Chapter 17
ADAM
After dinner, Camille and Lizzy join my siblings on the back porch for drinks while I stay behind to help Momma clean up.
This has become our weekly ritual. Occasionally one of the others help, but it’s usually just me doing the dishes while Momma puts away the leftovers. I don’t see Momma as much as the others. Joe and Leann still live on the ranch, and Matt lives next door.
After Matt’s wife died in childbirth, he rented out the old Evans’ house across the creek.
The extra space and barn allowed him to turn his vet practice into something with a little more permanence.
Prior to that, he’d mostly been practicing as a traveling vet since our ranch doesn’t have the extra space for a clinic.
Between the convenience of the location and a more stable job for him, it made being a single father with a newborn easier.
I thought I had it bad when Irene left me, but I can’t imagine what it’s like to survive what Matt went through.
Sometimes I feel foolish for how I fell apart when Irene left.
My marriage ended, but nobody died. Seeing Matt be strong and not once fall apart was a real eye-opener for me.
No matter how hard life becomes, there’s always a reason to live.
Matt's an amazing father and a good man. I’m proud to call him brother.
The same goes for Joe.
We’ve had some rough patches as a family, but there isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for each other.
The worst was when Dad died. It was unexpected and left us all feeling hopeless and lost. Especially Joe.
He worked the closest with Dad on the ranch and understood the business better than any of the rest of us.
When Momma first suggested he take over Dad’s place as CEO, Joe refused.
He didn’t think he was the right person to take the job since he wasn’t biologically a Langdon.
He felt it should have gone to me or Leann.
We eventually got him to see the light and accept he’s one of us and always will be.
As hard as Dad’s death had been on us, it hit Leann the hardest. She was Daddy’s little girl.
Leann spent most of her childhood following Dad around the ranch and learning the business.
She was born horse obsessed. She was riding a full-grown horse—against Momma’s explicit instructions not to—by the time she was four, which is where Emmie gets it from.
She took to it like a duck to water, and she was show jumping in no time.
It took her a few years to find her way after losing Dad, but she eventually came around. We all did. After Dad’s death is when we got the infinity tattoos on our arms. The four of us together forever. Our family bond is so much stronger than blood.
My life is by no means perfect, but it’s a good life. I’m luckier than most. Things may not have turned out the way I planned, and that’s okay. Sometimes the unexpected is better than the planned.
“Whatcha thinking about over there?” Momma’s voice drags me out of my thoughts.
I look up from the sink where I’m on autopilot rinsing dishes. Momma’s expression is equal parts worry and curiosity. “Just thinking about how proud I am of all my siblings. You and Dad did good, Momma. You’ve got a great bunch of kids.”
She chuckles and pats me on the back. “Yeah, well. It was touch-and-go there for a few years. It wasn’t always easy, and I still worry about each of you.”
“Oh, I think it's safe to stop worrying so much. We’ve all found our place in this world.”
“Maybe so, but none of you are married. Matt has Emmie, but he needs a woman to love. So does Joe. They’re both restless. A good woman would do them good.”
“I can’t say I see that happening anytime soon.”
“Don’t I know it. And don’t even get me started on Leann. That girl has never once had a steady boyfriend. It’s like she’s sworn them off before she even gave them a chance.”
“What are you talking about? She dates. Wasn’t she dating that Korben boy?”
“That’s already old news.” Momma sighs. “I just want to see all my children settled. And I want grandbabies. Your Dad and I struggled to have you kids. It would be nice if one of you would start popping out little ones as thanks for that great job you claim we did.”
“Well, don’t look at me. I’m afraid that ship sailed a long time ago.”
The sadness in my momma’s expression makes me want to reach out and hug her. If I do, she might cry. I don’t want to make her cry. Instead, I focus on the dishes.
“You would’ve made a great father, Adam,” she says after a few minutes.
I shrug, not really wanting to be reminded of what I didn’t get out of life. “I would’ve loved to have had the chance to try.”
I dry off my hands before I turn around to face her. She knows this is a sore subject for me, and I hate that she’s bringing it up.
She eyes me carefully before she speaks. “You and Camille seem to be getting along well.”
I lean against the counter and cross my arms over my chest. I can tell by the look on her face she has something more significant to say. Any time my momma has words to speak, she stares with that blank, concerned look. “We are.”
“I like her. And her daughter is a sweetheart.”
“Yes, Lizzy is a great kid.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. We both know this is not what she has to say. There’s something much deeper on her mind than her opinion of Camille and Lizzy. “Get to the point, Momma.”
“Be careful, Adam.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That woman has been through a lot.” Momma’s voice cracks and when I look up at her, her gaze is watery. “You really like her. Maybe even more than you’re willing to admit to yourself. I don’t want to see you get your heart broken again.”
I push off the counter and pull momma into a hug. I love that she cares so much, but she doesn’t need to worry. I do enough of that for everyone. “You can relax. We’re just getting to know each other. There’s nothing serious going on between us.”
Momma cups my cheek and gives me a weak smile. “I don’t believe that for a second.”
I drop my head and sigh. Those just might be the truest words my momma has spoken all night.
By the time I make it out to the back porch, my brothers have Camille and Lizzy laughing. It’s a cool night, but they lit the outside fireplace, making it nice and toasty on the porch.
“All right, what kind of stories are you two telling the girls?” I slide into the seat next to Camille and sling my arm over the seat behind her.
She looks up at me, her warm smile bringing out my own.
When she tucks herself in closer to me, my mood improves.
That small action makes my heart leap, and I forget all about my momma’s words of warning.
“Don’t worry, bro. We’re not talking about you,” Joe says. “Matt’s the butt of all these jokes.”
“Well, that certainly explains all the laughs, then.” I catch Matt’s eye and smile. He may have had a rough life, but he also knows how to have fun. He and Joe bring a lot of good laughs into the Langdon house.
“Where’d Leann go?” I ask.
“She’s putting Emmie to bed. She’s gonna stay at Momma’s since I have to be in Kalispell by eight in the morning for a seminar.”
“Business still going well?” I ask.
“Yep, better than ever. Having all the extra space next door really helps. It allowed me to expand in ways I couldn’t when I was traveling. Uncle Jimmy even offered to sell me the house and barn and a small bit of the land surrounding it.”
“Really?” I jerk my head up in surprise. That house and barn have been in the Evans family for four generations. It’s as much a part of the neighboring vineyard as the grapes themselves.
The Evans family has seen their fair share of tragedy, though.
Uncle Jimmy is all that remains of the Evans in Watercress Falls.
He isn’t our uncle, but everyone calls him that.
Always have. A few years back, his brother and sister-and-law were killed in a car accident.
It hit the entire town hard. But no one was as impacted as their two children, Jessica and Ryan.
Neither of them have been back since their parents' funeral.
“Yep, Uncle Jimmy’s getting on in years, and since he’s been living in the bunkhouses, he doesn’t need to keep it. So, yeah. He offered to sell it to me.”
“And Jessica and Ryan are okay with it?”
He winces at the mention of Jessica’s name. He’s never really talked about it, but last time they spoke, they parted on bad terms. “Uncle Jimmy says they’re fine with it.”
I nod and am about to say something more when Leann barrels through the back door. “Man, can that girl fight sleep. She’s too excited tonight. I think she really likes our guests.”
Leann beams at Camille and Lizzy.
“Aw, she’s a sweet kid. I hope to see more of her now that I call Watercress Falls home.” Camille turns to Matt with a grin. “If you’re ever in a pinch for someone to watch her, I work from home. I’d love to have her over sometime.”
Matt tips his drink at her. “That’s mighty nice of you. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Hey, Adam.” Joe lightly knocks the side of my leg. “Join me in the barn, I want to show you that new mare we got. She’s a beaut.”
“Can you show her to me next week? It’s getting kinda late, and I should get the girls home.”
Camille rests her hand on my chest. “Don’t worry about us. Go. We’ll sit here with Leann until you’re done.”
I look down at Camille’s light blue eyes shining up at mine and my chest tightens. Yeah, I’m definitely in this way deeper than I’m willing to admit. “You sure?”
“Yes, we’re good.”
“Besides, they already showed her to me,” Lizzy’s voice sounds tired, but laced with excitement. “I don’t know much about horses, but that mare is pretty.”
I nod, pleased to see Lizzy taking to our way of life so quickly. “Well, if you’re sure.”