Rancher On the Line Read online

  “Suit yourself.” Dane opened the door, trying to forget the sensations that had been coursing through his body a few minutes ago when Catalina had reached out to touch him. Besides, seeing his younger brother put a smile on Dane’s face. He was also concerned and had a serious question. “How did you know where to find me?”

  Eric, who was one of the bulkier Firebrands, could best be described as a tank. He had the Firebrand height, coming in at just shy of six feet five inches, and he was built like a linebacker. College recruiters had come knocking his junior year of high school but he’d turned them away, deciding to stay on and work the ranch for reasons Dane would never understand. Despite his brother’s physical size and strength, he liked to work the back-office operations.

  His brother broke into a run the minute he saw Dane, practically plowing him over and knocking him back a step as he met him on the porch.

  “It’s good to see you, man,” Eric said, sounding like he had a frog in his throat. If Dane didn’t know any better, he’d say his big tough brother was getting emotional. Eric patted Dane on the back before breaking free from the bear hug. The pat left Dane struggling for air.

  “You too,” Dane admitted. It was better than he realized. “You still didn’t answer my question, though.” If Eric found them, others might be able to.

  “Jacob, but he made me promise not to tell anyone else. Said he didn’t think you’d mind if I knew,” Eric explained. “Don’t take it out on him. I’m glad he let me know.”

  Dane had half a mind to give Jacob a call. This was precisely the reason he hadn’t asked for permission to stay at the fishing cabin. He didn’t want anyone to know he was staying there, including Jacob. Dane checked his anger because it was also really good to see his brother again. He didn’t realize how much he missed Eric until now. Of all Dane’s brothers, he’d been closest to Eric. The two of them had taken a lot of lip for being close to their twin cousins Morgan and Nick. After they’d ganged up on Dane in middle school, he and Eric had worked out their differences.

  There wasn’t much Dane could do about Eric being here and a big part of him didn’t want to anyway. The only thing left to do was invite him inside.

  “Do you want to come in?” Dane surveyed the area, ensuring no one had followed his brother.

  “I haven’t seen you in…” Eric made a show of counting on his fingers. He cocked an eyebrow. “Five years?”

  “Four and a half,” he corrected. He’d done the math on the flight from Virginia.

  “Yes, I want to come in and talk to my brother.” Eric smiled and shook his head.

  “Where did you park?” Dane needed to assess the potential damage.

  “Nowhere around here. I’m on the other side of the lake,” Eric supplied.

  “Good.” Dane put an arm around his brother as he passed by. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

  “Jacob didn’t say you had company.” Eric’s eyebrows drew together.

  “Because it’s the other way around,” Dane said.

  “Now I really am confused,” Eric said.

  Dane opened the door, “I’m imposing on a friend.”

  His first instinct was to inform his brother of the situation. The more hands on deck, the better as far as he was concerned now that Eric was in the picture. But since this wasn’t his story to tell, it was up to Catalina to make the call as to who was brought up to speed about her situation.

  Eric took step inside and immediately removed his ballcap. He held it against his chest. “Ma’am.”

  “Catalina, this is my brother,” Dane said.

  She stood up and met Eric halfway from the couch to the door. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Eric.” He extended a hand, which she took. “Good to meet you, Catalina.”

  “My friend here is working on a complex computer programming problem,” Dane explained.

  “Wish I could offer some help. The best I can do with computers is work spreadsheets and e-mails,” Eric said. Questions brewed behind his eyes, but he seemed to realize this wasn’t the time to ask.

  “I’m sure I’ll figure it out,” Catalina said, smiling. She had a much more relaxed posture than when the two of them had first met. “And I’d probably better get back to it.”

  “We’ll just be over here.” Dane motioned toward the table. “Or will the noise distract you?”

  Catalina walked over to her backpack, reached in, and then pulled out a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. “That’s what these are for. Believe it or not, I’ve done some of my best work at coffee shops. I like the hum of conversation and people moving around. It’s probably weird but I find it comforting.”

  She excused herself before repositioning on the couch so that she’d have a full view of everything going on in the room. Her instincts were good. No one should sit with their back to the room unless they wanted a knife in it, although that rule shouldn’t need to apply here. Dane was there to protect her and Eric would no sooner stab her in the back than drive a knife in his own chest. And yet he couldn’t fault her for the move. He would have done the same thing.

  Dane also wondered if part of the move was curiosity. She’d already gone online to search his name and learn more about his family. It was easy to find information. Of course, he would have preferred for her to ask him straight out rather than dig around where she would find untruths.

  “How is home?” He joined his brother at the table.

  “Different.” Eric’s eyebrow shot up. “Haven’t you heard?”

  “About the Marshall?” he asked. “It’s the reason I came home.”

  “Well, yes, about the Marshall but there’s been a whole dust storm kicked up since his passing.” Eric gave Dane a look. “You really don’t know?”

  “I guess you’ll have to fill me in.” Dane shrugged his shoulders. He wasn’t exactly on the family group message any longer and preferred it that way.

  “Adam is married and has a kid.” Eric’s announcement nearly knocked Dane out of his chair. His jaw practically hit the floor.

  “What? When did this happen?” His instinct was to go for his phone but, clearly, no one thought to shoot him a text. Or maybe they did. He’d changed numbers last year, a habit to keep him as off the grid as much as possible.

  “Beginning of June,” Eric stated.

  “I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure it takes a lot longer to cook a baby than a few weeks.” Dane figured there was a bigger story there.

  “Right. His on-again, off-again girlfriend Libby didn’t tell him about the baby. There was something bad going down with her and her parents. I was out of town for most of it, to be honest, but the long and short of the story is that Prudence Owens wound up in possession of Angel, and then brought her to Adam. Apparently, she’d been taking a medication that mixed badly with something else and had short-term memory loss. They got it all sorted out and Adam found the love of his life in the process,” Eric explained.

  “What about Libby?” Dane asked.

  Eric shook his head and frowned. “There was an investigation into her murder but she’s gone.”

  Dane risked a glance at Catalina, who looked horrified by the news. As a new single mother, he could only imagine what might be going through her mind. “And the baby is okay?”

  “A little girl. We call her Angel and she is.” The way Eric beamed with pride about their niece touched Dane. Eric had always been a little rough around the edges. Seeing him soften while talking about Angel delivered a surprising blow to Dane in the chest.

  “Can’t wait to meet her then,” he said. He didn’t like babies for the most part and could never see himself with one, but he was happy for his brother. “And Adam’s happy?”

  “I’ve never seen him with a sappier smile or look more ridiculously content,” Eric said. “Losing Libby has been hard on him. The two might have broken up a long time ago but losing her in that way…let’s just say he cared a lot about what happened to the mother of his child.”

  “Sounds like I’ve missed a lot recently,” Dane stated.

  “You’ll really be shocked when you hear about Brax,” Eric said, his tone caused Dane’s pulse to rise a couple of notches.

  “What’s going on with Brax?” Dane asked. “Are you going to tell me he’s married with a kid?”

  “Not with a kid but he is married,” Eric said. “But that’s not the big news.”

  Dane steadied himself for another bombshell.

  “Turns out, our lovely father had an affair.” Eric shot a look that said everything Dane needed to know about what was coming next. “Mom took Brax in as her own and never looked back. His birth mother died during childbirth, so his birth certificate was finagled to say he was Mom’s child. He’s actually thirty-six years old. They lied to make the numbers work.”

  “How did an entire town look the other way?” Dane asked. “A child shows up and no one asks questions?”

  “You know how powerful the Marshall was.” Eric had a point.

  “I’m sure he couldn’t have one of his grandchildren brought up outside of the ranch,” Dane said low and under his breath. Dane had bolted after graduation in part to punish the man. He could admit that now even though he didn’t see it clearly at the time. Eighteen, full of fight and testosterone, he’d needed an enemy he could see. But, right now, he cared more about how Brax had taken the news. Guilt that he wasn’t here for his brother wrapped around him like a shroud. “What about Brax?”

  He couldn’t imagine how much this must have fractured Brax’s relationship with their parents.

  “About that.” Eric paused for what seemed like a dramatic effect. “Do you remember Raleigh Perry?”

  “How could I forget that little redheaded streak. She was mostly qu
iet but had a wild streak in her a mile wild,” Dane said.

  “Sorry for interrupting, but do you mean the Raleigh Perry?” Catalina asked from across the room. Her legs were crisscrossed and she had portable desk with the laptop on her lap, fingers on keyboard. Her jaw, however, nearly hit the piece of tech when it dropped open.

  “Wait. What about Raleigh? I’m guessing her music is doing okay if Catalina knows her,” Dane said.

  “Know her? Are you kidding me?” Catalina’s fingers danced across the keyboard. A song filled the room. “The Loft is probably the best song ever written.”

  It was good. There was no denying.

  “Hold on a second,” Dane said. “As memory serves, I always found her in our loft.”

  Eric nodded. “Turns out, that’s where her career started. She was up there learning to write songs.”

  He listened for a long moment.

  “She’s good,” he admitted, a burst of pride filled his chest for the kid. “She sure doesn’t sound fifteen anymore.”

  “No, she doesn’t. And you know Mom. She’s practically bursting with pride for Raleigh’s success since she was like a second Mom to her,” Eric said.

  “I read something in the news about a bomb threat,” Catalina said as her fingers danced across the keyboard.

  Dane’s gaze flew to Eric.

  “It’s true. She came back to Lone Star Pass to wait it out while the feds investigated and found love with—”

  “No,” Dane interrupted. “You gotta be kidding me.”

  “Raleigh and Brax tied the knot and he’s about to join her on tour,” Eric supplied.

  “Well, I’ll be…”

  Life hadn’t stayed the same in his old hometown after all.

  “I’m guessing Brax and Mom are on good terms.” Dane hoped.

  “She had a hard time with revealing the truth to Brax,” Eric said.

  “I can imagine,” Catalina said. She shook her head. “Sorry. This is none of my business. Forget I’m here.”

  Click. Clack. Clack.

  Her gaze dropped to the screen and her fingers flew across the keyboard.

  “A lot has happened since the Marshall passed away.” Dane issued a sharp sigh, processing the changes in his family.

  “Brax and Dad aren’t really talking, and neither is Corbin, but he has his reasons,” Eric said.

  “We all do,” Dane agreed.

  “There’s more but this is out there even for our family.” Eric adjusted his watch.

  “Give it to me straight then.” Dane was already in shock. Might as well take the full shot now. Get it all over with so he could start processing this new reality.

  “Kellan is divorced,” Eric said.

  “I didn’t even realize he’d gotten married.” This was news to Dane. But then that’s what he got for staying away for the past four years.

  “Liv Holden.” Eric shot a warning look. “The whole situation was a mess and ended up with Uncle Keif in jail.”

  “Hold on a second.” Dane put his hand up like he could somehow physically stop his brother from continuing. “Corbin’s best friend Liv?”

  “The very one,” Eric stated.

  “What was she doing marrying Kellan?” Dane had always believed Corbin and Liv should be together despite his brother’s long-term relationship with another woman—a relationship that never should have lasted as long as it did.

  “Her mom was in an accident,” Eric said on a sigh. “It was rough. She was a mess. Corbin got engaged. Kellan swooped in.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Everyone with eyes could see that Corbin and Liv should have ended up together as a couple. There wasn’t a reality in which that shouldn’t have happened. “I’m guessing she figured out Kellan was a jerk.”

  “Things got heated. He was supposedly sending threatening texts. Turned out her cousin Jody was involved. Kellan swears he never sent the messages. I believe that much from him. Uncle Keif was trying to force her to leave town and give up her family home.”

  “What a jerk.” Dane couldn’t believe what he’d missed. Four and a half years ago, literally nothing had changed. Now, overnight, the family had grown exponentially and absurd didn’t seem like nearly big enough a word to cover events in recent weeks.

  “You got that right.” Eric fidgeted with his watch again.

  “Is Uncle Keif out of jail now?” Dane asked, figuring a few strings would have been pulled to make that happen, if he was guilty and was still awaiting trial.

  “He’s been cleared of wrongdoing but Ed Roberts, the older Realtor gentleman, was murdered by Jody. Uncle Keif promised the house to him if he could get rid of Liv,” Eric continued. “But he never intended things to go so far. He turned himself in the minute Ed was murdered.”

  “Sounds like the town’s been through a lot lately.” Dane would need a minute to process all this news. “And the family. Both sides.”

  Eric nodded.

  “How is Mom?” Dane fisted his hands, flexing and releasing his fingers a few times trying to work off the tension. His biggest regret was not staying in better contact with his mother. He assumed she had her hands full, but she was one of the kindest people he’d ever met and didn’t deserve any of this. All the more reason to hate his father for forcing Dane to lie to her about what happened all those years ago.

  A secret he would take to his grave.

  8

  Catalina listened to the conversation between Dane and his brother. She couldn’t help but overhear, which didn’t excuse the fact she also actively listened. Her heart went out to his family, but she heard something in his voice when his father was mentioned—something that made her want to dig deeper and understand why he seemed to hate the man. The mention of his uncle wasn’t much better, but his reaction to his father caught her attention. Had something happened between the two of them to drive a wedge?

  It was probably exhaustion that had her wanting to hear more about his family and block out the code that wasn’t working. She stared at the picture of her son. He’d brought a whole new level of meaning to the word family when he came into the world. She’d never been one to believe a child completed a woman any more than a man did. The best relationships, she was learning the hard way, seemed to come from two whole people. People who lift each other up, not tear them down. The last few years of her relationship with Lucas had deteriorated. When he was home, he wanted to check her phone to see if she was talking to guys. The accusations came out of seemingly nowhere. The stress of the job seemed to weigh on him more and more.

  Not being able to save him frustrated her to no end. Still did.

  Could she finish this app, get it in the right hands, and make certain no soldier ever suffered the same fate? It was so unfair Luke would never know his father. He would, a little voice in the back of her mind countered. She would make certain he knew of his father’s bravery, his big heart, and his ridiculous sense of humor.

  Filled with a new resolve, Catalina took in a deep breath and focused. An hour later, she’d made progress. It wasn’t much and she wouldn’t classify it as great. But she’d take what she could get. If football games could be won by inches, she’d creep her way across this finish line. Once she had a workable program, she needed to reach out to Hansen. There was no point making contact before she had a finished product.

  The money she earned from the sale would set her and Luke up for a few years, give her time to regroup and find a job. But, most importantly, it would give her time to bond with her son. It would be easy to give in to the tidal wave of emotion threatening to suck her under due to being separated from her baby right now. It took everything she had inside her to set those feelings aside. Focus would reunite her with Luke.

  Besides, his safety was everything to her.

  The temptation to call and check on him practically burned a hole in her chest. The rules she’d set had to be followed. No contact. A moment of weakness could reveal his location. No way could she risk it.

  Dane stood up a second after his brother. The two embraced in a hug that warmed Catalina’s heart. Her parents divorced when she was in kindergarten. Her father remarried and started a new life, apparently forgetting his old one because she never heard from him. Not birthdays. Not holidays. Not when there was a full moon. Not when there wasn’t a full moon. He’d basically dropped out of existence.