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Dad trots Legend to the path that leads to Mom’s gravesite. It’s a family plot that has a white picket fence surrounding it and a hill of daisies for my mom. No one says anything, and I’m thankful for the break from talking as we follow the beaten-down trail up the hill. After securing our horses, we each walk through the gate.
Dad approaches Mom’s grave first. “You were right, Daisy. He loves her, but he’s about to ruin it all.” He kisses his fingers and presses them to the headstone.
I go next since we do everything in birth order.
“All I want is for her to be happy. Love you.” I kiss my fingers and press them on top of her tombstone.
Ben follows me. “I tried to tell everyone, but no one listened. Don’t worry about me. I figured all my shit out and couldn’t be happier.” He kisses his fingers and places them on the stone, smirking at me as he comes to stand beside me.
“Momma, I miss you. None of them have their shit together. I see why I was your favorite.” Emmett bends down and kisses the stone top before hugging it.
Ben and I groan, rolling our eyes.
Emmett sinks down to the ground beside her, and the rest of us stand.
“Jude, you’ve always walled off your emotions. Too responsible for your own good.” My dad starts the conversation as he always does for these family meetings. “I’m not sure, maybe you’d be different if your mom didn’t die so young. But I shouldn’t have to trick you into marrying the girl you love.”
“What?” My mouth drops open.
“Oh, come on. You didn’t know?” Emmett sneers.
“You think we’re all that stupid?” Ben shakes his head.
Holy shit, they set me up.
“You’ve loved Sadie all these years. Hell, you’ve acted like you were her boyfriend the majority of your life. I thought you got that head out of your ass a few years ago, but you let her go off to New York and never told her. Even when she came back. So, sure you married her to secure the loan.” Dad rolls his eyes.
“You mean you would’ve signed the loan without the marriage?” I ask, incredulous.
“Doesn’t matter what I would’ve done. The fact is that you fought me on it, and you did marry her. That’s not very Jude-like to anyone other than Sadie. Seeing you two the last couple months or so, we’re all aware that something changed.”
I take off my cowboy hat and run my hand through my hair. “Yeah. We finally?—”
“No details!” Emmett raises his hand.
“Grow up,” Ben says.
“I’m not asking to compare dick sizes,” I say.
“Enough,” Dad snaps. “I’m glad for whatever got you… well, I assume it’s Sadie that got you to admit your feelings. But then whatever has happened to get you lost in that damn head of yours, forget it. You’re about to ruin it all.”
Ben clamps my shoulder. “You know you deserve happiness, right?”
My brothers and I are rarely serious with one another. Up here at the family meetings might be the only time.
I shrug him off. “She should be far away from here.”
“But she’s not,” Ben says.
“Have you ever asked her?” my dad asks. “A conversation can clear up a lot of shit that clogs your brain. It’s like a laxative for your thoughts.” When I don’t say anything, he sighs and sets his hands on his hips. “Son, why do you think you’re not good enough for her?”
“Because he’s Jude,” Emmett says.
I shake my head. “I don’t know. I just want her to have everything she’s ever wanted. She… had to stay back after college. When she finally got out, she had to come back because her grandma died.”
“Are you sure about that?” Dad asks and quirks his eyebrow.
“Do you know something?”
