In the early evening.

I see Bryan laying in the pool. Jamaal joins him to cool down. Britney hasn't moved from the towel since she lays down on it. I know she will be burned badly tomorrow. I see dad putting up the barbeque. I went to him. "You need help, pa?" He looks at me and smiles. "I'm alright, son. Why don't you join your brother and your son?" "I might, but I thought that you maybe need some help." Dad smiles. "That's sweet, son, but your mother and I can handle this. Your brother and sister will come in a bit." I smile as I watch him. "Be prepared, your sister isn't easy at all now she's pregnant." I chuckle about it.

"Dancer! Join us." I walk to the pool. I step into the water and sit down. "This is nice, dad." I look at my son. "Don't you miss the swimming pool at home or the beach in LA?" Bryan chuckles about it. "To be honest? No, I really like it here. I wish we could stay longer." I can see how much he wants this. I start to smile. I want this too. I've really missed being here. Helping on the ranch. Cooling off in the pool. Having a family barbeque. Having good laughs with a beer. Not having to worry what people will say next about me. I turn my head and look at Britney. She's on her phone.

"Your son told me that you've seen Baby today." I look at Jamaal. Then at Bryan who smiles at me. "Yeah, she came for pa's weekly check-up." Jamaal looks at my face. I can see a teasing grin appearing on his face. "You've got that same expression on your face as when you were ten." Bryan chuckles. I inhale deeply. "She's still beautiful." Jamaal gives me a wink, still grinning teasingly at me. I roll my eyes and lay my head against the edge. I close my eyes. "I think she was happy to see you again, dad." I snort a little, not opening my eyes. I think about her smile. "She doesn't like my goatee."

The two are laughing out loud. I open my eyes and look at them. "I can't blame her for saying that. You look as if you came out of a mafia movie." I start to laugh. It's funny when Jamaal puts it like that. My fingers stroke my chin. They're still laughing. "I've been thinking of shaving it off. It itches as well." "Then why don't you, dad?" I look at my son but didn't answer. Bryan sighs and stands up. "I get it." He steps out of the. "Son…" He looks at me. I can see the frustration in his eyes. "Leave it, dad, one day you will see reality but probably that day will come too late." I watch him running to the house.

"Your son is right, Dancer." I look at Jamaal and inhale deeply. "I know, Skittles… I know." I close my eyes again. "Why don't you end it?" I let the air go out through my mouth. "I don't know, really. I guess I'm still hoping that she turns around." Jamaal sits straight. He looks at Britney for a moment and then back at me. "Give her an afternoon with me, she'll turn around." I snort about that. "I ain't doing that, brother. I did that once before, and you broke her." Jamaal chuckles. "Well, no one should be taking advantage of my family, and Nicole was a real bitch."

I didn't reply to it. I know he is right. Nicole was a fling I had when I was sixteen. I had a great time for about two weeks. Jamaal discovered she was with me because she wanted to make her ex-boyfriend jealous. I see how my family looks at Britney. I'm not stupid. I know mom doesn't like her. Dad doesn't really show what he thinks. My son hates her. Jamaal is respectful, but just like Jamie, he thinks that Britney isn't my type. Britney isn't hard to figure out. She is the typical mean and popular girl at high school. Finding popularity and expensive stuff more important than what's inside a person. I stand up and step out of the pool.

"I'm gonna drain the lizard and getting myself a beer. You want a beer?" "Yeah." Jamaal closes his eyes and smiles. I walk to the house. After I went to the toilet, I open the fridge and take two beers out. I walk outside again when I hear voices. I walk to Jamaal and give him a bottle. "Thanks, Dancer." I only smile and sip some as I turn back to the house. "Where's my brother?" It's Franny, she went to dad. I watch them hugging. "He's with your brother in the pool." I walk to her with a smile. "I'm not in the pool anymore." She turns her head to look at me. "What have you done to your face?" She grabs me in a hug. "I'm wet, be careful." I whisper. She let me go and lays her hand on her belly. I look at it and smile.

"You look good, sis, how far are you?" She giggles. "Seven months, soon your nephew will be born." I look at her face and smile. "It's a boy?" She nods. I lean in and give her a kiss on her cheek. "It's good to see you again, brother." "I can say the same, how is life treating you?" She rubs her belly again. "I'm doing great. Carlos finally got a promotion, he couldn't come today, but you'll see him at the games." Britney sees us. She stands up and came closer. Mom looks at Britney coming. Bryan is looking at Franny. "Where's my nephew?" Franny asks. "Son?" Bryan came closer and Franny looks at him. "He has the Castle eyes." I chuckle about it. "Hello, auntie." "Aw, auntie, I like that." Bryan only smiles.

Franny sees Britney and her eyebrows go up. "You look like you've been laying the whole day in the sun." Britney looks at her arms. "I have, how did you know?" "Because you'll be hurtfully burned tomorrow, this sun is different from the one in LA." Franny looks at me again. "Hmm… I thought the sun is the same everywhere." Franny looks back at Britney and gives her a little smile. "Take this from me, use milk, put it on your skin for about ten minutes and then have a cold shower." I smile, I remember my sister always being like this, knowing things like this and giving advice. "Milk?" "Take it from her, Brit." She looks at me and sighs. "She's with you, brother?"

"Yeah, this is my fiancée Britney…" I couldn't finish my sentence because Franny interrupted me. "Martins. I know, the winner from the Bachelor." Franny extends her hand. Britney smiles and shakes her hand. "I'm Franny, the only girl in this family... well, besides our mother." I chuckle. Franny looks at me. "You've been watching the Bachelor?" Britney asks. "I have. I wanted to know what my brother was up to." Franny rubs her belly. "Did you like it?" I turn and went to mom. "I didn't, to be honest, it all looked so fake." "I'm not fake." "Are you?" And with that, Franny turns and walks into the kitchen.

I look at mom, who only gives me a smile. I lean in and give her a kiss on her cheek. I went inside and Franny looks at me when she's eating some pieces of cheese. "Why in the world did you got yourself engaged to that?" I see her face and inhale deeply. "I think I get this question, spoken or unspoken, a lot since I came here." Franny snorts about it. "She's not your type, brother. I know you. Everyone here knows you." She puts another piece of cheese in her mouth. "What is my type, sis? We haven't seen each other in years, maybe it has changed."

She looks at my face as she thinks. I watch her starting to smile "Has it?" I start to frown. Franny pokes me and puts some cheese in my mouth. I start to chew automatically. This cheese taste good. "There has always been just one girl for you, brother." I look at her face. She only nods with a smile. "She's coming for dinner." I swallow the cheese. She keeps smiling. "Here." She puts another piece in my mouth. "You look like you haven't eaten cheese lately." "I haven't. Brit is vegan, she even forbade me to drink alcohol." Franny looks at the bottle in my hand and starts to laugh. "And yet you stand here with a beer in your hand." "I know, here she can't say anything about it, though she tried yesterday."

Bella runs inside and sits down in front of me. She looks at me and moves her head a little. Franny looks at her. "Who's this little one?" I squad and lift Bella up who tries to lick my face. "This is Bella, she's Britney's dog… well, officially." I smile. "She loves you." "Yeah, since today. She's in love with Rosco." I put her down again and Franny chuckles. "See, Rosco is better at it than you or even Jack." I look at Bella who sits down looking at me again. "I think she wants food." "I think so too. I gave her meat for the first time today. I guess she wants more meat." "What do you mean, the first time today?" "Britney had her on a vegan diet." I put my bottle down and open the cupboard. Rosco barks, I look at the door and smile. "Guess someone else is hungry too." Franny chuckles. "I'm glad you're giving her meat, only vegetables isn't healthy for a dog."

She takes Rosco's bowl and lays it down on the counter. "Here, this is an old bowl from Rosco." She takes another one. "Is she able to eat from this big bowl?" Franny chuckles and looks at Bella. "You might be right. You need to buy her a small bowl." I take a plate and put it down next to Rosco's bowl. "I might, depends on how things go this week." Franny lays her my shoulder. I smile. "Think about what you truly want, brother." I put some of the canned meat in the bowl and on the plate. She lays her hand on my chest. I look down at her hand. "Think about this." I look at her face. She only smiles went outside. I inhale deeply and look through the window. I see that Jamie has arrived. I watch him and Franny hug shortly and I see them smiling as they talk.

I put the can back in the cupboard. I take the plate and the bowl, and I turn. I see Rosco and Bella waiting for me. I smile as I walk outside. "Here you go." I put the plate and bowl down. I watch them eat for s moment. Jamie came to me. "Hey, brother." We hug shortly. He sips his beer. We look at the family and I smile. "I've missed these moments." Jamie looks back at me. "Yeah, it's good to have you back. I just wish you would stay longer for ma's sake." I inhale deeply and see that Bryan is helping mom out. "My son loves it here. He told me that he didn't mind that we only have a small pool to sit in." Jamie chuckles. "The boy wants to be at his father's roots."

I chuckle about the comment. So typical Jamie to say something like that. "I mean it, Dancer. Your son has Castle blood and he feels at home here." I sip my beer. So did Jamie. "I want him to have a football career. He loves the sport so much." "He can have a football career if he really want. But that doesn't mean he won't be a great rancher." Jamie winks. I chuckle and shake my head. "You've never dreamed about being a rancher anymore?" I look at him for a second and then back at my son. I take a swirl beer as I think about the question. "I guess I've been putting that dream in a dark corner of my mind. You know I love to dance." "I know you do, but I got a feeling that your dream is coming back."

I didn't reply to it. I just inhale deeply and see my son coming to me. "You're having a good time, son?" He smiles and puts his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, I'm hungry. I hope the meat is ready soon. I could eat a buffalo." Jamie starts to laugh. "That's good to know." "I'm glad I can eat meat here." I let my hand go through his hair and he ducks away. "Dad!" I chuckle, shaking my head a little. "His puberty is starting." I smile. Puberty has already started a year ago or so. "When are you settling?" I look at him and see him swirling his beer. He rubs his mouth and looks at me with a smile. "Never, I'm not one to settle. Women take time, relationships take effort and work. I'm busy on my ranch, I don't have time for a relationship."

I look at my son. "When Bryan was born, his mother left us. I've been alone with him the Bachelor. I had flings, and one-night stands, but never anything serious." I turn my head and look at Britney. She's sitting at the table, drinking wine. Mom seems to have bought it for her. "Men have needs, it would've been bad if you didn't had any at all." I roll my eyes and look back at him. He grins. "You still have your reputation in town?" "That will never go away." I chuckle and shake my head. "A few years ago, I decided to try to have a relationship again, but the dates I had went from bad to worse. Then someone told me they were looking for a new Bachelor for the new season."

Jamie is listening to my story. "Is that why you decided to do that stupid show?" "I want a complete family for my son. Not just him and I alone anymore. He needs to have someone who can be a mother to him." "He's doing pretty great without a mother if you tell me, Dancer. You're a great parent." I smile. "Thanks, brother… during the show. I got a lot of attention, and most of all I got company. I realized that I've been really missing that. I mean, someone to come home to, to have nice dates with, to cuddle in bed." I empty my bottle and turn. "I understand you, Dancer." I turn my head to look at him.

"But you got to know that no one in the family would've thought you would stay with her." I nod. "I understand that. I'm probably with her for the fact that I've got company." "Brother, be with someone that makes you feel good, that makes you feel loved and wanted." I look at him. "What are you not telling me, brother?" I'm curious. He looks at my face and sighs. "I had someone. Someone who I thought I loved. Someone who always told me she loved me." I think about when this could have been but sees at my face what I'm thinking. "It was seven years ago, Dancer, you don't know her. She always told me how excited she was to start a ranch with me. One day, I came home after I was here… and I caught her with Zack Polowski."

My eyes went big, my eyebrows went up. "The old dean from high school?" Jamie only nods. "I threw her out. For what I know she's married to Zack now and they moved to New York." I snort as I shake my head. "I felt so betrayed that I decided it's not worth to spent time and effort in something that won't last. I'm gonna get another beer, you want one as well?" I nod and give him the empty bottle. Britney came to me and lays her hands on my chest. "I'm horny." She whispers. I look at her face, I see her biting her lip as she looks at my chest.

"You've got to wait, Brit, dinner is soon." She let her fingers run through my goatee. "So soft, it turns me on." She whispers. I inhale deeply, holding my breath. I turn my head and I see everyone looking at us. Why is she doing this now? "Go sit down, Brit, food is ready soon." She looks at my face. She turns with a loud sigh and went to sit back down. I see mom and Franny smiling at me. Jamie came back and gives me a bottle. I take a big gulp from the bottle. We see a car coming. It looks really expensive. I wonder who it can be. Another car comes as well.

"Jack!" Franny exclaims. I watch Jack stepping out, he looks slick with having a suit on. He's not big anymore. He used to be big. Jack looks at us and smiles widely. "Fran! How are you, sis?" He went to her and hugs her. She smiles and straightens his jacket. "You look good, cousin." "Yeah, I'm obliged to do business in suits, so I got used to them. I don't wear anything else anymore." Franny chuckles about it. "Someone's here that you haven't seen in years." She winks. Jack looks around, until he spots me. I see how his face cracks in two, having a bright smile on his face.

"Johnny!" He came to me. On his way he gives mom a kiss on her cheek. "Johnny! It's been such a long time ago! It's good to see you again." "Is it really?" He sees my face and he sigh deeply. "You're not happy to see me again?" "I'm not sure yet." Frances and Sean had stepped out of their car. They went to mom, who smiles at them. Bryan sees Sean and his eyebrows go up. "Hey, Bryan." Sean smiles when he sees Bryan. "Hey, Sean." Frances looks at them. "You know Bryan, son?" Bryan is surprised about this discovery. "Yeah, he's the quarterback of middle school in La. You remember that I'm following that team?"

"Oh, yeah, you told me." She looks at Bryan with a smile. "Bryan is really good. I wish I were good at football." "Maybe you will be one day." Sean shakes his head. "No, I can't even catch a ball." "Why don't you two talk together while sitting down? I'll bring you something to drink." They nod and walk away. I look at Frances with a smile. Jack sees my face and turns. He sees Frances and starts to grin. "She's beautiful, huh brother?" I look back at him. "I'm your cousin, not your brother." He looks back at me and his smile drops. Britney came to me and sees my face. She looks at Jack up and down. Jack checks her out. I let out a deep and short breath.

"Who's this lovely lady?" Jack extends his hand. Britney giggles and lays her hand on his. "Jack, this is my fiancée Britney Martins. Brit, this is my cousin Jack Castle." I introduce them. Jack lifts his hand up and gives a little kiss on Britney's hand. "It's a big pleasure to meet you, miss Martins." I turn and went inside. Jack hasn't change one bit. Frances sees me going inside and walks to the house. Jack turns his head and smiles as he looks at Frances. "Hey, Baby, haven't seen you in a while." She stands still. He walks to her and gives her a kiss on her cheek. "You're not much in town anymore, Jack. I see you doing great." "I do, but you're still looking good." Jack winks.

"Stop flirting, you know it doesn't work on me." She winks as well and looks at Britney. Frances smiles at her and went inside to get the drinks for the boys. "You had her too?" Britney asks as she steps closer to him. Jack looks at her with a smile. "Only for homecoming. I've been trying for years, she's the catch of the town." Jack explains. "Why? She's not even pretty." Jack starts to laugh. He shakes his head, but then sees her serious face. She crosses her arms. "Girl, a man loves a gorgeous girl, but he loves a beauty even more and Baby is a real beauty." Britney snorts and turns her back to him. "You want something to drink?" "Sure, there's still wine left." She went to sit down at the table again. Bella is running around, barking, Rosco is slowly following her.