As Jace rode up, he could see his mom and dad out on the front porch. Tucker, Blythe, and the baby were with them. His father walked toward the railing and shaded his eyes with his hand. Moments later, his mom and dad went inside. Blythe followed them, carrying Cochran in her arms.
Jace held his breath. Would Tucker go in too? Would he shut him out? He felt sick to his stomach waiting to see what his brother would do.
Instead of going inside, Tucker walked down the steps of the porch. Jace reined in the horse and dismounted. He and his brother were still separated by no more than a hundred feet.
“Tucker.”
“Jace.”
He walked toward Tuck, holding the horse’s reins in his left hand. He had no idea what to say. This might have been easier if he’d taken a shot of whiskey before he left Billy’s place.
“I saw your paintings yesterday,” he said when they were within a couple of feet of one another.
“I know,” answered his brother.
“I don’t know what to say, Tuck.” Jace looked at his brother as tears filled his eyes.
“It’s usually me that comes crawling back with my tail between my legs. You’ve always made it easy for me.”
“This is different, Tuck. You never did anything—”
“Of course I did. Every time I left and expected you to clean up my mess, I did something.”
Jace saw the same pain he was feeling in Tucker’s eyes.
“I can’t tell you I understand, Jace. I don’t. I’m damn mad at you, and for a while I thought I hated you. But, I don’t. I couldn’t.”
“I would. I’d hate you if you’d done what I did.”
Tucker put his arms around Jace, hugging him. “No, you wouldn’t. And you wouldn’t have let so much time go by either.” He released him, but kept one hand on Jace’s shoulder. “But then you’ve always been a better brother to me than I’ve been to you.”
“How can you say that? Tuck, I fucked up pretty bad.”
“You did that.” Tucker’s gaze was penetrating. “But so did I. More than once.”
“I was just thinkin’ this would’ve been a hell of a lot easier if I had a drink before I rode over.”
“Then it’s time we had one. Come on inside. There’s somebody I want you to meet.”
Bree was out on the water when the text from Jace came through. It startled her since she so rarely had a signal when she was fishing.
In the photo he sent, Jace was holding baby Cochran on his lap and they were both waving at her. Her eyes filled with tears, of happiness for them, but sadness for her. She missed them both so much.
What she couldn’t explain was the feeling that came after. If she could put a name to it, it would be dread.
Tucker took Cochran to put him down for a nap, and Jace went back out on the porch by himself. When the door opened, he’d expected to see his brother, instead he saw Tucker’s wife.
He stood to hug her. “How are you, Blythe?”
“Better, now that you’re here.”
“Me, too.”
“How are you two doing?”
“Okay. Tentative. Haven’t talked too much yet. But it’s coming.”
“You met your nephew. He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”