Ned pushed his hat on harder when it threatened to fly away. His uncle passed him a cigarette that was already lit.
“That hat was your father’s, wasn’t it? Did you get less wind up in the mountains?” Uncle Liam asked, nodding at Ned’s hat, a worn, olive felt Stetson with a brown leather strap trim.
Ned stiffened at the unexpected topic, but took a big drag of smoke to calm down. “It got real windy high up, but in the forest, the trees would soften the gusts.”
Uncle Liam’s face was stiff when he took in the snow-capped mountains beyond the valley. “Should have visited that stubborn nag when I still had the chance,” he said softly. “Visited… the three of you.”
Ned had to give it to his uncle that despite all the bad blood between him and his brother, he had a lot of heart. His falling-out with Father had been about the move into the mountains to avoid joining the army. Uncle Liam had considered it his duty to stay on the land he’d claimed for his family while Father said he wouldn’t fight for someone else’s cause.
But when Ned and his mother had arrived years later, they’d been taken in without question. That night had also been the only time Ned had ever heard his uncle cry.
Ned shrugged. “Can’t change the past. But my father knew he could depend on you if push came to shove.”
Uncle Liam exhaled, but it turned into a curse when the wind succeeded in taking his cigarette. Annoyed, he stuck another in his mouth and used his bandana to tie his hat to his head. “You’ve… grown into a fine young man. I’m happy I didn't disappoint my brother, God rest his soul.”
The compliment took Ned by surprise, and he slowly exhaled the warm smoke. “Thank you. Just doing my bit around the ranch. I’m grateful to be a part of your family.”
Uncle Liam gave a low huff. “Me too, Ned, me too. But do you want to be a ranch hand at your uncle’s forever?”
Ned bit on the tip of his cigarette. He had no idea whether he was about to be dismissed or promoted. “I’m good, uncle. I like the work, especially with the horses. Nothing wrong with a simple life.”
Uncle Liam shook his head, his lips twisting in annoyance. “You may have the O’Leary nose, but you’re nothing like your father. Granted, his bold ideas were what got him to expire so soon, but still. Don’t you have any ambitions of your own?”
This time it was his tongue Ned had to bite. Any man could dream, but ambitions required pockets far deeper than Ned’s. To have that thrown in his face made him curl his fist in impotent anger. His whole life he’d held his temper and kept his head down, because that was expected of him if he wanted to live at the ranch. And now he was supposed to have ambitions?
“A good life is my only aspiration, Uncle. If I could get more horses in the future, breed and train them, that would be something.”
Maybe this talk wasn’t meant to put him down after all. Maybe Uncle Liam just wanted to know of Ned’s plans to support him, but the look in his eyes said it all before he spoke.
“Don’t want to beat around the bush here. Brianna is of age, and she makes eyes at you all day. We can’t have you in the house no longer,” Uncle said, turning to face Ned.
It felt as if a mallet had smashed into Ned’s forehead, and he was too stunned by the suggestion to be polite. “Say what? Are you saying I’m being in any way inappropriate to my cousin?”
Uncle Liam’s face didn’t twitch. “You wouldn’t be the first man to marry his relative.”
Ned rubbed his face in disbelief. He’d grown up with Brianna, and she was like a sister to him. “I never—”
Uncle Liam shushed him with a gesture. “It don’t matter. You’re a handsome man, Ned, and I don’t want Brianna looking that way at you.”
Ned stared, taken aback by the unexpected… compliment? He wasn’t sure what to make of it. He spread his arms. “My whole life is tied up in this ranch. What am I supposed to do? Won’t she get married soon anyway? There’s more than a fair share of men to choose from.”
“I’ve only started looking for an appropriate suitor, but… has your aunt mentioned the new neighbors? If you strike up a match with one of their daughters within the month, I’ll support you. Having a married man around would be a different thing. If you put a ring on someone’s finger, Brianna would know to get over whatever silly infatuation she’s harboring, and you’d have your needs taken care of.”
Ned wanted to scream that there were no needs to speak of, but he just clenched his fingers around the cigarette until its smoking tip broke off and fell into the dirt. His life was getting turned upside down because of the assumption that he couldn’t control himself around his cousin. As if his aunt and uncle didn’t know him at all.