6

Garrett rounded the side of his brother’s house, a modest structure made of light-colored stone and a gray metal roof. It featured a veranda-style porch that was as broad as it was deep. A pair of rocking chairs was situated to the left of the door underneath a ceiling fan, and a whitewashed railing enclosed it.

His brother’s fiancée, a woman he’d met on a couple of occasions, was a city girl through and through. Lyra came here only when she had to. Gabriel did all the driving to see her. In Garrett’s opinion, if Gabriel thought he had a chance of getting that city gal to move to this small town out in the country, he was bound for disappointment.

Lyra stood, tall and thin, next to Gabriel. She took in all the potted plants that decorated the porch. Pointing to a potted tree with fiddle-shaped leaves, she smiled and said something to Gabe. Maybe she was pleased with his gift.

On the other side of the house, Lyra’s luxury sedan shone like onyx. Lyra didn’t belong on a dairy farm, and she didn’t drive a dairy farm car. A real estate broker, she lived and worked in the big city of Bishop.

Why was Gabriel having a get-together to celebrate the completion of a landscaping job when he hadn’t even bothered sharing the news about his engagement?

“Hi, Micara. I’m Lyra.” She’d spotted them and crossed the patio, a smile turning up the corners of her lips.

Behind her, Gabriel’s face lacked the same welcome.

The two women shook hands.

“I want to thank you for the beautiful job you did with the landscaping. I love it.”

Micara nodded. “My pleasure. It was done for you, so I’m thrilled you’re satisfied with it.”

Lyra glanced up at Gabriel and smiled.

He slipped an arm around her shoulder. “Only the best for my baby. Lyra, you remember my little brother, Garrett.”

So Gabe had decided to play nice. Good, that would make things easier for everyone.

“I do.” Lyra nodded and extended her hand.

Garrett hoped Gabe’s gift had worked its magic, and the two were getting along again. Despite their prickly connection, he wanted the best for his brother. Why couldn’t Gabe want the best for him, or at least accept his decisions?

“Get cookin’, good lookin’!” Lyra led the way to the picnic table.

An obedient Gabriel returned to the grill. He lifted the lid, and the smell of meat filled the air.

Bridal magazines cluttered the tabletop.

“What’s this?” Garrett jutted his chin toward the scattered books.

Lyra grinned at Gabriel. “Honey, should we tell them?”

“Sure, go ahead.” He saluted with his spatula. “No use waiting.”

Lyra’s smile widened. “We’ve set a date for the wedding.”

A date? That was the big announcement? So this wasn’t just a celebration to present the newly landscaped yard to Lyra.

“Just a few months away.” Lyra seemed eager to share. “It’ll be a winter wedding in January.”

“That’s pretty soon.”

“We’re both so stubborn we decided to get married quick before we had a chance to change our minds.” A burst of throaty laughter followed this shocking revelation.

Why in the world were they getting married if their relationship was that shaky? That wasn’t the right attitude about such a serious step. Garrett had never considered himself a religious man, but he was confident these two could use some kind of counseling session—maybe with a pastor.

Micara shifted in her seat but managed to be gracious.

Garrett was sure he felt her disapproval.

Lyra chattered on. “Traditional winter weddings are all white, and that’s exactly what I want, a winter wonderland.” She opened a magazine to a marked page and turned it around for them to view. “See how everything at the church and reception is white? No accent colors. White fabrics, white flowers, white lights, white everything. Even the bridesmaids will wear white. I’m opposed to color of any kind. White is so pure and beautiful.”

Garrett stood and nodded to the women. “Excuse me, ladies. I need to check on the chef.” He couldn’t listen to Lyra go on and on about a wedding when they weren’t getting married for the right reason. He went to over to his brother. “Anything I can do?”

“Yeah, put some foil on the bottom of that pan. The burgers are almost ready. And I’ve cooked a special surprise in the house.”

Garrett measured off a piece of foil and tore it along the serrated edge. Then he smoothed it onto the metal sheet pan, wrapping the extra length and width over the sides. “A bigger surprise than setting a date for your wedding before you even told anyone you were engaged?”

Gabriel gave him a warning glare.

“OK, OK.” He pressed the silver paper down. “Nice of you to have this little get-together. It’s been forever since we’ve hung out.”

Gabriel plopped a patty down on the platter. “Don’t get too sentimental. It was Lyra’s idea. She wanted to thank Micara in person and brag about the wedding to someone. I kinda figured Micara would bring you.”

Same ol’ Gabriel.

“But you agreed to it. Admit it, big brother, you love me.” Garrett jabbed him in the arm with his elbow.

“I wouldn’t go that far, but you are family.” Gabriel shrugged and grinned—a simple offering, but enough to cause a twinge in Garrett’s heart.

“Issues aside, we share blood. That’s all that matters.”

Gabriel didn’t respond. He slapped the last patty on the platter and raised his voice. “OK, I’ll get the fixins out of the house while you guys clear the table.”

“That’s my cue to pack up all these magazines.” Lyra started closing and stacking them. “Oh, Gabriel?”

“Yes, hon?”

“Could you try again to coax Slade out of hiding? It would mean a lot to me if he joined us for dinner.”

Slade had returned home? Thank goodness.

Gabriel’s face fell, but he nodded. “I’ll do my best. He wouldn’t budge earlier, but maybe the prospect of food will lure him out.”

“Tell him Uncle Garrett wants to eat dinner with him. Maybe that will help.” She winked at Garrett.

Gabriel disappeared into the house.

Lyra sighed. “I hope he doesn’t do this on our wedding day. I love Slade, but he’s hard to handle. Too bad parenting doesn’t come with a rule book. He used to be such a good kid.”

“He’s still a good kid.” Garrett wasn’t about to let Lyra misjudge his nephew.

With pinched lips, she fiddled with the edges of the magazines.

When Gabriel returned, she changed the subject. “The wedding is going to be so beautiful. I can’t wait for y’all to see it.”

The delicious aroma of hamburgers tickled his nostrils, and Garrett’s stomach growled. He grabbed a paper plate and started building his sandwich. The others followed his example.

“Y’all wait before you eat your burger.” Gabriel made a production of opening a container of sweet-smelling mushrooms. “Here’s something special to put on it.”

“Wow! Those look amazing—and smell amazing.”

“It’s Worcestershire sauce and a lot of butter.” Gabriel’s chest puffed out.

“Where’d you learn to cook something fancy like this?” Garrett didn’t bother to hide his grin. He hadn’t seen Gabe this relaxed in too long.

“Lyra’s brother is a chef. He’s taught me a few things.”

“You did good, brother. These aren’t just ordinary burgers now.”

Slade came onto the patio, his expression sulky.

“Slade, glad you joined us.” Garrett was happy to see him.

The boy shrugged. “Hey.” He made his burger, but instead of sitting with the family, he took his plate back into the house.

“Aren’t you going to make him eat with us?” Garrett couldn’t help himself. Slade needed to be with the family.

“Slade, get back out here.” Gabriel growled the words, obviously resenting Garrett’s question. “Your uncle wants to eat with you.”

The glass sliding door slammed shut.

“See what I mean? I can’t tell him anything.” Gabriel shoved a large bite of his burger in his mouth.

Garrett stared towards his nephew’s disappearing back.

Micara patted his arm. “I’ve been praying so hard for him,” she whispered. “I know everything’s gonna be OK.”

How did Gabe live with this much stress on a daily basis? And it was about to get worse. A storm was brewing and would arrive in the not-so-distant future—Garrett felt it. He didn’t take Lyra for the type that could be persuaded to move to the country by a few flowerbeds.

Driving Micara home after dinner, a heavy sadness overwhelmed him. He stopped in front of her wood-frame house, where a couple of lights burned in the windows. The porch light offered a welcoming glow. He stared at the front doorway.

“Are you OK?” Micara’s voice drew his attention.

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t say a word the whole trip over.”

He slid his hands around the steering wheel. “I can’t stop thinking about what Lyra said at dinner.”

“Her comment about Slade?”

He nodded.

“She doesn’t know anything about him. Don’t let her get to you.”

“He used to be such a good kid. Those were her words.” He shook his head.

“As you said, he’s still a good kid. He’s just a little tough to manage right now. The smart ones always are, but a light still flickers inside him. I know it.”

“She did hit on something significant.”

“What’s that?”

“He did use to be a good kid. I’m talking about his behavior, not his heart.”

“Of course.” She placed her warm hand on his.

“Something happened. One day, he just snapped. Until Gabriel makes an effort to bond with his son, things will only get worse.” He met Micara’s concerned gaze, tapped his chest, and then dropped his hand onto hers. “I know what that boy was like. It’s like some kind of monster has taken over, but I can still see the real Slade in his eyes. I miss the nephew I fished with years ago.” Garrett blew out a frustrated breath and let his head drop back against the headrest. “I want him back, but I have no idea how to help him.”