Texas Hope: Sweetgrass Springs Stories (Texas Heroes Book 16) (5 page)

But not yet. She hadn’t quite figured out Ruby’s cream cake recipe, and Ruby was guarding it like pirate gold. “Cap rocks the skin suit and the shield,” she insisted, more to get his goat than out of conviction.

“Spandex and that stupid Mercury-mutation helmet. Please.” He vaulted himself onto the counter, and the muscles in his arms flexed.

“Get off my workspace,” she screeched.

He didn’t budge. “Will you first admit that Wolverine is the man?”

“First?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Yeah, then let me taste whatever’s in the oven that’s turning my brain to goo.”

“That wouldn’t take much.” She rolled her eyes. “I can call Jackson, you know. He’d totally send you back to Seattle.”

Vinny smiled, and she ignored the flutter. “Jackson needs my mad coding skills.”

“From what I hear, Jackson can write better code than any of you, and Ben is nearly as good.”

“The kid does take after his dad, all right, but he’s still in high school. And Jackson’s gone all family man now.” He shook his head. “Nobody back there believes me. Jackson used to hang with us when he wasn’t plotting world domination, just worked right down in the pit with everyone. And best anyone could tell, the man worked 24/7.” He heaved a sigh. “Then he went and fell in love.”

Spike wouldn’t admit it if hot needles were shoved under her nails, but she secretly thought Jackson and Veronica’s love story was the best ever. Imagine waiting for seventeen years to marry the love of your life.

“Hah!” Vinny snapped his fingers and pointed. “This place is getting to you, too. You’re a closet romantic.”

“What? No way. Are you crazy?” She shoved at his shoulder, but the man was all muscle. Though she was strong for five foot two, she couldn’t budge him. “Get out of my workspace,” she growled, “Or you will not get even a crumb of what I’m baking. Besides—Wolverine needs a wax job.” She shuddered for effect. “Can’t stand a hairy back.” She pushed again, and Vinny hopped off the counter in one lithe move.

“Whatever, Blue Girl,” he said, referring to the color of her hair this week. “You would totally love my back hair if I ever got over my maidenly shyness to show it to you.” He smirked in her direction, then headed back to his workspace. He paused at the door. “Or we could compare tattoos. You got any cool piercings I can’t see?”

“Beat it.” Spike shook her head and got out the disinfectant to clean her counter. She glanced around the space that she kept in perfect order. She might live out of her car most of the time, but she was ruthless about sanitation and order with her tools and her workspace.

She had put a couple of her own touches in the small dining area and had her grandmother’s little plaque mounted on the wall as a reminder.
Never Give Up
.

Jackson had told her to make over the space however she wanted. He was grateful that she’d taken some of the burden off Scarlett so Scarlett didn’t have full responsibility for yet one more eating establishment in Sweetgrass. Spike had only used that license to get the best equipment, all of which would stay after her departure.

But not yet. She would have to go. She would always leave, even if Sweetgrass tempted her to grow moss and stay in a way she’d never experienced before. The residents still cast her odd glances because of her revolving hair color, her multiple piercings and her Doc Martens, but they’d still been kind to her. The Ruby and Scarlett Seal of Approval mattered, she’d learned. There was nothing the residents of Sweetgrass wouldn’t do for the woman who’d kept this town alive, even if privately they regarded Spike as an intriguing zoo creature at best.

She made them nervous, but despite that, the quilters had extended an invitation, and somebody was always wanting to take her to church. Ben used any excuse to hang around and quiz her about her travels, and if she missed New York too much, Scarlett had lived there for several years. And Jackson had traveled the world.

Deputy Tank Patton still observed her as though she’d whip out a stiletto any minute, but he had a fondness for her flaky apple tarts. And sweet Henry couldn’t learn enough about cooking, it seemed, always eager to try a new recipe.

She could feel Sweetgrass sending tentacles of attachment to twine around her ankles, but she was immune.

Still, for all that she was an exotic species to these people—

They were equally exotic and fascinating to her.

So she’d stay for a bit. Maybe until Scarlett had her baby and was back on her feet. By summer’s end, for sure.

That left a little while longer for her to get sick of this place.

She would, of course. She always did.

She couldn’t afford not to. Not with her past always a threat.

That went well
. Michael shook his head as he drove out of town. He’d hoped to stay, to learn more about his brother.

I don’t want to know you.

Michael’s jaw clenched. What had he expected? That the man would fall into a back-slapping hug and extend a warm welcome? After what he’d been through?

Ian, this is not you
.

He is a good man.
The women in his brother’s life had been shocked at Ian’s reaction, but he shouldn’t have been, it was just that—

Damn it, he was a good man, too. He didn’t deserve the cold shoulder. How come Ian couldn’t just chill out and give him a chance?

Would you, in his shoes?
He tried to imagine. Tried to double or triple his shock at learning of a brother. He’d been ecstatic—but he had never been left. He hadn’t been a small boy, no doubt wondering what he’d done wrong. Michael tried to remember being five. So young. So innocent. How could a little kid ever understand? Hell, he was an adult and he didn’t understand what his mother had been thinking. In his book, you didn’t abandon a child, not ever. You stuck, even if you were scared half to death. You didn’t just…

Drive away
. He took his foot off the gas, dumbstruck.

You didn’t run. Or give up.

Exactly what he’d done. He pulled over and put the truck in Park. Stared out the windshield. What would happen if he went back? Hung around and let Ian get to know him? Proved he was who he said he was?

The man who’d gone cold and frozen would hate that. But would he thaw?

My dad
, Ian had begun, and Michael thought he understood. Besides the inevitable shock of Michael’s existence, Ian would have his father’s feelings to consider—the man Michael’s mother had said she’d loved, then abandoned. Gordon McLaren had never remarried, Michael’s investigator had said. Did that mean he still…what did that mean? That he still carried a torch for Michael’s mom? Or that she’d soured him on women for all time?

Now you hear him out, all right?
Ian’s grandmother-in-law had some sympathies for Michael. Even Scarlett had looked at him with compassion.

Man. He let his head fall back on the headrest. What a tangle. What to do next?

He glanced in the rear view mirror. He could see the tip of the courthouse on the square. What would happen if he turned around? Put himself in Ian’s path again?

You think the results would be any different?

Maybe not. But maybe Ian just needed time. Time and familiarity.

A truck pulled up behind him, big and black and muscular. A man emerged, tall and dark-haired. In the passenger seat was a young boy, a towheaded blond.

Michael rolled down his window. Ajax leapt against the rolled-down back windows, always eager to greet.

“Howdy. Need any help?” The man grinned at the pup. “Hey there, little guy.” His gaze went past Ajax to Monroe. “Hey, buddy.” He looked at Michael again. “Anything I can help you with?”

“No, I’m fine, just—”

“Nothing wrong with your truck?”

Michael shook his head. “You coming from Sweetgrass Springs?”

The man nodded. “Yeah. Name’s Randall Mackey. Folks call me Mackey.”

“You grew up here?”

“Nope. Not until sixth grade, that is. You been to Sweetgrass? Got family there?”

“Sort of.”

One black eyebrow arched. “There’s a story, I’m guessing.”

“Yeah. But not with a happy ending.”

“Don’t be so sure. Stories have a way of ending different in Sweetgrass than you might think. Dreams seem to come true when you least expect them. You should stick around. Place might grow on you.”

Actually, it already had made an indelible impression. “Don’t think the welcome mat will be rolled out for me anytime soon.”

Green eyes lit with curiosity. “That so? Who wouldn’t be hospitable to you?”

“You might not know him.”

“Son, everyone knows everyone else here. Who’s this un-neighborly citizen?”

“Ian McLaren.”

The man could not look more shocked. “Ian? Made you feel unwelcome? You sure you got his name right?”

“Yeah.” He faked a smile. Pointed to the dimple, then pointed to his eyes. “Either of these look familiar?” Why was he continuing this discussion? What was the point?

Mackey’s eyes rounded, and his mouth dropped open. “No. Way.” He cocked his head. “How…?”

“I shouldn’t be talking about this. Ian’s unhappy enough already.”

“Ian has been my best friend since we were kids. My wife and his are cousins. The man I know would never say a cross word to a stranger.”

“But I’m not just a stranger.”

“You aren’t, are you? What, a cousin or…” Mackey scratched his head. “I don’t recall Gordon talking about having any siblings, though.”

“I’m Ian’s brother.”

Silence. “Brother? But how—” Mackey shook his head again. “His mother is still alive? You’re hers?”

“Yeah.”

“But not Gordon’s.” Mackey whistled. “Wow.”

“Yeah. Only that’s not what Ian said, not that I blame him. I’m mad as hell at her myself. I only learned of his existence recently.”

Another whistle.

“Dad, you okay?” called out the boy.

Mackey stirred and tore his gaze away. “Fine, son.”

“Can I get out?”

“Hold up, buddy, just for a second.” His green gaze shifted, all serious now. “So you’re just…leaving?”

“He doesn’t want me here. I can’t really blame him.”

“He’s the best man I know. He’ll get over it. He’s been through a lot, he and his dad. It was really hard for him to learn to trust Scarlett because of what—” He closed his mouth in chagrin.

“What my mother did. I get it—or at least as well as I can. I don’t begin to understand what she was thinking. Maybe the best thing I can do is stay away from him, but…” He exhaled. “I always wanted a brother. A large family.”

“No other siblings?”

“Just me.”

Mackey stared off in the distance, then, as if reaching a decision, clicked his gaze back to Michael’s. “Look, Ian is a thinker. He’s not impulsive. Give him a little bit of time—but not too much.”

“What does that mean?”

“What do you do for a living, anyway? Could you hang around and do some ranch work?”

“Yeah, but I can do more. I’m a vet.”

“What branch? I was in the SEAL Teams.”

“Thank you for your service. No, I meant, I’m a veterinarian.”

“No shit? Man, we could use a vet around here.” Mackey stared off again, his eyes calculating. “Large animals or small?”

“All those plus exotics. I’ve traveled around.”

“I don’t suppose you’d—” Mackey shook his head.

“What?”

“It’s just…my wife and I have a horse operation, and there’s this yearling I’m concerned about. He and another colt were rough housing in the pasture, and Blaze wound up with a bite in his chest that required five sutures. He won’t leave them alone, and they’re inflamed. Our vet had a heart attack and is being advised to shut down his practice. But I can call this vet in San Antonio.”

“That’s a long way from here, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. And Blaze has only been in a trailer once. He’s a little high-strung.”

A glimmer of hope rose in Michael. It might lead to nothing, but regardless, having an ally in one of his brother’s friends couldn’t hurt. “He could do more damage to himself in a trailer. I’d be glad to take a look at him.”

“Ian might want to kick my ass for telling you this, but you should know that though he raises cattle, horses are his first love. Having a vet who knows horses in the family couldn’t hurt.”

“I don’t want to push him too hard. This was a big shock for him.” Michael made up his mind. “I’ll be coming back soon, anyway.”

“Yeah?” Mackey’s brows rose. “For real?”

“He doesn’t have to deal with me if he doesn’t want to, but I just finished running a practice for a buddy, and I have some offers but hadn’t accepted any of them.” Michael smiled. “It might be better for me not to spend much more time in Austin. There’s a stubborn as hell vixen back there who needs to miss me for a while, but I’d rather not go too far.”

Mackey snorted. “Got one of those at home.”

They shared a grin of commiseration.

“It’s getting late.”

“Then we’d better get started.”

“You could stay the night at our place. The Star Bar G has a foreman’s cabin that just got vacated when my sister-in-law Penny and her husband moved into their new house.” He shook his head. “My wife Rissa’s gonna kill me. Ian and she are close, too.”