That was as close to a compliment as I’d get.
Year-on-year, the yield had been growing. The soil had improved. I’d diversified our crops. The workers were happier and more productive. The money coming in would be better, too. I’d had the difficult conversations to demand better prices for the fruit we sold—and it wasn’t easy against big supermarkets that thought they could drive prices down in a race to the bottom.
Would my father recognize anything I’d done? I was kidding myself if I thought he would.
“I heard you’ve been slacking off,” Dad said. “It’s the busy season, and you’re off chasing a bit of tail.”
Tail?He calledmyErin a bit oftail?“I tookoneafternoon off to take the girls to the river.”
“Let Erin take the kid. She knows the way.”
“I wanted to go with them.”
Dad sighed. “Shows where your priorities are, I suppose.”
Anger clenched my hand into a fist. I’d never take a swing at my father, but damn, he was testing me. “I work fourteen hours a day, six days a week. I had the flu last year, and I kept working. I reckon most people know where my priorities are,” I snapped. “Not you, though.”
“You think I don’t understand the sacrifice it takes to keep this place going? What the hell did you think I was doing when you three were growing up?”
“I don’t see your ass walking around here these days making sure the workers are getting home okay.”
“Just what are you implying?”
“I’m not implying a bloody thing. I’m man enough to tell you to your damn face. You gave up on this place. So did Cole. Ineverwould.”
“Cole will come to his senses. He’ll come home. This is his legacy—”
“This ismylegacy, too. There’s just as much Wolcott blood in my veins as Cole’s. He’snotcoming back, Dad! I want the farm. I always have. And I have a woman and a child to think about—”
“She’s not your wife, and that’s not your kid.”
The force of those words was a punch in the gut. Did that somehow make them less important? Not in my eyes, it didn’t. “That was cold.” My voice choked, and I hated that he heard that weakness. “Even for you.”
“Erin’s just here licking her wounds. It’s revenge hitching her to you.” Dad turned away. He wouldn’t even look at me. “You need to face what’s plain and true in front of your face.”
“You first.”
“Beg your pardon?”
“You heard me,” I said. “Face the fact that whatever you said to Cole made him never want to come back here. While you’re at it, face the fact that the woman you just referred to as a bit oftailnursed your daughter-in-law through her last days on this Earth. Do you know how fucking hard that was on her? Do you even care?” I scoffed a laugh at the clouds. “Of course you don’t. You don’t see her, just like you don’t see me. Youneverwanted me. I’m a damn nuisance, aren’t I?”
Heavy blue eyes turned to me. “Cal, that’s… that’s not…”
“I followed you around my whole life thinking you’re the greatest man who ever lived, and you can’t even stand the sight of me. And why? Because I was the second one out?” I scrubbed the tears off my cheeks. I wouldn’t earn any respect from him by showing how much he could hurt me. “I bet you wishthat fucking tractor finished me off because maybe then Cole would’ve stepped the fuck up to run this place!”
My fist was clenched so tight the muscles in my arms twitched, begging to release all the tension in his face.Thiswas the time to exercise restraint. Hitting my father would be a weight so heavy on my shoulders I’d never shake it. Walking away was the only answer.
The heel of my boot dug into the soil when I turned.
“You gonna run off too?” he barked. “Is that it?”
“Of course I’m not. I bled for this land.” More sad than angry, I shook my head. “You’re my father. I love you, and I’d never turn my back on my family, but right now, right this second, I really fucking hate you.”
Dad didn’t call out to me when I walked away, but he wouldn’t, would he? I wasn’t my brother. I didn’t matter.
The squeals of laughterfrom behind the walls of the kitchen garden should have grounded me, but frustration coiled too tight, anger still simmering close to boiling point. I slammed the bathroom window shut.
Slacking off?I stripped off my work shirt and pitched it at the line of ducks waddling along the bathroom tiles. Fuck him. I unbuckled my belt and tore it free. My pants came off next.Too busy chasing tail?Go to hell.
