ChapterOne
Duke
After taking the last bite of his dinner, Duke Carson leaned back in his chair, sipped his coffee, and studied his four sons, who were still devouring their second and third helpings of food.
His oldest son, Austin—the serious one who carried the weight of the world on his thirty-two-year-old shoulders—focused on his plate. Lost in thought as usual, he shoveled bites of meatloaf and mashed potatoes into his mouth. Duke hated putting more pressure on his brooding boy, but he had a promise to keep.
Dragging his gaze to his second-born son, Dallas—the smart-assed, restless joker, who possessed the culinary skill of a Michelin chef—Duke was grateful and guilty that, after thirty years, his boy still hadn’t packed his bags, moved to the big city, and followed his dreams of opening a restaurant. It made Duke’s heart ache that his son’s commitment to family superseded his aspirations.
From the opposite end of the table, he could feel his next son’s stare boring into the side of his head. Duke lifted the mug to his lips as his gaze stilled on Houston. The twenty-eight-year-old was the quietest and most observant of his four boys. He was also most like his mother and able to sense something heavy was weighing on Duke’s mind. Thankfully, the young man didn’t ask and wouldn’t until they were alone. Since he still needed some time before unburdening his worries, Duke simply flashed his son a reassuring wink and took a sip of coffee. Before the night was through that wink would come back and bite him in the ass.
From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed his youngest son Beau—the cocky twenty-four-year-old world champion bull rider and hometown hero—toss his napkin on his empty plate, and issue a satisfied moan. Having his traveling rodeo-circuit son home was a rare occasion. One Duke would be happier about if they weren’t constantly butting heads. Still, he couldn’t let this golden opportunity pass him by. Of all his boys, Beau’s superstar, gypsy lifestyle made him statistically more likely to fulfill Duke’s vow…if he could knock the chip off his stubborn shoulder.
Instead of focusing on his mounting frustrations with Beau, Duke savored the joy from another day of hard work, and sharing the meal with his sons.
“Dinner was great as always, Dal. Thanks,” Beau praised as he rose from his seat.
“Glad you enjoyed it,” Dallas replied, quirking a brow. “Don’t go running off. You’ve got cleanup detail.”
“I did it the other night. It can’t be my turn already.”
“Yes, you did, and yes, it is. You’ll have to submerge your dainty hands in dishwater before enjoying your after-dinner private time of fisting pleasure.”
“Dainty, my ass,” Beau scoffed. “I’ve got more callouses on one hand than you’ve got on both of yours.”
“Maybe if you jacked off with the other one you’d grow some on it, too.”
“Ha ha,” Beau replied dryly, holding up his palm and flashing the hardened flesh he’d earned gripping bull ropes. “And for your information, I don’t have to jack off like you losers. I got buckle bunnies in every town lining up, begging to put a smile on my face.”
Which makes him the most likely candidate to achieve my goal.
“Stop your bragging and start washing. The only females lining up begging for your attention here are the cows waiting on their supper,” Austin drawled, carrying his plate to the sink. “If y’all need me, I’ll be in the barn with Rumor.”
The cherished horse Austin had raised from a colt was days away from giving birth, but Duke kept that knowledge to himself. There were a lot of things about ranch life his sons needed to learn for themselves. Besides, nothing would sway Austin from spending every available second keeping watch over the mare.
“How much longer do you think it’ll be?” Houston asked, scooping the last of his mashed potatoes off his plate.
“No clue,” Austin replied, covering his inky hair beneath a white Stetson. “Her teats are full and waxing. It could be tonight, tomorrow, or next week. I honestly don’t know. As with everything else on the ranch, it’s up to nature now.”
An inward smile of pride tugged Duke’s lips. Austin had learned well.
“Too bad you don’t have a crystal ball.” Houston chuckled
While his boys continued jawing and cleaning off the table, Duke rose from his chair and strolled to the living room. After snagging his jacket off the hook near the door, he stepped outside and filled his lungs with cool March air while striding across the yard. When he reached the cement bench beneath the tall oak tree, Duke bent and brushed the leaves from the marble headstone of his beloved wife. Staring at the slab of engraved marble, Duke sat down on the bench. As the never-ending ache in his heart grew exponentially stronger, the bitter hands of fate squeezed his soul.
“Happy anniversary, sweetheart,” he said, forcing the words past the lump of pain, sadness, and longing clogging his throat. “It was thirty-nine years ago today that you met me under this tree. You stole my breath, changed my life, and made me into a better man than I ever thought I would be. I can still see you wearing that pretty white wedding dress. See the tears of happiness shimmering in your blue eyes. And see that gorgeous smile of happiness on your lips that lit up your whole face…the one I miss every damn day.”
His voice cracked. Duke paused and sucked in a ragged breath as he wiped a tear from his cheek. “People said it would get better with time, but it’s not. It’s getting harder, Kitty. Getting harder to try and find a reason to climb out of bed each morning. I miss you something fierce, my love.”
Duke tipped his head back and stared at the stars crowding the night sky. Long minutes later, he sniffed and exhaled a heavy sigh.
“I bumped into Emmett Hill today at the post office. That crazy ol’ coot is still hunting Bigfoot. Unsurprisingly, he hasn’t found him yet. Seeing him got me thinking…thinking about things I have no business fixating on. But being it’s our anniversary and all, I couldn’t help it. Don’t take this the wrong way, darlin’. I’m not sayin’ I’m ready to leave our boys or this earth tonight, but I can’t envision spending another thirty years waking up without you beside me or spending birthdays and anniversaries alone like Emmett does without Dotty. These past two years without you have been an empty eternity. And yeah, I’m still pissed at God for taking you from me so soon. Even though I know it’s wrong, I’d sell my soul to the devil for the chance to hold you and kiss you again.”
Biting back the howl of grief and anger bubbling within, Duke closed his eyes as melancholy memories churned through his brain. But as a sudden gust of wind stirred the tree, he opened them and watched a leaf float down and land on the empty space beside him. Plucking it from the bench, Duke pressed it to his chest.
“One day I will hold and kiss you again, my love. As soon as one of our sons cooperates, all my pain and misery will finally come to an end. Unfortunately, none of them are in any hurry to get married and start making grandbabies to carry on our legacy like I promised the night you went to heaven. I don’t know what’s holding them back. All I know is the time has come to light a fire under their butts. Time for them to shit or get off the pot. I’ve come up with a plan. No, you won’t like it, but I’m out of options.”