TUESDAY, 12:04 A.M.
CIRCLE S RANCH
Heath slammed the glass down too hard on the counter. He would wake someone, and he definitely didn’t want to talk to anyone at the moment.
Not Harper. That would be too awkward.
Not Emily. She’d ask too many questions.
Not Evelyn or her granddaughter. He didn’t feel like smiling.
And he certainly didn’t want to see Lori, with her warm, flirtatious grin. If anything, Heath wanted to leave the house and get some air.
He completely understood where Harper was coming from. She wanted some space. Freedom to go where she pleased without fear of getting shot or someone standing too close to her and getting shot. Or stepping wrong and getting shot—like Arty. In that, Heath could understand how she might feel guilty—she was always the survivor, like she’d told him a few days ago.
He grabbed his head and pulled his hair. Why had he kissed her? They’d both wanted the kiss, that much was evident. Weren’t they the perfect lonely couple of friends?
Now came the hard part. They had to figure out how to work together. Maybe he should tell Taggart he couldn’t do this anymore. To find someone else.
Headlights brightened the shades he’d drawn. Now, who could that be at this hour?
A text buzzed on his cell. Taggart.
I brought someone I thought you would want to see. Are you awake?
What was Taggart up to?
That depends on who it is. Care to tell me?
He can tell you himself.
It was too late for these kinds of games. Heath was in the middle of sending another text when a knock came at the front door. He rushed to unlock it, wishing he had the choice not to. Heath cracked open the door.
He did a double take.
Liam McKade gave him a tenuous grin. “Hello, Heath.”
While he searched for words, Heath swung the door wide open. At least he could invite his brother in. A duffel bag slung over his shoulder, Liam stepped inside.
Taggart remained on the porch and waited, his appearance understandably haggard.
“You coming in too?” Heath asked.
“I’m merely the delivery boy tonight. Tomorrow bring Harper to town. I have something to show her.”
“What is it?”
“This can wait. You need to play catch-up tonight.”
“Taggart, are you okay?”
His features drew together. “I will be when we find him.” Taggart lifted his chin—a good-night gesture—and turned to walk away.
Heath shut the door, feeling Liam’s eyes on his back. He slowly turned and closed the distance. Then he embraced his brother in a bear hug. Slapped his back a few times for good measure before he released him.
Liam—the middle brother—stood taller than Heath by an inch. He’d inherited their dad’s crop of light hair and dark brown eyes. Liam removed his ball cap and scraped a hand through his hair. “Sorry for dropping in on you like this.”
“Not a problem.” Heath studied him.
“I stopped by the ranch first. Maybe I should have called, but I wanted it to be a surprise. I had envisioned walking in, dropping my duffel bag, and proclaiming, ‘Honey, I’m home,’ but nobody was there. The place was locked up. That disturbed me. Then Pete found me. The only problem was that he didn’t know where you were staying. He knew the horses were being stabled here.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I wanted it to be a surprise. I . . . you know how we disagree on the phone sometimes. I didn’t want things to unravel.” Liam grinned. The girls had always loved that grin in school—triple dimples. Heath had been kind of jealous.
“So you called Taggart.”
“Yep. Pete said he would know.”
The sheriff himself had picked Liam up and brought him there. That was impressive. Maybe he didn’t trust anyone else to make sure they weren’t followed to the Circle S.
“Did the sheriff fill you in on the way?”
“After he decided I wasn’t a suspect. I told him I’m happy to help if needed.”
Heath still couldn’t believe his eyes. “Let’s take this into the kitchen. We can talk in there if we keep it quiet.”
Tension rolled off his brother.
Heath and Liam never got along when they were together. If they were going to be at odds, he would have preferred that he was still at the Emerald M and not here at Lori’s place.
Liam eased his duffel bag off his shoulder and set it by the door. This wasn’t Heath’s home, so he couldn’t offer Liam a room—if there was even one left—without clearing it with Lori, though he suspected Liam would be more than welcome.
“You can bunk with me tonight.” Heath would sleep on the small sofa in his room.
“Sounds good.”
In the kitchen, Heath offered Liam some of Lori’s lemonade and had a glass himself. In his wildest dreams he never thought he’d be standing there looking at Liam. Awkward silence filled the air. Well, that and the clinking of glass as he set his lemonade on the granite counter.
Heath took in his brother’s appearance. His disheveled hair. Haggard face as if he’d come from a war zone. Liam held on to the counter like he was tired to the bone and he’d fall if he let go.
“It’s good to see you,” Heath said. “There’s so much to catch up on. I have no idea where to start. What brings you back? Did you come up from a deep undercover assignment for some fresh air?”
Liam puffed his cheeks, then blew out a breath as if his story would take much too long. “Something like that. I got your messages. Instead of calling, I decided to show up on your doorstep.”
Heath released a low chuckle. “That sounds about right. So how long will you be staying?”
“As long as you’ll let me.”
“What?”
“I’m not going back.”