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Bass leaned back. “And I said no.”

“You been waiting all day to boss somebody?”

“I have been waiting twenty-three years for you to stop making it necessary.”

Jesse looked away again.

Bass’s voice lowered. “What happened?”

“I asked her to marry me.”

Silence.

Long enough that Jesse had to look.

Bass stared at him.

Then his oldest brother blinked once. “You did what?”

“I asked Eden to marry me.”

Bass’s mouth opened, closed, opened again.

“You have been awake less than a week.”

“Thank you for counting.”

“You can’t stand.”

“Noticed.”

“You told her no bride every time she came near you.”

“I know what I did.”

“Do you?”

Jesse had no answer.

Bass stood, paced once to the foot of the bed, then turned back. “Why?”

Jesse looked at the ceiling. The words would not come because the truth was ugly.

Bass waited. That was worse than shouting.

Finally, Jesse said, “She might leave.”

Bass’s expression changed.

Jesse hated the understanding in it.

“You thought marriage would keep her?”

“I thought…” Jesse swallowed. “I thought it made sense.”

“Did you?”

“No.”