Cowgirls Don't Cry(115)

Casper choked on his own spit as he tried to say something.

But Brandt wasn’t about to let him speak before he said his piece. “So if you think you’ve got it in you, old man, to do everything yourself, then by God, I’d like to see you try. But we both know that won’t happen, will it?”


When his father didn’t respond, Brandt eased up on his chokehold. “Answer me, goddammit.”


“You think you’re so f*ckin’ smart.”


“I know it don’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that you’ve got no one in your life to help you if I walk away from the ranch. Tell and Dalton won’t stick around. And you’d rather let this place fall into ruin and let the cattle starve before you’ll ask your brothers for help, wouldn’t you? So yeah, chase me off. You go on out there in the bitter f*ckin’ cold and deal with feeding twice a goddamn day. Good luck with calving season and everything else that it takes to run this ranch, since you haven’t done a goddamned thing for close to ten years. Ain’t that right?”


“You think I owe you something? I don’t. I owe you nothin’.”


Brandt got right in his dad’s face. “I’ve busted my ass for years even when nothin’ I ever did pleased you. I’ve put up with your bullshit. I’ve watched you prefer the company of a twelve pack to the company of your wife. I’ve watched you destroy any chance of a relationship with me, Tell and Dalton, because you’re pissed off at God and the universe that we’re here and Luke isn’t.”


“He shouldn’t have died.”


“But he did. And it’s no one’s fault, least of all Jessie’s.”


“If she woulda made him happy, he wouldn’t’ve been lookin’ for it all over the goddamn county. That little bitch made him miserable from the day he married her. And she’ll make you miserable too. Mark my words.”


Brandt shoved him again, hard. “I’m so f*ckin’ sick and tired of you running off at the mouth about her. You don’t know a thing about Jessie. You never have.”


“And I never will.”


“Brandt. Let him go.”


He felt rather than saw Tell and Dalton move in behind him. But he couldn’t make his hand release his father’s shirt. He couldn’t move his arm.

“Come on, bro. This isn’t helping.”


A beat passed and Brandt finally let go and stepped back.

A smirk twisted his father’s face. “Felt good, didn’t it? To give in to that anger? I saw it in your eyes.

No matter what you say, no matter how hard you try, you know the truth. You’re just like me.”


Infuriated, Brandt lunged for him again, but he got there too late.

Tell had pinned their father against the wall. “Shut it, old man. Brandt may’ve gotten the hair trigger temper from you, but my anger has been smoldering for years and I guarantee you don’t want me to give in to it. Ever.” Tell shoved him once and stepped back.

Their dad’s eyes slid to Dalton. “What? You ain’t gonna tell me how long you’ve been gunning for me? Waitin’ for the day to beat the crap out of your old man?”


Dalton said nothing.

He laughed cruelly. “Still actin’ like a boy, letting our brothers do all the talking, taking all the punishments to save your precious hide. How long before they realize you ain’t worth it?”


“Stop it. All of you,” his mother said, sobbing. “Stop it right now.”