Liz walked out with her mother, and noticed that Jake had taken her suggestion—several candles now sat on the table. He looked sheepishly at her, and she winked, hoping to indicate it was okay, which made him quirk a very handsome half smile. This silent communication was interesting, acting like they’d known each other longer than half a day, but it was comfortable. Normally men in this part of the world were verbal, and blunt. Jake felt refined, domesticated. Gentler. More observant.
She caught him flexing his hands and that was familiar, too, but in a recognizable way. Tanner and Brady both did that when they were trying to keep calm.
She would likely see the other boot drop when Tanner and Jake had to interact. There had to be some sort of flaw. Her mother fussed over how nice everything looked, and Jake shepherded her to her seat at the head of the table, offering her wine, asking her if there was anything she needed.
Jake liked taking care of people. It was evident in the kindness he showed to her mother. Liz wondered if that translated into other things, and stopped herself again. She had to quit overanalyzing his every move. Hard not to, really, but it was judgy and not a part of herself she liked.
Brady came in and sat across from Liz, looking over the food with a huge smile, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Wow, New York, you put on a nice spread!”
“Thanks. Your brother coming?” Jake replied calmly, sitting down beside Liz. He smelled like spices and the melon-scented dish soap her mother kept at the sink. It was nice, and her stomach did a little flip.
“Tanner went into town. Said he needed to order some supplies. He won’t be in for dinner.”
Liz slid a frustrated glance to Tanner’s place, the steaming plate of perfectly presented food absent its owner. She knew Tanner could be a jerk, and they would weather the initial storm. Of the two brothers, he had been closer to Brett, and this kick in the gut was a lot to take on, as she had witnessed in the hayloft.
She caught Brady’s eye, and his face said everything he hadn’t spoken. Tanner wasn’t going to come in to eat because Tanner was sulking.
Jake rose to clear the place but then stopped as Brady lifted Tanner’s plate over to his place and wiggled his eyebrows.
“More for me. Doesn’t know what he’s missin’,” Brady drawled, and dug in.
* * *
Liz loaded the last plate into the dishwasher and straightened her back with a small pop. Ever since that damned filly had thrown her last month, her lower back screamed at her if she did too much. She needed to go see a doctor, but it took time away from here, which had been in short supply since Brett had died.
Conversation flowed in from the dining room, short bursts of laughter from Brady, deeper ones from Jake. Over the course of dinner she had watched Brady happily getting to know his brother. It was a chance to have a new sibling for both of her brothers, so she was glad it was him bridging the gap. Brady accepted people easily, which she treasured about him.
She felt a hand on her shoulder, and her mother set some glasses on the counter for her.
“He’s nice,” Liz said quietly. “But I expected—”
“Someone less like Brett or Tanner?” her mother replied. “He’s got a temper. I can see it in him. He’s a passionate man. But, yes, he’s nice. City-bred manners.”
Liz snorted in laughter and held a hand up to her mouth. “City-bred? Seriously, Mom.”
“It’s true! These men from the city, they have class, and style, and graces. They need them to swim in the shark-infested waters of the social circles. Out here, a man can be genuinely blunt in his dealings. But in a big place like New York City, well, it is eat or be eaten.”
Liz looked at her mother and quirked an eyebrow. “You have got to stop watching so much television.”
Her mother waved her hands at her, and they both laughed. She looked more relaxed, and a good meal, plus some rest, had brought color back to her face. Liz wondered if the company also had something to do with it.
“So what happens now?” Liz asked, leaning on the counter, her mother taking over putting the glasses in the top rack. She could just see Brady, leaning back in his chair, talking about god knew what, his cheeks pink from the strong red wine Jake had somehow dug up from their small wine rack at the back of the kitchen. Brady looked happier than she’d seen him since Brett had died, which was strange, since today had been something that would make any rancher slink away with his tail between his legs. The will had left them nothing. Yet he seemed relieved, almost celebratory. Maybe he was just drunk and letting the reality they faced fade away for a while.
“We let Frank do what he has to do. And hopefully, while Jake is here, he can cook for us. I can’t say I would mind,” her mother quipped, patting her stomach. “Rosy may be quite put out tomorrow.”
“But what about you, Mom? How are you going to live? He didn’t even leave you a working checking account.”
Peony, her stalwart, no-nonsense mother, turned to her daughter with one of those looks that said she was trying very hard to be strong and would not be putting up with any nonsense from anyone while she figured shit out.
Liz’d seen it before, had known it since she was a young girl, watching her mother hold it all in when they were living out of their car, moving from place to place. The grit she pulled from deep inside herself. Liz hated that her mother felt the need to gather herself up now, after all that had happened. She should be given time to grieve, rather than plan for what-ifs.
Liz let out a sigh. “Mom, don’t look at me like that. You married that man and put up with him for years, took on raising those boys who weren’t yours. He left you zilch. I mean, you know the boys won’t let you starve, but it isn’t fair and—”
“Don’t.” Her mother interrupted. “I have my own accounts, and some savings safely tucked away, and my old age pension helps. It isn’t much, but it’ll be fine.”
“Fine? Define that for me, because I don’t think this is fine. We can ask Jake to make sure Brett’s personal accounts are reverted or—” Liz said, her emotions getting the better of her. She winced as she realized she sounded kind of whiny.
