Cowgirls Don't Cry(126)

“You didn’t mean to. And it hurt me a helluva lot worse when you walked out.”


“There was some stuff I needed to work out.” Maybe someday he’d tell Jessie about the bizarre dream he’d had about Luke.

“So you really picked me? Over the ranch?”


“No contest.”


Brandt and Jessie had started loading tack into the horse trailer when a pickup pulled up. Jessie tensed. The pickup looked exactly like Casper’s but Brandt knew the pickup belonged to his Uncle Carson.

He watched as all three of his McKay uncles climbed out of Carson’s truck. Carson and Cal were twins, not identical, but that wasn’t obvious at first glance. Charlie had the same look about him as his brothers did, but he was shorter, stockier. As far as McKay family dynamics, Charlie should’ve been last on the pecking order as the youngest son. But it’d always been Casper, the oldest of Jed McKay’s sons, at the bottom of the heap.

Strange, seeing his uncles here. They rarely ventured to this part of the ranch, and never to Brandt’s house. So they must’ve gotten wind of Casper’s ultimatum. Brandt’s pride appeared, reminding him he didn’t need his uncles’ charity.

He told pride to shut the f*ck up.

“Brandt.” Carson removed his glove, thrust out his hand and Brandt shook it, then he shook Calvin and Charlie’s hands in kind.

“I don’t gotta ask why you guys are here,” Brandt said. “But I do wanna know who called you.”


Carson shoved his hands in the front pocket of his Carhartt coat. “Actually Casper contacted us.”


“That surprises me.”


“Surprised the hell out of me too,” Charlie said. “Jesus. The man showed up at my place out of his mind.”


Brandt frowned. “Your place?”


“Yeah, guess he considers me the weakest link in the McKay chain of command.” Charlie shot his brothers a sideways glance. “But that’s always been Casper’s problem. We’ve never had the ‘me’ versus


‘them’ mentality.”


“But he has.”


Charlie nodded. “As soon as he showed up Vi called Carson and Cal.”


“Did he…” How could he ask his uncles if his dad had told them he’d attacked his father?

Cal clapped Brandt on the shoulder. “Son, we know what he’s like. Which is why we all needed to be there. Been brewing for a long goddamn time. It’s time we dealt with it.” He looked at Jessie with that trademark charming McKay smile. “Darlin’, if you wouldn’t mind givin’ us some time with Brandt—”


“Sorry. Brandt and I are a package deal now. Whatever you intend to discuss with him can be said in front of me. Rest assured, I’ll never repeat what I hear, but Brandt and I have had too many family things between us, keeping us apart for too long.”


Brandt had such a fierce sense of pride, such an overpowering feeling of love for this woman. He reached for Jessie’s hand. Right then he knew he’d never have to worry where he stood with her, because she’d always stand beside him.

Jessie said, “It’s too damn cold out here. Let’s head inside.”


After outerwear was removed, Brandt passed around beer. He sat in the easy chair with Jessie perched on the arm beside him. “So I guess I’d like to hear what my dad said to you before I tell you what really happened.”


“It ain’t pretty, Brandt. Just figured I oughta be up front with you about that,” Cal warned.