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And I’m a little disconcerted that the one who called me that is my own mother.
“Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?”
Mom grins back at me. “You know your mother so well.”
I follow her outside, and there’s Remington himself, holding Holly’s hand.
“I have to poop,” she announces, and I can’t help but laugh at her.
“How about if I take you?” Mom offers, and takes Holly’s hand, leading her back inside to the bathroom.
“Your kids are the best,” I say to Rem, who nods and shuffles his feet. We’re alone, with everyone else off talking or swimming or playing games in the grass.
And, despite the fact that I’ve been home for a full year, Rem is still uncomfortable with me.
“We have to cut this shit out,” I say, my voice low. “I need my brother, man. It’s been a long-ass time.”
“Six years,” he says with a nod. “It was six years ago that I needed my brother, and he couldn’t be bothered.”
His eyes meet mine, hot and angry all over again.
“That’s not how it was.”
“Fuck that,” he bites off, shaking his head. “That’s exactly how it was. My wife died, I had two babies, and I needed you to stay at the ranch for a few weeks.”
“You had Mom and Dad, Chase and Brady. Millie.”
“I needed you,” he bites out. “You were my goddamn best friend, and I needed your help. Instead, you couldn’t get out of there fast enough. You showed me that day where your priorities are, and they aren’t with your family.”
“Rem—”
“No. You can have us all out here, play with my kids, and pretend like you’ve figured it all out, that you’ve come home for good, but you’ll just leave again, Ry.”
“I’ve been home for a year. And in case you missed it, I have a kid of my own now. A ranch with horses and a kid and a goddamn girlfriend. I have a life in Bitterroot Valley, so to stand there and accuse me of being ready to bug out at any time is a fucking dick move, and you know it. I couldn’t stay six years ago. I wanted to, and I felt so fucking guilty?—”
“Yeah, so guilty that you just sent stuff. Baby stuff, groceries, all kinds of shit. I didn’t want that.”
“I couldn’t give you what you needed in that moment, and I’ve apologized for it until I’m blue in the goddamn face, Rem. Jesus, I love you and those kids, and there isn’t much that I wouldn’t do for any of you.”
“Except stay.” His smile is humorless. “You wouldn’t fucking stay.”
He marches away, past the pool and the games, and out to the trees beyond, obviously walking off the anger that I always seem to bring out in him.
Erin runs off of the patio and follows after him. Rem slips his hand in hers, and they don’t say anything as they walk into the treeline.
“It hurts a father’s heart,” my dad says next to me. I didn’t even feel him join me. “To see his sons at odds, the way you two are.”
“I hurt him,” I murmur and exhale sharply. “And no matter what I do, I can’t seem to fix it.”
“Sometimes, all you can do is give it time, son.” He lays his hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “He loves you a lot. The two of you were always so close, only being a year apart, and maybe he expects a little too much from you.”
“No, he should expect a lot from me. I’m the one who fucked up.”
“It was a bad situation,” Dad replies. “A sad one. And we’ve all moved on from it. Remington will let the hurt go sooner or later. Give it some more time.”
I nod and look over at my father. All of us boys look so much like him. “Thanks, Dad.”
He squeezes my shoulder once more and then walks over to talk to Chase and Brady. Holly and Mom come out of the house, and Holly races up to Chase.
