“Who’s the good boy,” I hear as Travis steps in the front door. He pulls a small dog cookie out of his pocket for Reacher. The dog happily trots back to the fireplace before flopping down on the floor. “You are,” he adds, pointing at me.
“What are you doing here?” I roll my eyes. He ignores it.
“I’ve come to get you for the concert in Dallas.” Shit, that’s right. Harmony asked if I would still be able to go. I told her I would try my best, but with calving, I can’t guarantee I can get away.
“I don’t think I can go. I’ve had to pull two so far and sew up a prolapse. Weather has been wreaking havoc on calving this year.” Believe it or not, weather really does affect how many problems arise during calving season.
“It’s nearing the end. Besides, I’ve got that handled,” he answers. He tosses his bag on the floor and sinks into the armchair. He sees me watching him with a smirk that says I don’t believe him for an instant.
“I’ve got it. I hired Doc Mooney’s grandson to come watch everything for the weekend. You remember Ross, don’t ya?” Dr. Mooney has been the family veterinarian since I was a kid. His grandson grew up running around the practice.
“What, is he about a junior in high school by now?” I feel immeasurably older thinking he was just a toddler not long ago. Isn’t that the first clue that you’re old? Pretty soon I should be waxing poetic about the good ole days.
“Senior. He’s heading off to A&M next fall to study pre-vet. He’s going to stay here at the house for the weekend. Told me he’ll just drive in for class. He has early release anyway.” Travis watches me with his own smirk this time while I run through and reject every reason I can think of why Ross shouldn’t be here instead of me.
“He’s coming over tomorrow morning so you can tell him everything he already knows. Then you can micromanage by phone while we’re gone.”
“I don’t micromanage,” I grouse. He smirks again. “Maybe I do. I don’t know, I’ve never tried it before. Maybe I micromanage like a son-of-a-bitch.”
“Well, you did a damn good job with me while I was still living here,” Travis says with a laugh. Did I? I don’t remember. That life now feels like something I watched on television. “Besides, you can’t disappoint Harmony.”
I don’t answer him. I would never want to disappoint Harmony, but to what end? How do we do this when we live so far apart? As amazing as it was, we can’t sustain a relationship built solely on video sex. Not the kind of relationship I want anyway. I suspect Harmony will want more too.
“Don’t you have class tomorrow?” I ask, trying to steer the conversation away from things I can’t control. “I still have no problem beating you bloody for skipping class.”
“Whoa there, Dad. I’ve already gotten clearance to miss tomorrow. Speaking of, I need to talk to you about school anyway.”
“You’d better not be thinking of quitting,” I growl. My eyes narrow at him as he shifts in his chair to face me.
“I’m not quitting. Besides, I’m a grown-ass man, you can’t stop me if that’s what I decide.”
“Try me.” I glare at him until he finally rolls his eyes.
“I’m not quitting, but I’ve been thinking of after graduation. I only have one year left after this semester.” Somehow, he managed to do all of his undergraduate in three years. He had busted his ass every summer to work in extra classes so he could enter law school early. He takes a deep breath. “I’m thinking of coming back here after graduation.”
“What?”
“Well, not here exactly. But I’ve been talking to a firm in Fredericksburg about joining them after graduation while I work on the bar exam. They’ve already offered me an internship this summer.”
He grows quiet, and I sit back to consider what he’s saying. It doesn’t make any sense. He’s smart enough to become a bigattorney for some high-powered firm in a city. His grades have been exemplary. He’s even at the top of his class. I know there are a million questions I should ask him, but I can only think of one.
“Why?”
“Because,” he starts. He stops and considers me with a sigh. “Because I want to come home. I want to be here for you this time.” I open my mouth to protest, but he holds up a hand to stop me. “It’s your turn, Beau. I don’t think anyone could ask for a better brother. You were there to pick up the pieces when Mom and Dad died, but I’m not a kid anymore.
“I want you to do what you want in life, not just what is expected. If that’s living out here like a grouchy hermit the rest of your life, so be it. But I saw the way you looked at Harmony. I’ve seen you with a girlfriend before, but I’ve never seen you look at them the way you did her. You fell in love, don’t deny it.
“If Harmony is who you want to be with, then I want to help. It’s not as impossible as you think it is. She was always the nicest person in school. She never made me feel less than everyone else. I think she fell in love with you, too, because deep under your grumpy ways, she knows what a good guy you are.” He stops to see if what he’s saying is sinking in. It is, little by little.
“First,” I say. “I stayed because it was the best thing for both of us. I’ve never regretted that decision.”
“I know,” he says quietly.
“Do you? Do you understand that nothing I did was ever a burden? You’re not just my brother, you’re my best friend. I would make every decision the exactly the same if I had it to do over.” I watch him study the carpet in front of him.
“Except for hooking up with your classmate that first year of law school that weekend. That deserved a better decision.” He laughs, and his gaze meets mine.
“What about Trace?” I ask.
