Chapter 15 Reese
Igave him the day, but Jarrett isn’t talking. The stubborn jackass is just laid out on my couch and refuses to speak. Lin even tried with him. I guess I thought she might remind him of Mama but, no such luck.
“If you ain’t gonna answer my questions, I’ll load you up in my truck right now and take you to the Sheriff’s station” I finally say with more finality in my voice than I’d meant.
Though on second thought, Jarrett’s been nothing but a thorn in everyone’s side since he was born.
Always getting in trouble, doing stupid shit, messing around with the wrong crowd.
He’s one of the biggest reasons I never had the desire to have children of my own. Now I host a ranch with twenty or so yearly.
The irony.
His eyes slide my way, and he blinks lazily but still, he says nothing. So, standing from the chair across the room from him, I grab my keys and let out a sharp, “Get up.”
When he doesn’t move, I walk back around the couch. “I’m not sure you understand who’s in charge here, but when you come to my ranch, I’m the person you listen to, or you’re out.”
He has the nerve to scoff.
“I honestly don’t give a damn how much pain you’re in. You either answer my questions, or I’ll carry you out to the truck and buckle you in my damn self. I don’t have time for your horse shit.”
Maybe I could be nicer, and with the look on Lin’s face, I can tell she’s thinking the same. Mason on the other hand is smiling ear to ear.
“So what’s it gonna be, huh?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
He lays there unblinking, looking up at me, and if it were anybody else, I’d have a shred of empathy for them. That doesn’t extend to him.
My phone rings and I already know who it is. I programmed Mama into my phone with her own ring tone years ago.
“I’m bringin’ him home Mama,” I say into the phone without pleasantries. I’m far too frustrated for that. “I gave him the day and he ain’t talkin’, Yates can deal with him.”
She sniffles through the line, and my frustration slowly starts to die, replaced with regret. Sometimes I need to remember that I don’t need to be such an asshole, especially to Mama.
“It’s late, let him stay tonight,” Mama says, and it sounds like more of a statement than a request and I hate myself for wanting to argue with her.
It’s close to dinner, which isn’t late at all.
When I don’t answer right away, she sighs and I know she’s got more in her arsenal of motherly guilt, and unfortunately for me, I’m not immune to it even at my age.
Walking into my bedroom, I slam the door shut. “He’s eighteen, right? Kick him out, and maybe he’ll learn to stand on his own two feet for once.”
“You know I can’t do that, Reese.” The slight hiccup in her voice fractures the frustration in me. “He’s my baby.”
“Yeah, and he’s gotten himself into somethin’ he shouldn’t,” I rumble. “You haven’t seen him, he’s pretty busted up, Mama.”
I don’t know if Mama and Yates are purposefully ignoring all the warning signs in Jarrett, or if they’re blissfully unaware, but I’m not sure which would be worse. She sobs through the phone, and I can’t take anymore of it.
“I’ll keep him tonight, but I’m bringin’ him back bright and early tomorrow,” I warn, as gently as I can given the circumstances.
“The Sheriff says he’s got to answer some questions,” she tells me, clearing her throat.
“Please, Reese, talk to him. Help him. Yates and I, we just don’t know what to do anymore.
I can’t fail another one of my boys.” I can’t tell she’s on the verge of losing it again, the quiver in her voice is a dead giveaway.
Her words pinch my chest, she didn’t fail Levi. He failed us. Taking on guilt for someone else’s actions isn’t how anyone should live.
“Mama…” I start.
“Please,” she begs.
I know I’ll regret this tomorrow, but right now all I want is for my mother not to sound so defeated, so broken and helpless. So I do what I’ve always done and cave. “If he stays, he works.”
She sighs, but not like before and a small catch in her throat tells me I’ve made at least one of her worries lessen. “I think that’s more than fair.”
“And if he starts anything, with any of the kids here, he’s gone,” I warn, “I mean it, Mama.”
“Just…” She sighs, “Give him a chance, Reese, he’s your little brother,” she says with a little more life in her voice. “I love you both so much.”
“I love you too, Mama.”
Ending the call, I sag onto my bed and cover my face with my hands. Jarrett won’t last a week here, not with the way he thinks he’s untouchable. Hell, the twins might be the first to put him in his place. God, what am I gonna tell the other kids?
“Boss Man?” Lin’s voice and tentative knock sounds against the door.
I groan, but stand, opening the door and stepping out. “Yeah, Lin?”
“Mason and I are gonna head to the chow house, Hank called for supper,” she looks over her shoulder and then back to me, but doesn’t speak. I can tell she wants to ask, but she won’t. It’s not her way. She trusts that if she needs to know, I’ll tell her.
“We’ll be down in a few,” I huff, walking toward the living room with her.
Mason shakes his head but follows Lin out. I know exactly what he’s thinking, because I’m thinking the same damn thing. Jarrett can’t stay.
But, one night won’t kill me.
I hope.
“Why do you hate me so much?” Jarrett croaks from the couch, the only words he’s uttered since I got here.
Annoyance creeps up the back of my neck, but I tamp it down and take a deep breath. “I don’t hate you Jarrett, but you’re a selfish, spoiled little asshole and I don’t have the time to turn you into a man.”
To put it plainly. It may be harsh, but there are some people that wouldn’t understand if it were delivered gently, and Jarrett is one of those people.
He scoffs, and winces but doesn’t say anything else.
“I’m headin’ to the chow house, I’ll bring you somethin’ back.” I’m not heartless, I understand he needs to rest. I’ll give him a week to lay around and recover. After that, I’m putting his ass to work.