding. “Don’t worry, I’m not about to become an alcoholic. Today was just a shitty day.”
