Author's Note: "Laughter is a sunbeam of the soul." ― The Magic Mountain, Thomas Mann
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, except in the sense that love is ownership.
Now:
"Boy Howdy, it is one beautiful day!"
"You're in a good mood," Audra smiled as her brother entered and seated himself at the table.
Apparently, he'd been taking lessons in gallantry from Jarrod, for he responded, "Who could be glum when having breakfast with such a lovely young lady?"
"Nick could! He was terrible at dinner last night, Heath, you're lucky you weren't here."
"Did he say—"
"About time you got back here!" Nick was suddenly in their midst, like a devil invoked by the speaking of his name.
"Nick," Heath began, "I was out this morn—"
"I know you were out this morning. Just as you were out all last night!"
"I wasn't out all ni—"
"You seem to be forgetting, little brother, that THIS IS A WORKING RANCH! And just because Mother's decided to take a little holiday to visit Jarrod in San Francisco, it doesn't mean you get to take a holi—"
"Nick!" Heath yelled.
Nick stared. "What?"
"I was back before midnight, and I've been working since five o'clock this morning!"
Nick cocked his head consideringly. "Is that so?"
Audra, having taken her own verbal licks from Nick at the dinner table the night before, watched in sympathetic amusement as her newest brother's erstwhile ebullient spirits solidified to the point of grimness.
"If you don't believe me, you can ask McCall," Heath growled.
Nick blew out a breath, and his anger with it. Perhaps he'd come down too heavy. Heath was a hard worker. And he was wearing a different shirt than the one he'd had on when he left last night. "Do I need to? You haven't turned into a liar in the space of a single night, have you?" Before the sentence was fully out of his mouth Nick had rounded the table and thrust his hand down inside the back of Heath's vest to get a feel of the back of his shirt. It was damp with sweat. Nick grunted his approval.
"Satisfied?" Heath wondered sourly. Sometimes he wasn't convinced he really liked Nick's brand of horseplay.
"Just don't ever let me catch you in a dry one!" The older Barkley mock-threatened, winking over Heath's head at Audra, then going back to his own place at the table and wiping his hand on his napkin, lips still twitching as he reached for his waterglass.
"Oh, you won't, Nick," Heath riposted tartly. "I always wet it down with a canteen before I come in."
Nick snorted and sprayed his mouthful of water, and Audra didn't even try to hold back her own laughter. Heath wisely used the interval while his brother recovered to consume his food.
When the older man could breathe again, he began, "Why I oughta—"
"Nick," Heath interrupted hurriedly, "doncha think we'd better finish breakfast and get on out to work? I mean, we have so much to do today, and here it's getting on for eight-thirty, and you know what they say, 'If you haven't finished at least half your work by ten o'clock, then you probab—'"
"All right," Nick agreed. He focused his own attention on his food for a moment. "What time did Mother say she'd be back tomorrow?"
"Before supper," Audra replied.
"Good."
Silence settled on the dining room for a few minutes, until the sounds of eating were joined by a low chuckle. Audra and Nick turned to Heath incredulously. 'He must be a glutton for punishment,' Audra thought.
"Something funny?" Nick's flat tone held a warning.
Heath heeded it by stopping the sound immediately. He reckoned he'd given Nick enough lip for one morning. "No, big brother."
Curious now more than angry, Nick probed, "Then what are you laughing at?"
Heath seemed puzzled about that himself. The golden head lowered slightly. "Nothing." His upper lip folded over the lower just slightly, moistening it, and his own tone was apologetic. "I just suddenly felt like laughing."
"Mmm-hmm," Nick opined, unconvinced. "Had a good time with your friends in town last night, did you?"
Heath nodded. "Yeah, a real nice time."
"Well," Nick stared thoughtfully at his younger brother. "I hope you enjoyed it."