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"Slow down around this curve," Aiden said in a low, tense voice. He was leaning forward in his seat and bracing one hand against the dash, practically itching to get his hands on the wheel. "It gets real slick in the shade."
The side-eye Seth gave him was a mix of amusement and exasperation. "I've been driving this road my whole life, Aiden. Relax."
"I know," Aiden protested, forcing himself to relax in his seat. He couldn't stop fidgeting, so he propped a boot against the dash, affecting an air of casual indifference. "It was just a little friendly advice."
"Uh-huh." Seth reached into the center console and grabbed the bag of smoked almonds Aiden had purchased at the Stop n' Shop on their way out of town. "Here. You're hangry, and it's getting on my nerves."
"At least I'll die with a full stomach," Aiden joked, saluting Seth with the snack bag. He rolled down the window to spit out his chewing gum, and the warm, defrosted air was immediately sucked from the truck. Aiden breathed deep, inhaling the sharp scent of pine and frozen water, and then leaned his head and shoulders fully out the window to stare down into the canyon. "It's not so bad from this view!" he shouted, but the wind picked up his voice and whipped away.
"What the hell are you doing?" Seth asked, grabbing the waistband of his jeans and tugging him back inside. Aiden collapsed into his seat, chuckling, while Seth rolled the window up from the master control on the driver's side door.
"Just lightening the mood," Aiden said, popping a few almonds in his mouth. He gave Seth's thigh a squeeze. "You're doing great."
"Gee, thanks," Seth said wryly, not wanting to admit how much Aiden's simple touch calmed his nerves.
They both let out an audible breath when they came out of the last series of switchbacks, and the first pristine stretch of the Double Jay's pastures came into view. The porch light on the house was still lit, glowing like a welcome beacon, and a faint curl of woodsmoke drifted from the chimney.
"Feels like coming home," Aiden murmured as if to himself.
"It is." Seth covered the hand on his thigh and gave it a quick squeeze. Last night, for the first time, they'd started making plans for clearing out Aiden's trailer. It wouldn't take long; all his possessions could fit in the back of Seth's truck.
Aiden sighed and shook out the last almond, chewing loudly. "Next time we're in town, remind me to gwab mo' of these," he said with his mouth full. "I need to keep my strength up. You worked me like a rented mule last night."
Seth laughed and circled around the truck to drop the gate and grab the first box of supplies. Aiden brightened, feeding off his response.
"Did I ever tell you the one about the cowboy who walked into the bar?" Aiden asked, trailing behind him as they trudged toward the house with their arms weighed down by boxes. "He sits down and yells for a beer, but he suddenly hears a voice?—"
Seth nodded, barely paying attention to the prattle as he scanned the familiar morning scene: the shaded barn with its peeling paint, the broken tractor, the clumps of needlegrass and prairie smoke poking up through the half-melted snow. Everything exactly the same as a thousand other mornings…except…
Seth stopped dead in his tracks, staring hard.
"Then another voice yells, 'Those are the nicest boots I ever saw!' The cowboy jumps off his stool and says, 'Now I know I'm not just hearing voices, dadgum!' Then the bartender says?—"
"Son of a bitch!" Seth yelled.
"No, he says?—"
"I'm going to fucking kill him!"
Aiden stopped cold, nonplussed, and followed his gaze toward the familiar truck partially hidden by a copse of pines in a side turnout. Seth knew the exact moment he recognized it.
"Oh, shit," Aiden breathed. "That's the Jensen kid's truck."
Seth barely heard him. He set his box on the porch and took the steps two at a time, fists clenched white-knuckled at his sides. His gut was roiling so hard, it felt like his stomach was seconds away from crawling up his throat and spilling at his feet. The frigid weather had vanished, and heat prickled his neck, bathing his body in rage sweat.
Tessa told him that Riley had already left when he'd called to check on her, but that scrawny, cocky little bastard had stayed the night. Seth hadn't wanted to come down too hard on the kid and scare away the first guy Tessa had fallen for, so he'd taken it easy on him, but he regretted it now. She was more than his baby sister; he'd raised that girl. He was the only one left in their family to protect her, and he'd failed. It made his blood boil.
"Whoa, whoa! Calm down," Aiden urged, dropping his boxes and grabbing a fistful of Seth's jacket to hold him back. He dug in his heels, but Seth ignored him, dragging him across the porch with long, purposeful strides.
"I'm going to kill him," Seth repeated with hollow finality.
Aiden gave up trying to hold him back and scrambled to get in front of him, throwing his arms out wide to block his path. His eyes were wide. "I know how you feel, baby. I know! But think about this. Tessa's not a little girl anymore, and she'll never forgive you if you hurt him."
"Move, Aiden." Seth's breath came in harsh, aborted bursts. Rage was like a clawing animal inside him.
"No." Aiden's tone was firm. He lowered his head, eyes boring into Seth's, dead serious. "I can't let you do something you'll regret. Talk to her, at least!"
For a moment, Seth hesitated. The rational part of his mind knew Aiden was right, but that part had shrunk down to nothing beneath the power of his anger. The thought of Riley in his house, on top of his sister, brought out a primal instinct to tear him limb from limb.
