Page 18 of Legacy of Danger
Chapter 6
Vaughn went ramrod straight in the chair as Garrison stomped into Shelby's hospital room that evening. They still had unfinished, unpleasant business to discuss. There was the status of the ranch, the supernatural creature stalking their family, the feud with the Brands, Shelby and Eric's uncertain health, Dad's stroke, and, of course, the 800-pound gorilla: Vaughn's fuckup.
"Any change?" The lines on his brother's face had deepened since last fall.
"No. Stable. It's a waiting game now." He tried to meet Garrison's narrowed glare but couldn't.
Garrison laid his hat on a rolling bedside table. "Well. Take off, then." The way he said it sounded like taking off was Vaughn's forte. He wasn't wrong.
He pushed to his feet to meet his brother eye to eye. "Garrison. I need to explain about your wife."
"Ex-wife," he spat.
"Okay." Sweat collected on his lower back, making the fabric stick. "Look, I need to take responsibility for my part in what happened last year."
"Not necessary." Garrison's words came out low. Controlled. It would be easier if he'd just yell and get it over with.
"Yes, it is. I screwed it all up for you, man. Your marriage. Everything." Damn it, Vaughn was the oldest. Supposed to be the rock. Instead, he'd been a betraying lush who went terra incognita.
"Not all of it." The smile barely creased Garrison's tight mouth.
"Huh?"
"Tiffani had checked out of our marriage long before she started making passes at you."
Vaughn's jaw dropped. "You knew? Back then?"
"Suspected. As it turns out, she'd had several extracurricular activities."
"No way." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other in the silence. Scuffed the vinyl floor with a boot.
"You weren't the only one she..." Garrison muttered.
Vaughn shook his head. "Not sure if that makes me feel any better."
"It shouldn't. And I hope you're haunted by what happened. I hope it motivates you to... be better or some crap like that." Garrison crossed his arms with a creak of material, not bothering to take off the shearling leather jacket. He planted his legs like he wanted to tackle Vaughn.
Carrying out an uncomfortable conversation wasn't easy for the best of communicators. But for two dudes like he and Garrison? Wasn't pretty. But by God, Vaughn would keep going, even if it hurt.
"Every day I think about what happened." Vaughn sucked in a lungful of air. "If it makes you feel any better, I was drunk when it happened. With Tiffani."
"No, it does not make me feel any better."
"Right."
Garrison rubbed the back of his neck. "There's more. She was involved with Hank Brand shortly after you left."
"That asshole? Talk about fucked up." Vaughn clamped his mouth shut for a solid ten seconds in case he said something else stupid. "Sorry."
His brother's lips twisted. "You have no idea. Then she sent me divorce papers, threatened to take Zach if I didn't sign, drained the bank accounts, and disappeared. Turns out she left Hank, went to Salt Lake City, got mixed up with some sketchy folks and ended up dead."
"Shit. I'm really sorry."
"I've dealt with it." The negligent wave didn't match Garrison's haunted expression. "In retrospect, she was unhappy for years. Unhappy with me, with being tied down to the small town, and probably unhappy with herself."
"Wow." He rubbed his chin with the heel of his hand and tried not to fidget. "Still doesn't excuse that I didn't stop her advances."
Garrison dropped his hands to his sides. "No, it does not excuse what happened." Vaughn had to strain to hear his low voice. "I would have hoped for more from you."
