Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(158)

Ben’s knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. “Yeah. Kane called me to run

interference and keep fists from flying.”


“That responsibility always seems to fall to you, don’t it? Bein’ the one to smooth

things over and calm them hotheads down.”


He was surprised his father had noticed.


“Look, none of us have been on the best terms with Casper, especially in the last

year. But he is my brother. You know you’d keep your brother’s secrets too.”


“Some of my brothers are better at keeping secrets than others, aren’t they,” he

snarled. “Did you know?”


“Do I know what?”


“Don’t play stupid, it just pisses me off.”


“Like you calling me, throwing accusations left and right is pissin’ me off? Why don

’t you just spit it the hell out.”


“Did you know Gavin bought the Wetzler place?”


“What? Gavin? Wait. Since when has it been for sale?”


“It wasn’t.” Ben explained what’d gone down. His dad stayed silent for so long Ben

wondered if they’d gotten cut off. “You there?”


He cleared his throat. “Yeah. I’m just stunned. Gavin hasn’t said a word about it to

me or to Vi.” Ben’s relief was short lived, however, when his dad said, “But I’m

takin’ this as a good sign.”


“You consider it a good sign that Gavin would purposely f*ck us over?”


“I’m gonna ignore that smartass remark bein’s you’re not acting at all like

yourself. What I meant was I’m takin’ this as a sign that Gavin wants to be closer to

us. He’s interested in becoming part of the family.”


“Family doesn’t do shit like this to each other, and if he’s that type of guy, then

I sure as f*ck don’t want him as part of my family.”


A deep paternal sigh. “You don’t mean that. Have you talked to Gavin about any of

this?”


“No. I don’t care if I ever talk to Gavin again.”


“Son—”


“Don’t tell me I don’t mean it, because I do. This day has been a clusterf*ck of

epic proportions and I need a goddamn drink. Later.” He hung up.


When Ben reached his house, his temper had pegged overload. Needing to blow off steam,

he roughhoused with his dogs. He chopped and stacked firewood. After a long, hot

shower, he’d calmed down and poured himself a hefty shot of Pendleton whiskey.


Ace and Deuce dozed by the woodstove. Ben had always kept his shit moods to himself,

dealt with them himself. It worked for him.


But wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to share this with? Someone to listen to you,

verbally soothe you and then you could lose yourself in the heat, softness and

surrender of her body to yours?


Just another f*cked up situation in his life. Taking out the damn loan in the first

place is what had caused him to lose Ainsley. All because he wanted to do something

good, something helpful for his family. All his family saw was the loss of the land.

There’s no way he could make them understand he’d lost something far more valuable.


Grabbing the bottle, he flopped in front of the TV and flipped the channel to Wheel of