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Seeing his brother in person was different than talking to him on the phone, and the first thing that Holt noticed was that Knox was clean shaven and wearing a dress shirt. His hat was also new, and his boots looked like he’d just pulled them out of a box.
There hadn’t been any communication between them since that last phone call where they’d both threatened each other. And Holt knew that if he didn’t head off his brother from busting into the house, things were going to escalate pretty fast.
“Stay here,” Holt told Macie as he headed out of the kitchen.
“Holt, what are you going to do?” she asked.
He paused and turned. “What I should have done a long time ago.”
Macie opened her mouth to say something, but Holt didn’t have even a second to spare. He strode to the front door and swung it open.
But he was too late. His dad had come out of the barn and was walking toward Knox.
As soon as Knox saw their dad, he took off his hat and ran a hand nervously through his hair.
Holt paused on the porch as his dad continued toward Knox. He decided it was a good thing that Dad had a heads-up, but now Holt worried about his mom. Should they have prepared her?
But all Holt could think about was how this brother of his had treated Macie. Had used her, had cheated on her, had broken her heart. It was probably good that Holt remain on the porch while his dad did the talking for now.
“Hey, Dad,” Knox said, setting his hands on his hips. “I thought I’d come by, you know, before all the rodeo stuff gets under way.”
Rex nodded. “Saw your name on the lineup. Come to see your mother?”
“Yes,” Knox said in a firm voice. “I need to apologize to you, too. Said some things that I shouldn’t have.”
Holt folded his arms.
Rex shifted his stance. “That so?”
“Look, I’ve done some growing up,” Knox said. “You were right. About all of it. I should have . . . should have listened more and argued less.” He kicked at the gravel beneath his boot. “I’ve been a damn fool, and I’ve lost my wife because of it.”
Holt exhaled. Was Knox really going to confess?
Knox looked over at him. “Hey, bro.”
“You made it.”
Knox lifted his chin. “Yeah, I’m hoping to redeem myself a little. If not to the town of Prosper, hopefully to my family.” His gaze went past Holt to the house. “Macie here?”
“She’s inside.” Holt held Knox’s gaze, refusing to waver.
“Ruby, too?”
Holt nodded.
“I’d sure like to see them,” Knox said.
Holt didn’t like this version of Knox. Yeah, he’d wanted his brother to feel remorse and to step things up. But how would Macie react to this newer, humbler version of her ex-husband?
“I’ll let her know, and she can decide if she’s coming out,” Holt said.
“I’m here,” Macie spoke behind him, pushing through the screen door.
Holt tensed. Every fiber of his being went on alert. He wanted to look at Macie, see her expression when she looked at Knox. What was she thinking? Feeling? But he couldn’t look at her right now, because he was having a hard enough time keeping his own emotions in check.
Knox took a step toward the porch. “Macie, sugar, I was hoping you’d be here.”
Macie hovered on the porch, not going to greet him, which Holt considered a good thing.
