TUESDAY, 7:30 P.M.
EMERALD M GUEST RANCH
Liam thought he would never get back to the ranch.
Another deputy was staying with Harper at Circle S this evening while Heath brought Liam to Emerald M so he could see the renovated house in daylight and they could get Heath’s other truck for Liam to drive. Tomorrow he could start looking for information on that custom rifle.
Now that they were alone and here at the ranch house, this was it. The showdown. The moment for which they’d both been waiting. Liam could almost laugh at the image of Wyatt Earp in Tombstone that suddenly popped into his head. But it wasn’t like they were going to battle it out literally, for which he was grateful. He would never have come back here if he didn’t know that, whatever their differences, Heath wouldn’t turn him away.
They were brothers.
Liam could have gone anywhere he wanted but found himself back in Grayback.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t talk it out and wasn’t even sure he wanted to until he and Heath were truly alone. No girlfriends from the past or the future loitering—he grinned at the thought of Heath staying in that house with Lori Somerall, who had her sights set on Heath. He wouldn’t go so far as to say that Harper had set her sights on him too, but she had eyes on him, whether Heath realized it or not.
Liam’s sneakers squeaked across the spacious wood floor that used to be half this size. His shoes were silenced by a big chocolate-brown rug with turquoise diamonds. Nice touch. He was glad to see the changes, but on the other hand, it reminded him how bad things had been when he lived here. He didn’t think there’d even been a rug. Only torn, ratty carpet.
Mom had tried. But life had worked against her.
He peered up at the tall ceiling and rafters and western decor where nothing used to hang.
“You did it,” he said. “You actually did it. You changed the face of this place. The whole feel of it.” Liam crossed his arms as he strolled through the renovated house, the place he used to call home, sensing Heath’s eyes on him. Watching and waiting. It wasn’t like his brother ever wanted or needed Liam’s approval. In fact, Heath wanted Liam to need his approval. He thought he had taken up the slack where their father had failed. Liam never saw it that way.
Heath blew out a long breath. Shoved his hands in his pockets. “Before he died that day, Dad told me he planned to leave everything to me and for me to do something good with it. To make up for the past.”
Liam wasn’t accustomed to seeing his brother appear so dejected. “Well, like I said, you’ve done it, then.”
“When he told me that, I threw his words back in his face, Liam. I never should have been so harsh. So cruel. Four hours later, he died in that crash.”
“I’ll admit I was mad at him for leaving it all to you. Jealous, even. But even when you offered to sell it and split the profits among us, I rejected your offer. Austin was too riddled with guilt over Dad’s accident to want part of it.” Liam scratched his chin. Maybe he’d been an idiot to turn down the offer, but what was done was done. And besides, the ranch was in the right hands now. “I know why Dad did it—he knew you could make something of this place. That had been his dream. One he only succeeded in destroying. But please don’t tell me you fixed it up because you felt guilty about your last words to him.”
“Oh yeah. Guilt paralyzed me, at least for a while. Then I took up his request and renovated the place. Hoped to renovate myself in the process. I threw every ounce of my energy into fulfilling his request in hopes that I could somehow make up for my last words, and yes, maybe even some of the past.”
“You’ve done more than that. You’ve about buried any reminders. I could almost forget how hard he was.”
“That’s good to hear, coming from you. It means more to me than the fact that the Emerald M now has the reputation of being one of the top guest ranches in Jackson Hole.”
“And what about you? Do you feel like you renovated yourself, as you put it?” Liam grinned.
Heath’s chuckle sounded forced. “Not even close.”
Liam would let that comment go without digging deeper. Heath was always too hard on himself. They had time to talk about that later. Liam hoped.
“Still, it seems so empty without Dad,” Heath said.
Nicer. Quieter. “Peaceful, even.” Liam glanced through the window at the barn in the distance.
“I’d say that’s the good part. Still, whatever his issues, his downright meanness at times, I miss him.” Heath released a heavy sigh.
Liam had nothing to say to that, so he kept silent. No point in stirring angry embers of the past. Heath was allowed that sentiment. Liam wasn’t ready to miss their father yet. So maybe this wouldn’t be a showdown, after all.
Though he was back and thought he was ready, he realized he didn’t want to talk too much about their lives there. Not yet. Time to change the subject.
“Care to tell me what’s going on with you and Harper? Oh, and the woman whose house you’re staying in, for that matter.”
“You know why we’re staying there. Nothing’s going on with either woman.”
“So Harper—she was your friend when you were kids.” Heath cocked a brow. Surprised? Liam chuckled. “Yeah. I paid attention.”
“All this time I thought you were busy with the horses. You were good with them, even as a kid.”
“You remember how it was. We each had to pour ourselves into something to get us out of the house. Horses in the summer. And skiing in the winter. Brad took me, remember? His family could afford the ski lift passes. I had a friend too, only he wasn’t some cute girl. Harper was cute back then. She isn’t cute anymore.”
Heath crossed his arms.
Liam continued walking the room. “See. I knew you liked her. She’s not cute, she’s a real looker. And serious. But maybe she was that serious as a kid too. So why’d you leave her with that deputy to come with me?” He wished he hadn’t asked that. He knew exactly why. Maybe he wanted to hear actual words this time. Not just second-guessing what his brother was thinking.
“I’ll tell you why, but you go first.”
“What?”
Heath walked around the big kitchen counter. Liam ran his hand over the rich pine butcher-block countertop. Nice. He looked up at Heath, waiting for an answer, but he didn’t need one. Still, he’d wait.
“You always were stubborn, but that’s beside the point. I want to know what’s bothering you.”
“Oh. I thought you wanted to know why I’m back. You asked me that before.”
“And you never answered.”
Liam had experience controlling his emotions. Keeping the darkness that threatened at bay. Working undercover in the Drug Enforcement Administration had taken him down dark roads for which he hadn’t been prepared. He shook off the shadows pressing in on him. “Let’s say I needed a long break. There’s nothing I can share with you anyway. Heath, I’m . . . I’m glad I had a place to come back to.” Despite the darkness of his childhood here, this place now seemed like the purest, brightest light, especially compared to the people he’d had to pretend were his friends.
He released a heavy sigh he was sure must have echoed through the mountains and disturbed the neighbors for miles away. Heath peered at him. The man’s concern might actually cut through the hard shell Liam had built around himself, inside and out. Heath moved around the counter and came just short of hugging Liam. Again. Instead, he clapped him on the back, and that touch of his strong hand contained a comfort that words could never express.
It was exactly what Liam needed, and he hadn’t even known.
“You stay long enough to be good and well rid of whatever forced you back.”
Liam chuckled. “Nothing forced you back.”
“Maybe not, but you . . . I know you. You wouldn’t have come back otherwise. I can’t say I’m not grateful that something sent you here, but it had to have been pretty bad. You’re always welcome here. You know that.”
“Speaking of which, how long until we can all actually come back?”
“Soon, I hope.”
“And once this is over, do you think Harper will leave?”
“Probably.”
“And you’re going to let her walk away?”
“I have no reason to keep her here. Besides, there’s a lot you don’t know about me. Things that happened. I’m not marriage material.”
Right.
“You look through the rest of the house. Take your time. I’m going to check on Pete.”
“See you in a few minutes.”
Heath flipped off the lights when he walked through the door. It was still daylight, but windows didn’t let in enough light for Liam. Liam flipped on more lights. That’s better.
His cell rang. He glanced at the caller ID.
That darkness wanted to follow him even here.