Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Jack
“Boy, she’s a feisty one,” I say to John.
He laughs and nods. “That’s for sure. Not sure where we’d be without her, though. She’s really taken the brunt of the work from me after my last fall.”
“And I plan to take the brunt of the work off both of you,” I say with a grin.
He claps me on the back. “Man, you look just like your old man.”
I nod, clearing my throat. “I hear that sometimes.”
“He was a good man, I tell you. No better brother to go to war with,” he says, his eyes taking on a far-away look.
He glances over at one of the ranch hands a second later.
“Jack’s father, Benny, was one of my best friends.
We grew up together. Served our time in the Army together, too.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t get past the demons of what we had to do. ”
I look off into the pasture. I was only three when my father committed suicide, leaving my mother to raise a five-year-old, a four-year-old, and a one-year-old by herself. The people of Hicks Creek referred to him as a hero. They all had great memories of him, but I had none.
I see him as nothing more than a coward.
“Let’s call it a night, boys,” John says as he gestures toward the vehicles. “You can ride with Lane and me.”
I nod. Presumably, the guy he called Lane goes directly to the UTV and gets behind the steering wheel. He’s a fairly young kid, probably barely twenty-one, scrawny and tall. He doesn’t fit the look of a ranch hand, that’s for sure.
John gets in the front seat, and I move to the back.
The UTV rumbles as Lane steers us away from the north pasture, the uneven terrain jolting us with every bump.
I’m sitting in the back, arms resting on the side rails, trying to piece together how the hell my day turned into this.
John sits up front, chatting easily with Lane about the irrigation system, the cattle rotation, and some upcoming supply orders.
I’m only half listening, my thoughts still on Brynn’s scowl as she stormed off earlier.
This is a much more comfortable ride than when she was driving. I’m certain she hit every bump she could on purpose, though.
“So, Jack,” John says, twisting around to look at me, “what’d you think of the setup out here? Not too shabby, huh?”
“It’s solid,” I reply, keeping my tone neutral. “You’ve got a good operation going. Just needed a little tweak on that irrigation system.”
John grins, clearly pleased. “Knew you’d fit right in. Always had a knack for this stuff.”
I nod, letting the compliment slide by. “Speaking of fitting in,” I say, leaning forward a bit, “I think I might’ve made a mistake earlier. Walked into Brynn’s place instead of wherever I’m supposed to be staying.”
John lets out a hearty laugh, slapping his knee. “Oh, I must’ve told you wrong. You’re staying in the house with me. The bunkhouse is packed to the rafters, and that’s the only open space.”
I raise an eyebrow. “In the house?”
“With me and Lane here,” John adds, gesturing to the driver. Lane gives a little wave without taking his eyes off the path. “It’s a full house, but we’ll make it work. Brynn is right next door and in the house a lot, but I’m sure you two will be thick as thieves before long.”
“Somehow, I don’t think she’ll see it that way,” I mutter, earning another laugh from John.
“She’ll come around,” he says, waving off my concern. “She’s a spitfire, sure, but she’s got a good heart. Just don’t take her attitude personally. These ol’ cowboys around town don’t take a woman seriously if they’re soft.”
“Your daughter is anything but soft.”
Lane chuffs and nods. “She’s fierce. She can rope and ride with the best of them, take a part of a tractor engine and put it back together, and then make the most beautiful flower arrangements. It’s insanity how that works.”
“Flower arrangements?”
“She owns the flower shop in town,” Lane answers. “Bloom John mentioned that earlier.
Not back in town for an entire day, and my sister is already trying to meddle.
Of course, Brynn’s tied into every corner of this town. That’s how these small towns are.
Before I can dwell on it, the screen door slams and Brynn steps out onto the porch of her place. She’s carrying my duffel bags, her expression a mix of irritation and determination.
“Here,” she says, marching down the steps and dropping the bags unceremoniously at my feet. “Your stuff. You can sleep in the barn for all I care.”
“Thanks for the delivery,” I say, smirking. “Didn’t realize I’d get the VIP treatment.”
She crosses her arms, glaring at me. “Don’t get used to it.”
“Trust me, I won’t,” I chuckle.
“Popo, I put the picture on the refrigerator for you!” Olivia calls out as she jumps down from the porch and scurries over to the house with her mom. A merle Australian shepherd is barking and chasing after her.
“Brynn’s a pistol, all right,” John says, shaking his head with a chuckle. “Don’t mind her, Jack. She’ll warm up eventually. Olivia seems to think you’re fine.”
“Sure, she will,” I mutter, grabbing my bags and following him inside.
As I step over the threshold, I can’t help but wonder how long “eventually” is supposed to take—and whether I’ll survive it.
“Have you been to see your mom yet?” John asks.
“No, sir. I got into town, went to the city hall, and then came straight here. I was going to drop my things in my room and head over there, though.”
“Well, I’m sure she’d be glad to see you.”
I nod as I follow him inside. He leads me upstairs and into a plainly decorated bedroom. I drop my things on the bed.
“I’m going to head over there. I won’t be gone long.”
“No curfew around here,” John says offhandedly as he heads downstairs again. “Supper is in the crockpot. Brynn makes those up for us.”
I nod before walking out of the house and to my truck. It’s a short drive into town and to my childhood home. When I pull into the driveway, I see the porch light is on, that yellow bulb shining brightly. The living room light is on, like it always was.
I let out a long sigh. It’s been a long time since I’ve been home.
We talk daily, but I haven’t been able to face her since my brother passed away.
I went to save him, and I couldn’t. The sting of that guilt hits me hard; the feeling of disappointing my mother hurts more than anything else in the world.
I shut off the truck, climb out, and make my way to the house. I jump up on the porch and give a light tap on the door before I walk in.
“Mama?” I call out.
She gasps as she turns around from where she’s standing in the kitchen. “Oh, blessed be, Jack, is that you?”
“It is, Mama,” I say with a smile.
I walk the rest of the way into the house as she engulfs me in a hug. I’d forgotten how warm and safe it feels in her arms, in this kitchen. Tears prick at my eyes, but I push the emotions down.
“John said he hired you. I wasn’t sure if you’d take the offer, though.”
“You knew?”
She smiles and nods, gesturing toward an old plastic chair at the kitchen table. It’s like traveling back in time to the seventies, with the white plastic chairs and table that look like they belong in a spaceship.
“Of course,” she says. “I talk to John regularly. He makes sure to check in when he can.”
“Really? I didn’t realize you two really knew each other.”
“Everyone knows everyone in Hicks Creek,” she chuckles. “Have you been in the city that long, sugar?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Your dad and John Castings were best friends all throughout childhood and until…We all grew up together. Your dad and John joined the Army together. Your dad called John right before he…” She clears her throat instead of voicing the words, shot himself.
“He was out in the barn and didn’t answer.
He feels like, had he answered, your dad would still be here.
He’s always tried to help out where he could with you guys. ”
It’s all starting to make sense now. I thought it was the break I needed to get far away from my ex-wife and those bad memories, but it seemed to be more orchestrated than I realized.
No doubt my sister’s doing.
“Which explains why he reached out when he did.”
“He’s been wanting to get you on that ranch in some capacity since he learned how good you were,” she says. “He needs you, that’s for certain.”
She smiles softly as she reaches over and squeezes my hand.
“Why do you say that?”
“The ranch is the backbone of this community, and John isn’t getting any younger,” she says playfully.
“Ever since Larsa died, he’s somewhat lost. That Brynn is incredible, though.
She dropped everything to come back here to take care of her mom and then stayed to help her dad.
She’s a single mom, running her own business and that ranch.
She’s a strong one. She needs help with the ranch, but she’s too proud to admit it.
Those hands only listen to a woman so much and—”
I put my hands up in the air to stop her and chuckle. “Enough about her, how are you?”
“Oh, I’m just fine, sugar. I am so glad to see your face in this kitchen, though.”
She reaches up and puts her hands on either side of my face, tears filling her eyes as she grins back at me.
“I’m glad to be here, Ma,” I say in a rough voice.
And I am. If I get to spend every day seeing my mom and the rest of my family, that’s all that matters right now.
I’ve fought coming home for so long because of my grief and guilt, but as I’m here now, it feels like it’s the best place for me to be.