Chapter 6

Daniel McFadden peeked into the barn. A couple of lanterns lit the inside just enough to see what one was doing amongst the shadows. The glow enveloped the occupants in either a spirit of warmth or of cheerless gloom, depending on one's outlook. He guessed his older brother fell somewhere in between.

Crane brushed Diablo with steady strokes. The stallion stood at attention for the most part. For some reason, currying a horse, especially the most prized of the McFadden equine stock, was a go-to for any family member for mindless activity, the soothing rhythm allowing one's mind to be still and think. As immersed as he was in his task, Crane did not notice Daniel enter. However, middle brother stepped on recently laid hay, and the sound of crispy dryness underfoot broke the quiet and startled Crane.

"Sorry to scare ya."

"It's okay." The slight pause in Crane's stroking drew a snort from Diablo, and he continued.

"You know Evan probably already brushed him today. He's gonna be one spoiled horse."

"He already is." Crane adjusted the currycomb in his hand. "So how'd it go today?"

Daniel shrugged. "About the same. Guthrie would've stolen the show if his fan club was there."

Crane raised a brow. "No little girls around to take notice?"

"No. It was kind of quiet."

"For a Sunday? Sorry to hear that. How'd he take it?"

"He was a little bummed. You know how it goes – on top of the world one day and down the next."

"Yeah, I know how that goes."

Daniel expected the world-weary, been-there, done-that tone. He approached and grabbed Crane's forearm in mid-stroke. "Stop. You're gonna brush the hair right off him." A pause. "They were there, you know. Alyssa wanted to talk to you."

"I don't know if I'm ready for that."

Daniel urged, "Man, call her. She was pretty upset."

"And I'm not?"

Crane's reply had an edge of anger to it. Not usually one to feel sorry for himself, he could on occasion sink into the doldrums with the best of them – heck, they all could – though they did not usually stay there long, and Daniel had already plucked youngest brother from the mire today.

"I know you are. I would be, too. But you gotta talk to her sometime, and isn't it best to do it sooner than later? It's what you always tell me. Face it, Crane, if you don't do it soon, you'll just make yourself crazy thinking about it."

A frown went to a sheepish smile as Crane's past advice to Daniel boomeranged back. "I've heard that somewhere before, haven't I? When did you get so smart?"

"I had a good teacher."

~~00oo00~~

Daniel steered the jeep into Columbia for the second time that day. The almost deserted streets of a Sunday evening reminded him of the low turnout in the historic district he and Guthrie had encountered that afternoon. He and Crane had ridden in companionable silence, although Daniel could feel increasing tension wafting from his brother the closer they got to the meeting place.

He asked, "You nervous?"

"I don't know. Not sure this is such a good idea after all."

"Why not? You gotta talk sometime."

"Yeah, sometime. Not necessarily tonight."

"Don't you want to hear her side of the story before Brian gets home?"

Crane paused. That made sense. "I guess."

They saw the sisters' parked car down the block. Daniel slowed to a crawl.

"So what's the game plan?"

Crane sighed. "I don't know. This is more your idea than mine."

"Okay. I'll park near where we play, and you come by when you're done."

Older brother's voice was noncommittal. "'Kay."

Daniel waved to the sisters, who were leaning against their car.

"Hey!" Charly greeted them.

Alyssa managed a small wave and tight smile.

Charly swapped places with Crane in the passenger seat, and Daniel drove off.

The elder siblings watched the jeep disappear around the corner. Comfortable with each other just twenty-four hours before, the mutual feeling now was tentative.

"Hi."

"Hi."

They stared at the ground for a moment before Alyssa spoke. "Thanks for coming."

"Sure."

"I just wanted to explain."

Crane almost wished he were somewhere else. "Is there really anything to say?"

The question took Alyssa aback. "Yeah, there is." She swallowed. "Maybe it would be easier if we walked."

"'Kay."

They took a few steps in silence before Alyssa stopped. "You know, I told you when we first met that I knew a McFadden once."

"Yeah, but I didn't expect it to be my brother."

"Does that really matter?"

"I …" Crane sighed. This was even more awkward than he had expected. "Look, Lys …" He tried to find the words. "I don't know."

"What don't you know?"

Crane shook his head in disbelief. "What don't I know? How about what I do know? You slept with my brother, didn't you?"

Alyssa snapped back, "You don't have to make it sound like an accusation! It's not like I knew you then!"

Crane took a couple of breaths to calm himself. "Okay, fair enough. Look, I really care for you. But I can't erase the picture in my head of the two of you together."

Alyssa blinked back tears. "So that's it?"

"I don't know."

"Was it all an act?"

Crane's voice was firm. "No. I don't play games."

"I don't either."

"So what was that with Brian?"

"Uh …" Alyssa was incredulous. "What was that with Brian? Seriously?"

Crane nodded.

Alyssa stood her ground. "Not a one-night stand, if that's what you're asking."

It was a rhetorical statement, he knew, but part of him wanted the satisfaction of throwing it in her face. "So, twice?"

"Why are you doing this?" She paused. "If you really must know, we had four dates, and slept together twice. I cared for him, I really did, and thought he felt the same. The last time I saw him, he said he'd call, but I never heard from him again."

Crane was skeptical. "Ha! I'm surprised it went on that long."

"Why? You doubting what I'm saying?"

"No. I know my brother all too well. It's a long time for him."

Alyssa shook her head in disgust. "Great. So he used me. Thanks, but I already knew that. And you're holding it against me?"

The statement struck Crane. The shifting tide of emotions had them both off-kilter. His tone was rueful. "I'm not holding it against you. I told you – I need more time."

"More time, to what? Think of ways to let me down easy?"

It was his turn to blink. "No. I told you – to get you and him together out of my head."

"And how do you do that?"

"Time, I suppose." Crane sniffled. "I don't know."

Her voice rose a little. "For somebody who's supposedly so smart, you sure don't know a lot!"

"Look, I'm not my brother. We're total opposites in a lot of ways."

"Not from where I'm standing."

For a moment, Crane thought she was right, but knew better. "No, we really are."

Alyssa calmed herself. "I know." She sighed. "I didn't think it would go like this. Maybe we should've waited to talk like you wanted."

"Maybe." Crane conceded, "But I'm not sure it would've been any easier."

"Probably not. So where does that leave us?"

He looked down before meeting her gaze. "I need some time to figure that out."

She gulped. "How long?"

"I'm sorry if it sounds like a broken record, but I really don't know." He looked up at the sky for a moment. The cloud cover from last night had passed, and the stars now sparkled, unimpeded by the new moon. "Wouldn't it be nice to be able to just wish on a star and have it all work out?"

"Yeah, it would." Her eyes set on the North Star. "Star light, star bright …"

~~00oo00~~

They arrived home after midnight. Adam and Hannah stood when they came in the door, the movie they had only half-watched abandoned.

Daniel noted, "You didn't have to wait up."

Adam answered. "It's late. We were about to call out the troops."

Daniel hung his jacket on the coat rack. "Why? We told you we might be late."

"Not this late."

Middle brother smiled. "Aw, come on, Adam. We're big boys."

Adam answered Daniel but had Crane in his sights. Brother number three seemed to stare into space at nothing in particular. "This is a working ranch, remember. And we have a lot to do tomorrow."

"It'll get done."

"It better."

Daniel yawned. "It will."

"We'll see. You better grab whatever sleep you can. We're starting at five thirty sharp."

"No problem." Daniel stretched. "I'm beat." He addressed Crane as he stepped toward the stairs. "You coming?"

"You go ahead. I'll be up in a minute."

Daniel shrugged an okay and went upstairs.

Hannah said, "Now we can all head up."

"You go ahead, honey." Adam met Crane's gaze. "I'll be right up."

Hannah nodded in understanding. She squeezed Crane's upper arm as she passed.

When she disappeared into their room, Adam asked Crane, "How'd it go?"

"Not great. About what I expected."

"Sorry." Adam cupped younger brother's shoulder. "Hang in there."

"Thanks."

The eldest nodded upstairs. "Come on. We can both use some sleep."

"Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna go up in the morning and check on the stock. Might be gone four or five days."

Adam raised a brow. "Bri was gonna go up when he gets back."

"I know. But I can use the space."

The eldest thought Crane looked drained, but they were all tired. "He was looking forward to getting away for a few days."

Crane answered flatly. "He's away now."

Adam considered. "Okay. I'll talk to him."

~~00oo00~~

"He what?!"

Yes, Adam expected Brian to be angry, and he told him plainly – sorry, but there was a change of plan. Crane was headed to the high country and Brian would stay at the ranch and help.

"Why?"

Adam raised a brow. "I think you know the answer to that."

Brian calmed down a smidge. "Does this have to do with that gal he's seeing?"

"Maybe, but I think you know better than me. I wasn't there."

"Nothing happened. I was just being friendly and said hello, and she got all weird. I hadn't seen her in a few years."

Adam admonished, "Bri, you can't just run around with every girl around and think nobody'll get hurt."

Brian held his hands palms up. "Whoa, where's that coming from? I wasn't doing anything wrong. Just consensual fun between two adults."

Adam was flabbergasted. "Really, Bri? It's happened twice now. At this rate, I can only hope Evan's not next!"

This made Brian grin. "Relax, dad! By then even I might be settled down."

Adam rolled his eyes. "That I'd have to see to believe."

The younger slapped the elder on the back. "It'll happen someday, brother." He winked. "And I know a nice girl when I see one."