CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Brothers Don't Hold Grudges

After everyone else had gone to bed, Jarrod worked at his desk.

Heath walked into the library. "Jarrod, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Jarrod glanced up at Heath, who stood nervously in front of him. "Of course you can. Come in. Sit down."

Heath remained standing. "I, uh. I was wondering if you'd be my best man."

"At your wedding?"

"Yeah."

Jarrod leaned back in his chair and studied his brother. "Why?"

"Why?" Heath shrugged. "Audra said I needed one."

"Why me?"

Heath swallowed hard. "Because you're my brother?"

"You're closer to Nick. Why aren't you asking him?"

Heath swallowed hard. "Do I gotta have a reason?"

"Yes, you do."

Heath looked like he might run away.

Jarrod stood. "Sit down right there and tell me what's going on." He pointed at the easy chairs by the fireplace. When Heath hesitated, he took Heath's left arm and guided him to a chair, then sat next to him. "Now, what is going on?"

"Nothin's going on."

Jarrod studied him.

Heath looked away uncomfortably.

"Look at me," Jarrod said firmly, "and tell me what's going on."

"Just never mind." Heath stood.

"Sit down!" Jarrod ordered.

Heath hesitated, then returned to his seat.

"Are you upset with Nick?"

"No."

"Are you upset with something Nick did?"

Heath pressed his lips tightly together.

"C'mon, Heath. It's late, and I'm not in a mood to play games. Now, tell me why you don't want Nick to be your best man."

Heath again swallowed. "He didn't ask me to be his best man."

Jarrod continued to watch him closely. "Nick didn't have any of us in his wedding. For whatever reason, he didn't want to wait until after his six months of, uh, exile were over. He did what he thought was best for the situation he was in."

"He could've asked me to come. No one there would've known me."

"From what Nick said, he had to make a quick decision, and that's what he did."

Heath didn't reply.

"Look, Heath, you're the reason he left here. He left to prove to you he could change. And he did change. And he had to make decisions while he was gone that he wouldn't ordinarily have made. I, for one, am impressed by what he did."

Heath was quiet for several moments. He was too far into this now, and Jarrod wasn't going to let him off the hook. Finally, with his eyes on his hands, he said, "He asked Sam to be his best man."

Jarrod's eyes sparked. "So that's what this is about? You're jealous because Sam was his best man instead of you?"

Heath glanced at his brother and saw the anger in his eyes. That was the last thing he wanted. He wished he would've kept his mouth shut. He had so much respect for Jarrod, and he didn't want Jarrod to think less of him.

Jarrod's eyebrow rose. "Is that the issue?"

There was no lying to Jarrod and no avoiding him. "Yes," Heath said, his voice soft.

"What, exactly, do you expect of Nick? Hmm? The man is only human. He has done everything in his power to appease you. He's gone far above and beyond what any normal man would." Jarrod's eyes flashed again. "Was there ever a time he wasn't there for you? When he hasn't dropped everything in his own life to come and help you whenever you needed him? Hasn't he sat up with you all night long when you've been sick or hurt? Didn't he come and find you when you were thrown off your horse? Was there ever a time when he wasn't generous with you?" Jarrod's eyes latched onto Heath's, going past his physical body and straight to his soul. "What in blazing hell do you expect from the man?"

Heath wanted to break eye contact, wanted to hide from Jarrod's wrath. But he couldn't. "I'm sorry, Jarrod," he said softly. "When Nick yelled at me today because I snapped at Sam—after Sam had snapped at me first—I realized he was closer to Sam now than he is to me. And I—"

"And it hurt your feelings, so now you want to strike back and hurt Nick?"

Heath's cheeks burned. He should've kept his mouth shut. He should've known Jarrod wouldn't take anything at face value. He should've known Jarrod would cross examine him. He glanced up at Jarrod's intense eyes that still burnt into him. "Yes. I suppose that's exactly it." He scowled. He hated the feeling of being a scolded child, of being called down by someone he respected.

Jarrod sighed. "Brother Heath, you really need to let it go. Yes, Nick does have another friend now. But he has a big heart and there's plenty of room in it for both of you."

Heath chewed his lip.

"You know Nick would do anything for you. He just left his pregnant wife after being gone for a week and he left the ranch that he'd been away from for a week, and he went to stand by your side. Why? Because you asked him to." Jarrod waited until Heath met his eyes again. "He has always stood by your side. I don't understand why you wouldn't want him by your side when you marry."

Heath considered Jarrod's words. Guilt bubbled up inside of him. Jarrod was right. Of course, Jarrod was right. "I messed up, didn't I?"

Jarrod nodded. "Yes, you did."

"So, what do I do now?"

"You forgive Nick for being human. You accept him for the loving, generous man he is. And you ask him to be your best man because he is the best man you could possibly ask."

Heath nodded. "I will."

Jarrod smiled. "Good. Now, go get some sleep."

Heath looked into Jarrod's intense blue eyes. "Are we good now? You and me?"

"Of course we're good. Brothers don't hold grudges."

Heath nodded, understanding the significance of his words. "Thanks, Pappy."

"You're welcome, Brother Heath."

XXXXX

"Boss!" Langley, one of the ranch hands, galloped towards Nick the next morning.

Nick turned Coco and hurried to meet him. "What's wrong?"

"You said to let you know if we seen any strangers on the ranch."

"You seen someone?"

"Yeah, boss. Man—I think he was bald—big guy."

"What kind of horse was he riding?"

"Appaloosa."

"Where?"

"Not far from the house."

"Go get Sam and McColl, and send any hands not doing anything critical to the house!" Nick turned his horse and galloped towards the house.

He saw no sign of the stranger. Nick walked around the exterior of the house, checking for any signs of a break-in. Everything looked fine, so he went into the house.

"Heath!" he bellowed.

"In here," Heath yelled back from the library. "Workin' on the paperwork."

Nick locked the front door. "Where is everybody?"

"The women all went into town." Heath leaned so he could see Nick around the corner. "Silas should be in the kitchen. Andy went to play with Jack."

"I'm here, Mr. Nick." Silas stood nervously.

"Lock the back door, Silas."

Heath hurried into the foyer. "What's going on, Nick?"

"Langley saw a big bald man on an Appaloosa."

"Here on the ranch?"

"Yeah." Nick paced in a circle. "I'm goin' into town and make sure—"

Someone pounded on the door. Nick pulled his revolver, motioned for Heath to get back, and unlocked the door.

Sam and a couple of hands walked in.

Nick put his gun away. "O'Connell may be on the ranch somewhere," he explained. "Don't know what he's doin' here, but we need to get our men guarding everything." He glanced at Sam. "You and Reinhardt—" Nick pointed at the hand. "Go to your house and get Jeannie and the kids and bring 'em over here. We'll have less area to guard if we're all in one place."

Sam nodded, and he and Reinhardt took off.

Nick pointed at Pedro. "You come to town with me."

"Si, boss," Pedro said.

Nick pointed at Heath. "You get the rest of the men organized as they get here. Divide 'em into two groups. Let one group go rest so they can pull guard duty tonight. Get the other group around the main house—and anywhere else you think we might need 'em."

He considered a moment. "McColl and his wife will probably be fine, but let Duke know what's goin' on and that they're welcome to come here as well. It's up to them." He headed for the door and paused. "Jarrod in town, I assume?"

"Yes," Heath answered.

"Keep all the doors locked." Nick strode out of the house, Pedro at his heels.

XXXXX