LITMIR.BIZ

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resist bragging. That was usually a rustler’s downfall—the urge to brag to his friends.

      Now if she could just keep Kid out of her life, but she knew he’d be back. Good thing she was licensed to carry a gun.

      AFTER SUPPER, KID TOSSED and turned on the bunk he’d slept on as a kid. Thank God Chance had installed heating and air-conditioning years ago or he wouldn’t be able to sleep at all. Chance was the homebody, always there for their aunt and uncle. Now that Chance was married with a family Kid decided he needed to help out more. It was the very least he could do.

      He flipped onto his side. The room was small, cramped, and Aunt Etta hadn’t changed a thing about it in almost twenty-five years—the night their parents had died.

      A twin and a bunk bed filled the room. A closet was on the left and a dresser on the right. They barely had space to get into their beds, but they didn’t care. It was a place for the brothers to be together. A place to grieve.

      But Dane Belle hadn’t let them grieve long. He kept them busy on the High Five ranch. A man was what they had needed in their lives and Dane had fit the bill. He was the most assertive, strong and loving man Kid had ever known. He made the orphaned Hardin boys part of the Belle family.

      Aunt Etta was the housekeeper for High Five and Uncle Ru cowboyed for Dane. They lived in a small house not far from the Belle residence. Actually, in their backyard.

      Dane was a ladies’ man and had three daughters by three different wives. Caitlyn, the oldest, lived on the ranch because her mother had died in childbirth. Madison and Skylar lived with their mothers, but they spent every summer on the ranch. They had great summers with the sisters. Through the laughter and fun, their grief had slowly eased.

      The sisters were all settled now and living in High Cotton. Caitlyn had married a neighboring rancher, Judd Calhoun. For years, he’d been her arch enemy, mainly because Cait had broken their youthful engagement without an explanation. Somehow they’d worked out their differences and now had twin sons. Maddie, the sweet sister, had fallen in love with Walker, the constable, and they had three children. Dane’s wild child, Skylar, owned High Five with her husband, Cooper Yates. Kid would have bet money that Sky would never live in this homey town. Now she was a mother of two, living in wedded bliss. If Sky was cooking, he might have a heart attack. What was it about this place that drew everyone back? What made them rethink their lives and settle for the best of the best?

      Kid sat up on the edge of the bed and bumped his head on the top bunk. Damn it! He’d done that so many times when he was a boy and he suddenly realized the bed wasn’t suitable for a grown man. His feet hung over the end. The cot was harder than he remembered, too. Back then they were just boys and they didn’t care about much of anything besides sports and trucks.

      Chance had been twelve, he was fourteen and Cadde had turned sixteen—young boys just starting to discover life…and girls. They weren’t ready to face the death of their parents and later they certainly weren’t ready to face the truth about their father—an adulterer—who was willing to leave his wife and young sons for another woman.

      Oh, God. Why was he thinking about it? To keep from analyzing his own feelings, his own actions. Why hadn’t he called Lucky? Why hadn’t he come back for her?

      He meant to call her that first night after he’d reached Lubbock, but there was a party going on and they drank way into the wee hours of the morning. A hangover kept him in bed for two days. Then there was another party. When he finally sobered up, it was time to start classes. He still avoided the call because he knew she was going to be so mad.

      And there were all those Texas Tech beauties smiling at him. He was young, wild and a whole lot of crazy. One day turned into another and the call was never made. He was having too much fun. After that he didn’t have the nerve to call. The miles and the different environment drove them apart. It was his fault. He was very aware of that.

      Dane had insisted he come home for Christmas that year and he had, along with Cadde. The next morning they’d left again for Lubbock. After that first year in college, he decided sitting in a classroom wasn’t for him. He and a friend headed for the Alaskan oil fields to get a hands-on job and to learn the business from roughnecking. The freezing weather almost got him, but he stayed for two years.

      Every time he talked to Dane, he’d asked Kid to come home. Aunt Etta and Uncle Ru had asked, too. For some reason he couldn’t do that. It was the first time he’d done anything without Dane’s approval.

      Another guilt mark on his soul.

      When he’d returned to Texas, Chance was at the university and the Hardin boys partied all night. But soon Kid left for the East Texas oil fields. And then south Texas. He roughnecked just about everywhere.

      Cadde had graduated with a petroleum engineering degree and was working his way up the corporate ladder. Chance wavered between the oil business and cowboying, but he was never far from home. On the other hand, Kid couldn’t seem to get far enough away.

      Until he got the call.

      Dane Belle had passed away.

      Kid’s return was painful and heartbreaking. He’d looked for Lucky at the funeral, but she wasn’t there. When he tried to talk to Bud, he’d walked away and Kid knew he wasn’t welcome in High Cotton.

      The strip of guilt got wider.

      But he never let it show.

      He ran his hands over his face and got up, turning on the light. Cadde was right. He had to start with an apology and now was as good a time as any. Reaching for his jeans on Cadde’s bed, he noticed something on the wall by his bunk. It couldn’t be. He bent down to take a closer look. It was a heart he’d drawn with a Magic Marker. Inside he’d printed Kid Loves Lucky, and underneath that was Lucky and the Kid. Damn! Aunt Etta had never removed it.

      All those feelings of first love blindsided him. He sat on the bed with a thud. Maybe he’d been trying to outrun them. Maybe that’s why it was so hard to come home. Maybe it was Lucky.

      He quickly dressed and searched for a pen and paper in the dresser drawer. Some of their high school books were still there. Did Aunt Etta never throw out anything? Scribbling a note he tiptoed into the living and kitchen area and placed it on the table. Suddenly the lights came on. Aunt Etta stood in the doorway in a flowered cotton robe, her gray hair sticking out in all directions.

      “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

      “Who sleeps?” Aunt Etta went to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of milk. “I thought you went to bed.”

      “I did, but I’m going out again and I was leaving you a note.”

      “A note?” Aunt Etta paused in reaching for a pot.

      “So you wouldn’t worry.”

      “Ah.” She grabbed the pot and poured milk into it. “It comes with the territory. And if an old aunt might be so bold, where are you going this time of night? It’s almost twelve.”

      “I need to talk to Lucky.”

      Aunt Etta turned from the stove. “Now, Kid, I think the time for talking to Lucky has long passed.”

      “I screwed up.” He finally had to admit the truth.

      She nodded. “Yeah. You’ve done that a time or two. You’ve always had this urge for freedom and you and Lucky got too serious too quick. I think you’re a lot like your father.”

      No, no! Don’t say that!

      “I’m not like him, am I?” Suddenly that was very, very important.

      Aunt Etta bristled. “Why wouldn’t you want to be like him? He was your flesh and blood.”

      He collected himself quickly. Aunt Etta didn’t know about her brother’s infidelity and Kid couldn’t tell her. At this late date, he couldn’t break her heart.

      Giving her a peck on the cheek, he swung

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