Winter Harvest (21 page)

"You two never belonged together," Andrew spat. "Any idiot could see that."

"Is that why you made Traye promise to stay away?" Victoria dared him to lie.

Andrew jabbed a finger at Traye. "Of course I did. He somehow snowed Mom, Dad,
and
you. He's no good for this family."

"You're so wrong, Andrew. I feel for you holding in this anger for so long. I've tried to get you to mourn Mom and celebrate the life she gave us, but all you saw was Traye taking from you. At the moment, he deserves this farm more than you do." Victoria's heart cracked in two. She wished she could have her brother back. "I love you, Andrew, but I won't let you take anything from me anymore."

"Traye is a good hired hand, but he doesn't deserve a place in this family. You deserve more." Andrew pounded his thighs.

Victoria had never seen her brother so furious.
How had she missed this?
"What gives you the right to judge him?"

"Because no one else sees it. I don't think it started this way, but as he observed us and saw what we had, he wanted it. He acted like Mom was his, too."

Traye leaned forward to look at Andrew, and Victoria gave his leg a squeeze, hoping he'd stay calm. "She was my mother in every way that counted, Andrew. I'm sorry you felt I took her from you, but I won't apologize for loving her just as much as you do. We both know my mother decided I wasn't worth it, and my father went off the deep end. I can't help that, but I can be better than either of them -- and with Victoria by my side, I know I will."

"Shut up, Traye." Andrew looked to his father. "Why is he even here?"

"It appears your plan didn't work, son. Victoria and Traye are getting married."

"Another mistake." Andrew's eyes darkened. He aimed a deep scowl toward Victoria.

"Therefore, Traye's moving back home." Robert placed his elbows on his desk and dared Andrew to defy him.

Andrew shrugged. "I guess we need the help."

"Andrew, you don't understand." Robert made eye contact with his son. "He won't be the hired hand anymore."

"What?" Traye pushed himself straighter in his chair. "Robert, your son has manipulated all of us. He's on a mission to have this farm all to himself. He wants Victoria to marry Evan, to put you in a home, and to use me as his foreman while he sits, getting rich and fat."

"Wrong." Andrew scoffed at him. "I did want you as my foreman, but not anymore. And Evan is out of the picture. Victoria threw away a guy perfect for her for this scum." He threw his arm out toward Traye and almost hit Victoria. She batted his hand away.

With patience, Robert continued, "Andrew, if you want anything at all to do with this farm, and I believe you do, you'll have to learn to work with both Victoria and Traye. Someday, I, too, will be in my grave, and when that happens, I want the three of you to be thick as thieves. With all of you together, this farm will thrive. If you're separated, it will wither to nothing. This farm represents family, unity, and love. Not just a profit.

"I don't see that happening, Dad. Traye took my mother from me."

"No, he didn't, you fool. Your mother loved Traye, no doubt about it. She also loved you and Victoria just as much. She and I both believed it was important for us to give Traye the home he'd never had. I love him like a son -- that's true. But you
are
my son, and I love you too. I don't know any other way to get you to see it. You want this farm, then you'll have to share it with Victoria and Traye. That's always been our wish. Do you want this farm, or not?"

"Of course I do," Andrew rasped.

"So you'll work alongside your sister and Traye? And you won't oppose their marriage?"

"If I have to put up with Victoria, I can do that -- but
he
doesn't belong here."

"Yes, he does." Victoria slugged Andrew's arm. "He's going to be my husband."

"That'll be the biggest mistake you'll ever make." Andrew's face turned a deep purple.

"Why? Because you won't get the farm, but will have to share it with us?" Victoria pointed to herself and Traye.

He shook his head. "No."

"Then why, son?" Robert leaned forward. "You've been impossible ever since your mother passed away. I chalked it up to grief. I had my own pain to deal with. Did you plan on having this farm all to yourself? Because that won't happen. This farm was always meant for the three of you."

"Three? You can't be serious. You're giving the farm to Traye, too, whether he marries Victoria or not?" He stabbed a finger at Traye.

Victoria glanced at Traye, who looked stunned, and a smile grew on her lips. She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.

Robert nodded. "It's true, Traye. I always meant to give you part of this farm. You're family, too, even if this stubborn daughter of mine changes her mind and refuses to marry you. Tessie and I discussed this years before she passed. I hope you can forgive my drastic measures."

"I don't know what to say." Traye brought Victoria's hand to his lips and kissed her thumb without looking at her. "I'm the luckiest man on Earth to have had all of you in my life for all these years. Not only do I get Victoria for my wife, but I also get you as my father."

"There's more. In light of Andrew's selfish decisions, I'm going to put you in charge, at least for now."

"You're putting him in charge because he's marrying Victoria." Andrew slammed his fist against the arm of his chair and made Victoria jump. "I knew it. This is what Grandpa warned me about. Outsiders taking over.
Traye is
the son you've always wanted. The superb daughter and the son you longed for, united at last. The perfect match, even if he was spawned from a drunk. Unbelievable."

"Andrew, stop it." Robert rose to stand over him. "You have your grandfather's selfish blood in you. I don't want you to be miserable like he was. You're my son, and I love you just as much as I do Traye and Victoria. I just don't love the decisions you've made. Until I can trust your judgment again, Traye's in charge."

"Fine." Andrew jumped up, pushed his chair back, and stalked away from them. "I'll buy my own farm."

"You do that. Traye and I won't mind." Victoria waited for her brother's flexing fist to connect with her face. Her father stepped in front of her.

"Until you prove to me you can share this farm, Traye will be in charge," he repeated. "End of story. I hope that in the future, all of you will be able to work as a team to keep my legacy alive. When I die, it'll be split three ways, and you can have your land."

"So Victoria will have more than me."

"If she and Traye stay married, yes. Your mother and I always wanted Traye to have some of the land. This is his home, and it always has been."

"Maybe you can find a way to swindle it out of us." Victoria looked around her father at Andrew, and they stared each other down. Seconds later, he stomped out of the office.

"I just might," he threw back over his shoulder.

Traye ignored him. "Robert, you don't have to do this. He's your son, not me."

"Yes, you are. Believe it, Traye. Once you do, you can let go of your past and enjoy a good life with Victoria. The farm isn't important to Andrew right now. He needs to grieve and let us all in again. We'll have to work on him to get him to open up. Until he does, he'll never be happy with anything. He'll always want more to fill the void. I just hope we can help him see it. The anger he has locked up inside isn't helping him. I'd like to have my son back, because I don't like this Andrew much. Tessie would be so disappointed. No matter what happens with him when I'm gone, however, the farm will be split three ways. Even if you two divorce, the two of you will share this farm. So make it work."

"Sir…" Traye walked up to shake Robert's hand. "I can't thank you enough."

"You can let the demons go, love my daughter, and throw your soul into this farm."

"I will."

Victoria stepped forward and looked over Traye's shoulder with a sloppy grin and damp eyes. "I love you, Dad. Don't worry. We'll bring Andrew back around. I guess he's sort of fighting the same demons as Traye."

"I guess he is," Traye said. "Maybe someday we can reconnect as brothers, but a long time will pass before I can trust him again."

Victoria took his hand and kissed it. "I know, but deep down he's a good man. He's just a little screwed up right now."

"Enough of this sad talk," her father barked. "Get to work on this house, Victoria. Traye, you help her, too. The place is still a disaster."

"I will." Traye turned to wrap her in his arms. His eyes swallowed her up, and her heart swelled with love. He gave her a little nudge. "You heard the man. Get to work."

"Oh, no. Don't you talk to me like that. Not again."

"Really?" He twirled her around and slapped her behind. "Move it, woman."

They walked out giggling as her father chuckled and shut the door behind them. Victoria turned to wrap her arms around Traye's waist. "Welcome home, Traye."

He grinned. "You have no idea how good that sounds."

"I think I do." She rose onto her tiptoes to kiss him. She'd thrown the seed out in a snowstorm and expected a disastrous crop, but through it all, their winter harvest had turned out to be a lifetime
of love.

Love In Surplus Book Two: Summer's Bloom

Coming June 2013

About Susan Jaymes

This is my second book with Desert Breeze Publishing. My first book, Guilty Hearts, was published March, 2012. I live in Wisconsin with my husband and our cat, Sassie. My two grown sons are my pride and joy. They are on their own quest to fulfill their dreams. I enjoy reading, TV, and crafts. You may visit me at www.SusanJaymes.com.