A Dash of Spice

JT erupted in an angst-filled diatribe that included something about him and Maddie butting heads, something about Mom sneaking around with Henry (Scout hadn’t told a soul, per his mother’s request) and something about Hamilton and Gaby (Henry’s daughter, so the plot thickened)—though Scout had already been privy to that conversation at Waylon’s when his younger brother had sought him out for advice.

Scout propped a forearm over the handle of the shovel and let the rant continue.

Until JT got to the sale of the cabin.

“Dad’s in on the deal!” JT exclaimed.

“Oh, hell, no,” Scout insisted. “Hamilton never said a word about that.”

“Yeah. I know. But Dad’s the broker on the deal. He hooked our little brother up with this investor who’s interested in turning our mountain retreat into a smaller Durango Strater-esque Inn. Dad gets a cut. A big one.”

Scout’s temper flared. He heaved the shovel into a four-foot embankment. “Fuck!”

It wouldn’t do his head any good, though, to go off half-cocked about this new revelation. The residual tension after last night’s attack was enough to trigger another series of headaches if he wasn’t careful.

So he tried to bring his anger done a few notches. Said, “Hamilton has always been in fairy tale land when it comes to Dad.”

“I had to set him straight this morning. It was time. He didn’t go through what I went through. He’s never been able to fully accept what our father is all about.”

“Hell, I was barely even there at the time, and I still know what a piece of shit he is. I mean… You did tell Hamilton all of Dad’s dirty little secrets, right? Including the fire?”

“Yeah.”

Scout couldn’t go there in his mind. Nope. Definitely couldn’t go there. Let JT be the one to shine the light on the extent of evil seeping through their father’s veins.

JT said, “I was against this sale from the very beginning. I know you were hesitant, too. But with Dad being in on the action? Huh-uh. No way, man. We’ve got to put a stop to this.”

“Agreed. This place means too much to all of us to lose it. Especially like this. I’m on your side. One-hundred percent.” They shook. A nice, solid handshake. Then JT tugged him forward and they did the manly slaps on the back. But that turned into a full-blown bro hug as JT held on tight. Making Scout squirm a little, because he wasn’t used to the affectionate gesture. Yet it seemed JT needed it at the moment. So Scout let him have at it before they each stepped away.

In all honestly, Scout had needed it as well.

The snow kept falling and Scout said, “I’ve got to clean this goddamn pathway again before someone goes slipping and sliding.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time, but I know you prefer skates for that.”

“For sure. We could use more wood, too. Next on my list.”

“Need help with that?”

Scout stared at his older brother. “You’re shitting me, right?”

JT wasn’t into splitting wood. Never had been.

“You know it.” JT smiled as he began his tromp through the snow up to the cabin.

Scout stared at his brother’s retreating back for a moment, then called out, “Hey, JT.”

His brother glanced over his shoulder.

Now was the time to tell him everything Scout wanted to say about not playing anymore and about the surgeries and the TBI.

But then his gut clenched and he knew he had to explain it all to Ciara first. He owed that to her. It was the right thing to do. So he simply said, “Good talking to you, man.”

“Yeah. You, too.” He continued on his way, though switched his trajectory when Maddie’s truck pulled in.

Hmm. Scout hoped that wasn’t all-new upheaval in JT’s life. But it wasn’t any of Scout’s business—especially when they moved on for privacy.

Scout wrapped up one chore and moved onto the next.