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Chapter Fourteen

Halfway to his ranch, Tobias pulled over and climbed out of his truck. He hobbled to the front of the vehicle and leaned on it, the entire time searching the sky. It wasn’t as if some sort of angel would appear in the darkness and give him a message, but he needed something.

How could it be that he’d missed something so monumental? Although he’d told Tori all was forgiven, anger and resentment circled like buzzards over his head.

A part of him wanted to keep driving and get away from it all.

In the distance, headlights appeared. As they got closer, he realized it was a red Jeep and moving fast. He almost laughed. Not exactly an angel headed his way. Most people, upon first seeing his twin, would probably think him the opposite.

What the hell was Luke doing? The man was driving like a bat out of hell.

Tobias reached into his window and flashed the lights. The Jeep skidded to a stop and his twin got out of the car and hurried to him.

“What happened?” The hollowness in his eyes made Tobias think twice and not utter a stupid comeback. It didn’t take much for Luke to go into flashback mode some days.

“Heading home from visiting Tori. Learned some shitty news and needed an explanation.”

Luke didn’t say anything. Luke’s gaze roamed over him as if to assess if he lied. “What news?”

This was the first time he’d talk about what happened, about Thomas. First, he ran a shaky hand through his hair.

“Found out Tori was pregnant when I went overseas. She lost the baby. A boy.”

When his brother didn’t speak, he continued. “Tori says I don’t have to feel guilty. But damn, she had a nervous breakdown because I left and that may have caused her to lose the baby. It kinda makes it my fault.”

“I would feel guilty if it was me. Why did she pick now to tell you? That was like over twenty years ago.”

Tobias shrugged. “We were arguing as usual. I said something stupid and she let it slip. I don’t think she ever planned to tell me.”

Luke came and leaned against the front of the truck with his arms crossed over his chest. “Damn. I guess the truth always does come out.”

“Yep.”

“I suppose you and I aren’t ever going to have kids,” Luke said.

Tobias thought about it. “Mimi wants to have a couple. I’m not so sure. Hell, I’m almost forty-six.”

“Me, too,” Luke said with a chuckle.

“Where were you headed?” Tobias asked, wondering why Luke wasn’t in a hurry to leave now.

“To find you. Tori called and said you might be upset.”

They stood in silence for a long time. Luke allowed him time to think and get his shit together. Finally, Tobias convinced his twin he was okay and headed home to rest.

The house wasquiet when Tobias arrived. He figured Ernest and Henry had gone to bed. Both went to sleep early and got up unnaturally early as well.

The dogs roused at his arrival and he walked to the back deck with them. The animals took off into the darkness, probably searching for critters to chase and he lowered to a chair.

When his phone buzzed, he answered it.

“When are you getting here? I have to finish packing and make sure to have all my documents. Did you find your birth certificate?” Mimi started peppering him with questions and he waited for her to take a breath.

“We’ve gone over this several times. I’ve got everything I need. We don’t fly out for two days. I’ll throw stuff in the overnight bag and head there the day after tomorrow.”

“Head where? To my place or to the airport.”

Tobias rolled his eyes. “Mimi, we just talked about this specific topic earlier today. You said you would hire a car since you live out of the way.”