“I’m not dragging anybody.I’m pointing out we’re a family.”
“Yeah, some family.Mom’s dead thanks to Dad.Dad’s in jail.Our fourth brother decided to run off and leave us high and dry.”
“And you, me, and Landon are all right here,” Nate replied easily.Maybe a little sternly.“We’re the reason, along with Sam, Aly, and Glenda, that Dad’s in jail, thank Christ.You can’t undercut it, Cal.You moved back.You chose this.Being a part of it all.Not separate.”
He couldn’t argue with that, but he didn’t like it being pointed out.He didn’t like this feeling that… Nate might somehow swoop in and take care of everything like Cal was…
Well, what he supposed he was afraid of.Useless and defective and some head case who’d never be able to get his shit sorted out.Separate, because he was the one with the traumatic brain issue.But somehow the one everyone needed to take care of.
“Look—”
“Have you noticed anyone or anything strange since you’ve been back, Cal?That’s the question.”
Cal knew how to be a dick.How to behave even worse than Nate expected.He knew that, with enough time, he could break even Nate’s impressive calm and patience.
He found in this strange moment of his brother wanting to…help, he supposed, he couldn’t quite force himself to do the usual.
“No, I haven’t,” he answered honestly.“But I think the timing also makes more sense to connect back to Texas.I was just there.Someone or something followed me back.”
“I put in a call with your old law firm and—”
“I know.I just got off the phone with Mackenzye myself.”
“She wasn’t particularly helpful.”
“No, but she’s just waiting for the okay from the boss.I’ve already started looking into my own records.I’ll…” It grated.Damn it, it grated, but Dr.Michaels was always telling him help wasn’t a jab at his self-worth.It was justhelp.“I’ll share my own list of cases with you.We can split them up between the two of us, or we can add in Sam if you want, and see if anything has changed with the players—new crimes committed by those who got off, people I didn’t get off getting out of jail, that sort of thing.”
“It’s a good start.In the meantime, make sure you’re locking up and telling us—allof us—if you notice anything weird.”
Nate didn’t leave it at that.He waited for Cal to answer.To agree, and Cal had a knee-jerk need tonot.
But Calwasa damn smart individual, for all the things fucked up in his head.He could grow.He could learn.
He could damn well change.
“I will.”
“Good.I’ll let you know anything I come across.I’ve got to return a few calls for other cases, and Sam’s out right now, but once you’ve got a list for us on those cases, bring them down.We’ll split them up and sort it out.”
“Sure.Yeah.”
Nate turned to leave, and as much as Cal didn’t want to say it, he knew he should.Knew he had to.Hewas the one who’d chosen to move back to Marietta, and Nate was right.He’d chosen it knowing it meant having a relationship with his brothers.With his past.
“Thanks, Nate.”
Maybea look of pure and utter shock passed across Nate’s face, but he schooled it away quickly.“Anytime, Cal.”
Chapter Fourteen
The Bennet Ranch
Aly woke upto the strange feeling of a warm body next to her—strange because Landon was usually up and doing chores when she woke up.She could count on one hand the times she’d woken up to him still in bed since they’d started sharing one.
But today she got to snuggle into his little cocoon of warmth, and his arms came around her.
Her grin nearly split her face.“We’re getting married today.”It seemedimpossible, and as much as giddy happiness made her nervous—because what good had ever come without a hell of a lot of bad?—she was going to lean into the giddy on her wedding day.
His grip tightened and Aly wriggled closer.Married.It was such a funny thing—they already shared everything—a house, a ranch, a bed.Marriage wouldn’t change much.Even promising to love each other forever wasn’tdifferent.They were the forever sort.It was essentially a piece of paper, she knew.Literally.
