Cast of Characters

Kate Rebel: Matriarch of the Rebel family.

Falcon: The oldest son—the strong one. Reunited with his wife, Leah, and proud father of Eden and John.

Egan: The loner. Married to Rachel Hollister, daughter of the man who put him in jail.

Quincy: The peacemaker. In love with Jenny Walker, his brother’s girlfriend.

Elias: The fighter. Falls in love with the archenemy of the family’s daughter.

Paxton: The lover. Never met a woman he couldn’t have, but the woman he wants doesn’t want him.

Jude: The serious, responsible one. Raising his small son alone.

Phoenix: The wild one and the youngest. He’s wild and free until Child Protective Services says he’s the father of a small boy.

Abraham (Abe) Rebel: Paternal grandfather.

Jericho Johnson: Egan’s friend from prison.

Texas Rebels: Quincy
Linda Warren

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Two-time RITA® Award–nominated and award-winning author LINDA WARREN loves her job, writing happily-ever-after books for Mills & Boon. Drawing upon her years of growing up on a farm/ranch in Texas, she writes about sexy heroes, feisty heroines and broken families with an emotional punch, all set against the backdrop of Texas. Her favorite pastime is sitting on her patio with her husband watching the wildlife, especially the injured ones that are coming in pairs these days: two Canada geese with broken wings, two does with broken legs and a bobcat ready to pounce on anything tasty. Learn more about Linda and her books at her website, www.lindawarren.net, or on Facebook, LindaWarrenAuthor, or follow @Texauthor on Twitter.

I dedicate this book to Jaci Siegert, my

goddaughter. May you always love to read.

Contents

Cover

Cast of Characters

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

My name is Kate Rebel. I married John Rebel when I was eighteen years old and bore him seven sons. We worked the family ranch, which John later inherited. We put everything we had into buying more land so our sons would have a legacy. We didn’t have much, but we had love.

The McCray Ranch borders Rebel Ranch on the east, and the McCrays have been a source of stress for my family. They’ve cut our fences, dammed up creeks to limit our water supply and shot one of our prized bulls. Ezra McCray threatened to shoot our sons if he caught them jumping his fences again. We tried to keep our boys away, but they are boys, young and wild.

One day John was out working and two of our youngest, Jude and Phoenix, were riding together bareback. When John heard shots, he immediately rode to find his boys. They lay on the ground, blood oozing from their heads. Ezra McCray was astride a horse twenty yards away with a rifle in his hand. John drew his rifle and fired, killing Ezra instantly. Both boys survived with only minor wounds. Since my husband was protecting his children, he never spent one night in jail. This escalated the feud that still goes on today.

The man I knew as my husband died that day. He couldn’t live with what he’d done and started to drink heavily. I had to take over the ranch and the raising of our boys. John died ten years later. We’ve all been affected by the tragedy, especially my sons.

They are grown men now and deal with the pain of losing their father in different ways. One day I pray my boys will be able to put this behind them and live healthy normal lives with women who will love them the way I loved their father.

Chapter One

Quincy: the second son—the peacemaker

The cowboy who couldn’t ride away...

Always being the nice guy must have finally brought out the bad boy in Quincy Rebel. There was no other way to explain how he could have fallen in love with Jenny Rose Walker, his brother’s girlfriend.

It broke the brothers’ code, as told to the Rebel boys by their father: never betray your brother with a woman. There will be many women in your lives, but a brother will be a brother forever. Strong words. Their father’s words. As the peacemaker in the family, Quincy would not do anything to cause a rift with his brothers or to dishonor his father’s memory. This was his heartache. His pain. His secret.

Riding into the barn on his paint stud Red Hawk, he felt sure he could continue to hide his feelings. He dismounted and ran a hand around the back of his neck to unstick his sweaty collar from his skin. The sultry August heat had lingered into the first week of September. Before he’d left at the start of the day, he’d opened both double doors of the barn, and a gentle breeze stirred the heat like a slow-moving fan. The scents of dust and alfalfa filled his lungs.

Quincy bred paint horses and had his own barn and corrals away from the main ranch. He’d picked out the spot near the neighboring Walker property because of the huge live oak trees that had grown there for over a hundred years. He’d always loved paint horses, ever since watching reruns of Bonanza with his grandfather. The character Little Joe rode a paint.

One day, Rebel Ranch would be divided into seven parcels and Quincy had already staked the land he wanted. His mother and brothers had agreed. So after long days working on the ranch, he then took care of his horses. He had a registered stud and five mares, but one day he hoped to have a larger operation. For now it was just a hobby.

At the sound of hooves pounding against the dry, hard ground, he swung around to see Jenny ride in bareback on the black-and-white paint horse he’d given her for her birthday. She loved the paints, and helped him all the time. They’d become close friends, but it had turned into much more for him.

Jenny slid off the horse in one easy, fluid movement. With long dark hair and riveting dark eyes, inherited from her mother, who was part Italian, she was every man’s dream of the girl next door: beautiful, smart and funny. And blessed with a friendly disposition that endeared her to everyone, especially Quincy.

“Is it true?” Her eyes sparkled with high energy.

He mentally snapped to attention. “You’ll have to be more specific.” He knew exactly what she was talking about, but he was stalling for time.

“Is Paxton engaged?”

And there it was. Jenny and Paxton, Quincy’s younger brother, had been an item since high school. Their on-and-off relationship had been the talk of Horseshoe for over a decade. Jenny wanted a home and family. Paxton favored the rodeo circuit and any pretty thing he could find. Quincy had never understood why Jenny put up with Paxton’s many affairs. It was none of his business, though. Other than the fact that he’d been in love with her for years.

Quincy just wished she had asked someone else besides him. It wasn’t his place to tell her about the new woman in his brother’s life. But again, he and Jenny had grown close over the years and she considered him a friend, as he did her. His feelings were his own.

His hand tightened on the horse’s reins. “That’s what I hear.” Hawk sidestepped, snorting. Quincy needed to unsaddle his horse.

“When did this happen?”

“I don’t know. Mom just told us Paxton had called and said he was engaged.”

“To whom?”

“I don’t know, Jenny. You’ll have to talk to Paxton about that. I’m not the person you should be asking.”

“Don’t you think I’ve tried? I’ve called and texted him and he doesn’t respond. Why would he do this?” The pain in her voice twisted Quincy’s insides. He’d never understood how she could keep clinging to a relationship that was so one-sided.

“Haven’t you been broken up about two months now?” He hated to be blunt, and there was nothing as blunt as the truth.

She slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, stretching her blouse taut across her full breasts. He looked away.

“Yes. But he always calls and we get back together.”

“I guess he met someone else.” He stroked Hawk, calming him, and searched for a way to end the conversation.

“A buckle bunny who fawns all over him.” Her pain echoed in her voice.

He had no words to soothe her wounded pride. “I don’t know. All I know is what my mother told us.”

Her glistening eyes stared at him and this time he couldn’t look away. “I heard there’s an engagement party here on Saturday night.”

Nothing in Horseshoe, Texas, stayed a secret for long. This was faster than usual, though. “That’s what I’ve been told.”

She turned toward her horse. “If Paxton doesn’t answer my calls by then, I’ll be coming to the party.”

“It’s by invitation only,” he reminded her.

“Miss Kate won’t care if I come.”

His gut tightened like a cinch on a saddle and his nerves kept applying the pressure. He didn’t want to hurt her, but she left him no choice.

“Mom would rather it be a fun evening. Please don’t embarrass yourself by showing up. It would only cause tension.”

“Embarrass myself?” With a twist of her head, she tossed her long, tangled hair back in anger. “Everyone in Horseshoe is talking and what they’re saying is she waited all these years and he’s marrying someone else. That’s embarrassment, Quincy. And I can take the tension.”

“Don’t do it, Jenny. It will only hurt you.”

“As if I’m not hurt now? He’s going to tell me to my face that he’s fallen in love with someone else.”

“He’s engaged. I think that pretty well says it all.”

She fixed her heated gaze on him. “You think it’s okay what he’s done to me?”

“You broke up with him,” he told her. “You always break up with him because it bothers you that he sees other women while he’s on the circuit.”

“I thought he would change,” she murmured, almost to herself.

“Let it go, Jenny. It’s time for you to move on.”

“How do I do that, Quincy? I spent half my life waiting for him to grow up and want the same things that I do. I guess...”

He wanted to take her in his arms and hug her, because he knew things were only going to get worse. She’d lost Paxton and she didn’t want to face that, but in reality, she’d lost him a long time ago. She just hadn’t realized it until now.

“Hawk is getting restless. I have to unsaddle him,” he said instead.

“When will Paxton be home?”

He shook his head. “Jenny, I honestly don’t know.”

“The party’s tomorrow night so he has to come in sometime soon.”

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“Not on your life.” She vaulted onto the horse. “At the very least, Paxton owes me an explanation.”

He caught the reins of her horse before she could gallop away. “Don’t come to the party, Jenny. If you care anything about the Rebel family, you’ll stay away and not make a scene.”

“I thought you were my friend.”

“I am. That’s why I’m trying to protect you and keep you from getting hurt any further.”

“I can take care of myself.”

He loved many things about Jenny, but her stubbornness wasn’t one of them. “Mom said Paxton and his fiancée are going to stay at the ranch for a while so she can get to know the family. Maybe it would be best if you didn’t come around during that time.”

Her face crumpled. “You’re asking me not to come to the ranch anymore?”

He drew a deep breath. “Yes. I appreciate your help with the paint horses...”

“Since Paxton rejected me, the whole family now has rejected me. I love working with the horses and you’re taking that away from me, too.”

There was a limit to how much Quincy could endure and this was just about the last straw. He had to end this conversation one way or the other. “Jenny—”

“Stuff it!” she shouted and jerked the reins, charging out of the barn for the Walker property, stirring up the heat and dust.

Clyde Walker, Jenny’s dad, owned about a hundred acres that cut into Rebel Ranch. John Rebel had tried to buy it for years, as had Quincy’s mom, but Clyde was hanging on to his property.

Jenny lived so close, and she was like one of the family and was at the ranch a lot. Sometimes to see Paxton and other times just to ride the paint horses. Lately, Quincy had spent more time with her than Paxton. Looking back, he could see that wasn’t a good idea. But it was a little late to change now.

She’d be angry and hurt for a while and then he would apologize for hurting her feelings. At this time, though, he didn’t have any other choice. Maybe it was for the best. He had no future with Jenny. She belonged to his brother.

“She was pretty mad,” Jude said from the doorway.

Quincy turned toward his brother. “Yeah. Paxton didn’t tell her he’s getting married.”

“Why did you discourage her from coming to the party?”

“How do you think she’s going to feel when she sees him with another woman? I’m just trying to save her some pain.”

“Jenny and Paxton are adults and it’s their relationship. Let them sort it out.”

“Says the man who never interferes and minds his own business.”

“You bet. Ready to get those broken bales of hay off the field?”

“Yeah, sure. I was just unsaddling Red Hawk.”

Zane, Jude’s son, ran into the barn. “Hey, Uncle Quincy, I’m going to drive the tractor.”

“You got it. I’ll be right with y’all.”

Zane had just turned twelve and he was a clone of his father in looks—in personality, not so much. Jude and Paige, Jude’s girlfriend, had gotten pregnant in high school, similar to his older brother, Falcon, and his wife, Leah. Paige was incredibly smart and had received a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley. She was torn about what to do. In the end, her future was more important than the child she carried. They’d decided to give the baby up for adoption. But Jude hadn’t been able to live with that decision. He’d gone back to the clinic and got his son and raised him. Jude hadn’t seen Paige since, nor did she know about Zane.

Quincy knew that weighed heavily on his brother’s mind. Jude was the quiet, responsible one in the family. He stayed mostly to himself, never caused trouble and was a straight-up kind of guy. He was the one everyone could depend on and trust. He carried a scar on his forehead where Ezra McCray had shot him the day John Rebel had killed Ezra. That, too, weighed on his mind.

It didn’t take them long to get the broken bales of hay off the field. Zane drove, and Jude and Quincy threw them onto a trailer in heaps. Quincy would use the hay to feed his paints. They already had three barns full of square bales and many round bales stored away. Since it was the beginning of September, hay-baling season was almost over.

Zane drove the tractor into Quincy’s barn, and Quincy and Jude jumped from the trailer to unload.

“Sorry, Quincy.” Jude removed his hat to shake hay from his hair. “We have to meet Zane’s teacher in less than an hour.”

“Aw, Dad.”

“I got it,” he told his brother. He welcomed the work, anything to get his mind off Jenny.

Just as he started to stack the hay, Elias and Jericho walked in.

Quincy straightened. “Is all hay off the ground?”

“Yes, sir.” Elias saluted. Of the seven brothers, Elias had a devil-may-care attitude that came with a dose of spit-in-your-eye.

Jericho grabbed a pitchfork. “I’ll help you stack.”

Jericho had saved his brother Egan’s life in prison and for that Kate Rebel had offered him a job. He was Egan’s friend, but now he was a friend of the family. They didn’t know much about Jericho, nor did they need to. He had more than proved himself to the family.

He stood about six-four and was an imposing character with dark features, long hair tied into a ponytail at his neck and a scar slashed across the side of his face. No one knew his nationality, but Egan said he was part white, black, Mexican and Indian. He’d grown up on the streets of Houston, involved in gangs and drugs. Today Quincy would trust the man with his life and the lives of his brothers. He had completely turned his life around.

Elias grabbed a pitchfork, too. “Can you believe ol’ Pax’s getting married? A bull must have dumped him on his head. Why get married when he has the pick of every pretty buckle bunny on the circuit?”

Quincy worked without answering. He didn’t want to have this discussion.

“And Jenny? I wonder if he’s told Jenny.”

“That’s none of our business.”

Elias leaned on the pitchfork. “There’s going to be fireworks, I tell you. Jenny Walker is not going to take this without a fight and I have a front-row seat. Oh, yeah. I see a catfight in Pax’s future.”

Again, Quincy didn’t respond. They finished unloading the hay and Quincy started to jump onto the tractor to take it back to the equipment shed, but Jericho stopped him.

“I got it, Quincy. Mr. Abe is probably waiting on his supper.”

“Thanks, Rico.”

As Rico drove the tractor and trailer from the barn, Quincy brushed hay from his clothes. It stung down the back of his shirt and clung in sweat-slick places. He needed a shower.

“I’ll see you at the house,” he said to Elias.

He and Elias lived with their Grandpa Abe, who was getting up in years and at times appeared to be a little senile. They refused to let him use the stove anymore because he’d set the house on fire twice. These days Grandpa was happy to let Quincy or Elias do all the cooking. Eden, Falcon’s daughter, helped out when she could.

There were four houses on the property. Their mother, Jude and Zane lived in the big two-story log house at the front. Falcon’s wife had returned after many years, and they now lived in the old family home where Quincy, Elias and Egan used to live. Falcon and Leah had wanted their own house, so the brothers had happily relocated to Grandpa’s. Egan had gotten married and moved out. Now Quincy and Elias were left to deal with the old man.

Grandpa’s place wasn’t far from the old house, and then there was the bunkhouse where Paxton, Phoenix and Jericho lived. They had a commune right there in Texas. The thought brought a smile to his face and he wasn’t in a smiling mood.

So many women in the world and he had to fall in love with the one woman he couldn’t have. The only way to get over it was to stay away from Jenny. And he planned to do just that.

* * *

QUINCY OPENED THE gate in the old chain-link fence and walked up the steps of the white-board house his grandfather had built for his wife many years ago. It had been redone over the years and held many memories.

Mutt, Grandpa’s dog, wasn’t on the front porch to greet him. Quincy couldn’t remember how old the dog was, but he now had arthritis and didn’t leave the yard. He was an outdoor dog and only came inside when it was cold. And he didn’t like it then. He had a bed on the front porch and the back.

Opening the front door, he heard the TV. Loud. Grandpa was losing some of his hearing. He sat in his recliner, Mutt on his lap, watching an old Western.

Grandpa, with thinning gray hair, stooped shoulders and bowlegs, was about the orneriest character you’d ever want to meet. But he was fiercely loyal and devoted to his grandsons, as they were to him.

“What’s wrong with Mutt?”

Grandpa stroked the small black-and-white mixed breed dog. “I guess he’s just lonely.”

Quincy felt a tug on his heart, for he knew that was Grandpa’s way of saying he was lonely. He usually spent time with them on the ranch, but today he’d been absent. Maybe Grandpa was feeling bad.

“Are you okay?”

“Healthy as a horse,” Grandpa replied. “I knew you’d be tired so I put baked potatoes in the oven and there’s steaks in the sink you can do on the grill.”

“Thanks. I’ll take a shower first. I’m sweaty and I’ve got hay all over me.”

“Suit yourself. Where’s Elias?”

“He’s on his way.”

“He better hurry up. Those potatoes’ll be ready in ten minutes.”

Grandpa was in an unusual mood this evening. It wasn’t like him to plan supper. On second thought, Quincy went into the kitchen to check on things. The potatoes, wrapped in aluminum foil, were sitting on top of the stove. Quincy shook his head, placed them inside and turned on the oven. The steaks were thawing in the sink. That was good.

After taking a shower and changing clothes, he seasoned the steaks and placed them in the refrigerator and then went outside to the back porch to clean the grill.

He kept waiting for Elias to show up, but as usual, Elias was dragging his heels. Quincy sat in the living room with his grandfather watching the Western. Suddenly, Grandpa turned off the TV.

“What do you think about Paxton?” Grandpa asked.

Not again. Why was everyone asking him that question?

He rubbed his hands together. “None of my business.”

Grandpa pointed a finger at him. “You need to find yourself a woman.”

Quincy groaned. This was Grandpa’s standard lecture to his grandsons. Find a woman, get married, have babies and be happy. Sometimes it just didn’t happen like that.

“And not Jenny Walker,” Grandpa added for effect, and he had Quincy’s attention.

He didn’t know, did he? He couldn’t.

His eyes narrowed. “Why do you say that?”

“She’s over here all the time and it’s not to see Paxton, because he’s not here. She comes to see you.”

“She likes the paints and she’s good with them. I don’t have a problem with that because I’m busy on the ranch.”

“Not all the time, so don’t fool yourself, boy. I’ve seen the way you look at her, and that’s just asking for trouble. You’re a Rebel and you never cross that line. There’s a lot of lines us Rebels have crossed, but we don’t go after our brothers’ girlfriends. Not even if they’re an ex.”

Elias stomped in, preventing Quincy from answering, and he was grateful for that small act. For the first time, he didn’t know how to respond to his grandfather. He thought he’d kept his secret hidden. If his grandfather could gauge his feelings about Jenny, how many other family members had?

Did they all know he loved Jenny Walker?

Chapter Two

Jenny sat on the back stoop watching a cow stick her head through the barbed-wire fence to reach the green grass in the yard that Jenny had watered. The grass was always greener on the other side. That was how Paxton felt. He’d found someone better than Jenny and she had to bite the bullet and accept it.

The back door opened and her sister, Lindsay, sat down beside her. “What are you doing out here? It’s hot.”

Jenny was so upset, she hadn’t even noticed her skin felt as if she’d taken a bath in honey. Sticky. All she was aware of was the hollow ache in her stomach. “Thinking.”

“Come on, Jenny. You have to have seen this coming. You haven’t heard from Paxton in months.”

“Seven weeks. That’s how long it took him to fall in love with someone else.”

“You have to get past this. There are a lot of guys out there who would be more than eager to go out with you.”

“I’ve spent half my life waiting for Paxton and now I just feel like a horse without a bridle. I’m free, but I don’t know which way to turn without Paxton.”

“This isn’t like you. What else is going on?”

The cow pushed on the barbed wire and Jenny was afraid the fence would break. She got up to shoo her away. When something around the ranch broke, Jenny and Lindsay were the ones to fix it. Their dad had had a tractor accident some years ago and now had a gimpy leg and walked with a cane. He still had cattle, but some things were hard for him to do, and having no sons, his daughters picked up the slack.

She and Lindsay were both nurses and worked in a hospital in Temple. Lindsay was director of nursing and didn’t work on the floor anymore. Her job was stressful and she spent a lot of hours at the hospital, including weekends if there was a problem.

Jenny was a pre-op nurse, the one who prepared a patient for surgery, took vitals, dealt with consent forms, started an IV, calmed nerves and answered questions. Working three twelve-hour days was a challenge, but it gave her a lot of free time at home with her dad. Sometimes she was called back for extra duty. Since Lindsay was in charge, that didn’t happen too often.

She resumed her seat by her sister.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Jenny shrugged. “I forgot what it was.”

“You’re really down about something other than Paxton. What is it?”

They were four years apart and very close, and Jenny knew she could talk about anything with Lindsay. But her sister tended to be bossy and sometimes that grated on Jenny’s nerves. She needed to talk, though. She wiped the palms of her hands down her jeans. “I went over to talk to Quincy to see if he knew anything about Paxton and the engagement.”

“And?”

Jenny swallowed. “He was rude to me.”

“What?” She poked Jenny in the shoulder. “Get out of here. That doesn’t sound like Quincy. You probably were just upset and misunderstood him.”

“No. It was very clear what he said.”

“And what would that be?”

“He said that Paxton’s fiancée was going to be staying for a while and it would be best for everyone if I didn’t come back to Rebel Ranch.”

“You’re joking.”

“I wish I was.”

“After all the work you put in on his horses—for free, I might add—he’s got some nerve.”

“I’ll have to return White Dove.”

“The paint he gave you? You love that horse.”

The ache in Jenny’s chest ballooned into something she didn’t understand. All she knew was that it hurt that Quincy had treated her as he never had before. She couldn’t keep the horse he’d given her for her birthday. A birthday that Paxton had forgotten. Funny, how that little detail still stung. She would have to find the strength to return the horse.

“Keep her. Quincy would want you to have White Dove, unless he asked you to return her.”

“No, he didn’t say that, but it’s clear I’m not welcome at the ranch anymore.”

“Let me get this straight. Are you upset that someone is taking your place with Paxton? Or are you upset that Quincy asked you not to return to Rebel Ranch?”

Jenny didn’t know, and that was why she was so confused and conflicted. She’d expected some consolation from Quincy, someone to understand how she felt. But what was she expecting? That he would side with her over his family? That was insane. The Rebels were fiercely loyal.

Lindsay got to her feet. “Let’s go check the water troughs and then we’ll open that bottle of wine we’ve been saving and toast good ol’ Paxton and his new love. Ten bucks she’s a blonde with fake boobs.”

A smile tugged at Jenny’s lips. Her sister sometimes had a fun side. Getting to her feet, she said, “You’re on. But we’ll probably never get to see her.”

“Yeah. That’s probably best.”

Was it? Like Quincy had said, Jenny just couldn’t let it go. She had to see Paxton face-to-face to end this relationship that had existed for over fifteen years. She couldn’t end it by just walking away. That wasn’t in her nature. Paxton Rebel was going to deal with her one way or another, and she didn’t care if Quincy liked it or not.

* * *

QUINCY DIDN’T SLEEP MUCH. His mind was caught in a vortex of Paxton’s crazy life, and like Grandpa had said, there were some things a brother didn’t do. Tortured by his own feelings, he got up at five to help Falcon, Egan and Jericho put meat on the pit for the barbecue that evening.

His mom had invited all of Paxton’s friends from high school and some from the rodeo circuit. It was going to be a big night. Quincy was hoping he could slip away for a while and miss the whole thing. That would be his kind of party.

About midmorning, he and Elias set up tables and chairs on the large deck off the den. His mom and Falcon were busy in the kitchen. Falcon was making his special barbecue sauce.

Eden and Rachel, Egan’s wife, put tablecloths and votive candles on the tables. Quincy wondered where the bride-to-be was. She and Paxton had come in late last night, but no one had met her except their mother. He supposed she was sleeping in.

He and Elias were headed to the kitchen when they heard a feminine voice.

“Is anyone here?”

Quincy looked to the top of the stairs, as did Elias. A tall blonde stood there in white shorts and a bright green top that barely covered her ample breasts. Long, straight blond hair flowed down her back. Model flashed across his mind, like a woman in one of those lingerie catalogs. Paxton’s fiancée was gorgeous.

“Damn, is that her?” Elias asked. “I think I just met my fantasy.”

She floated down the stairs as if she was on a runway. Stopping two steps from the bottom, she held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Lisa Garber. Paxton’s fiancée.”

Elias removed his hat and bowed from the waist. “It’s a pleasure, ma’am. I’m Elias, Paxton’s brother.”

“Yes, Paxton said he had six brothers.”

“And you’ll get to meet every one of us.”

“I’m so excited,” she gushed like a little girl. “I’ve never been on a ranch and I can’t wait to meet everyone.”

Elias thumbed toward Quincy. “This here’s Quincy, another brother.”

Lisa fanned her face. “My, so many handsome brothers. What’s a girl to do?”

“Nice to meet you,” Quincy said, and wondered what it was about the woman that annoyed him. It didn’t take long for him to figure it out. Her voice, sort of a sugary squeal that could get real tedious. When a woman looked like Lisa, though, the voice didn’t matter. He was sure Paxton would agree.

“Have you seen Paxton?” she asked.

“Isn’t he upstairs with you?” Elias nodded upstairs.

Lisa leaned over and whispered, “Your mother wouldn’t let us sleep together in her house. That’s really old-fashioned, but Paxton said we had to follow her rules and I didn’t want to make waves. I really missed my Teddy Bear.”

Elias laughed before he could stop himself and then coughed and tried to cover it up.

“I’m sure he’s at the bunkhouse,” Quincy told her.

“Oh, is that where the cowboys live?”

“Sort of.”

Quincy had a suspicious feeling Paxton hadn’t told this woman a thing about his life, except that he was a rodeo cowboy who lived in Texas on a big ranch.

Paxton came through from the kitchen, interrupting the conversation. Quincy and Elias stared. It wasn’t often they saw Paxton dressed up. He wore starched jeans and a white starched shirt and his hair was slicked back. Quincy could swear he smelled cologne.

A fun and exciting bull rider, and a ladies’ man to boot, Paxton could smooth talk any woman into anything he wanted.

“Hey, babe.” He took Lisa into his arms and they shared a long kiss.

“There’s a bedroom upstairs,” Elias said with a snicker in his voice.

Paxton turned to them. “Quincy, talk to Mom about her rules. I don’t want to sleep away from Lisa.”

Quincy shrugged. “Her house. Her rules. You can always sleep in the bun—”

“That’s okay,” Paxton cut him off, and Quincy knew his brother had definitely not told Lisa where he really lived. But that wasn’t his problem and Quincy was going with his plan to get away from the party as soon as he could.

As he walked toward the kitchen, he thought Paxton had traded something real for something fluff. But then Paxton always went for the looks. Beautiful women gravitated toward him and he took advantage of that. Jenny was beautiful in a natural, sweet way that would last a lifetime. It was a shame Paxton couldn’t see that.

His mom made sandwiches for lunch and introduced Lisa to the family. Quincy went back to the house to check on Grandpa, needing to get away from the circus.

“You have to wear your white shirt tonight, Grandpa.”

“Fiddle-faddle. I can wear what I want.”

“Mama wants everyone to look nice.”

“Then, I really will wear whatever I please.”

His mom and Grandpa didn’t get along, which was a source of tension for the whole family. Quincy hoped his grandpa would comply, but that was like whistling Dixie in Bangor, Maine. No one was listening or cared.

The day passed quickly and Quincy made several trips to the house to help his mother, as did all his brothers. The food was ready and the tables were set. Now they waited for the guests to arrive. Quincy even managed to get Grandpa into his white shirt and nice boots. Quincy also wore his best duds.

Eden and Phoenix were in charge of music and had the stereo blaring loudly in the den. Falcon’s wife, Leah, his daughter, Eden, and Egan’s wife, Rachel, had decorated the house, and everything looked festive with streamers, balloons and candles. Guests started to arrive and his mother, Paxton and Lisa went to the front door to greet them.

Although Quincy was busy handing out drinks, he kept one eye on the door, hoping Jenny wouldn’t make an appearance. Phoenix was up to his usual tricks in the den. After supper, he rolled back the area rug and he and Eden started dancing. Paxton and Lisa joined them.

Before the crowd got too noisy, his mother called everyone to attention and welcomed Lisa into the family again. They clapped and cheered and Phoenix turned up the music. The party was on.

Quincy was serving beers to some rodeo guys when he noticed Jenny at the front door. His heart sank. This wasn’t good. Paxton and Lisa were dancing close together to a slow number and Phoenix, Eden and Zane were clapping and cheering. Jenny, in jeans and boots, a look on her face Quincy had never seen before, walked straight toward them.

His mother motioned to Quincy and Quincy groaned inwardly. Why was this his battle? Being a dutiful son, he walked toward his mother.

“Do something,” she whispered. “Jenny doesn’t need to be here. She’s going to get hurt.”

“Mom, I don’t know what I can do.”

She gave him one of those looks he knew well.

“Okay.”

The music stopped as Jenny walked up to the couple. Paxton and Lisa drew apart and came face-to-face with Jenny.

Color drained from Paxton’s face and sweat popped out on his forehead.

“I’m Jenny Walker. Congratulations.” She held out her hand.

“Thank you,” Lisa replied, taking the outstretched hand. “Are you a friend of Paxton’s?”

“I dated him for over fifteen years.”

Not a sound was heard in the room as Jenny made the declaration. Even the half-drunk cowboys went quiet. Quincy paused behind Jenny. She had a right to say what she wanted and he wasn’t going to stop her.

“Oh.” Lisa looked at Paxton.

“Jenny...”

“You remembered my name. How nice. It would have been nice if you’d had the guts to answer my calls and I wouldn’t have had to come here.”

“Jenny, this isn’t the time—”

“No, it isn’t. I would’ve had the decency to call you if I had fallen in love with someone else. It’s a shame you didn’t feel the same way. Fifteen years of my life I shared with you and it didn’t matter.” She glanced at Lisa. “You’re welcome to him and I wish you a happy life.”

The last word was shaky and Quincy took Jenny’s elbow and led her from the room and out the front door. They stood in the sultry September heat staring at each other.

She brushed back her hair and a telltale tear appeared on her cheek. “What is she? A model or something?”

“I don’t know.”

Dark eyes glistening with tears glared at him. “Oh, you know. You just won’t share with me anymore. And that’s okay. I understand.” She gulped a breath as if she’d run a mile and Quincy got a whiff of liquor.

“Have you been drinking?”

“Yeah. It took a couple of glasses of wine to get enough courage to come over here. Stupid, huh?”

The hurt on her face and in her voice cramped his gut, and all he wanted to do was hold her and let her know someone cared about her, but he couldn’t do that. That line between family loyalty and his love for Jenny was getting thinner and thinner.

She raked her hands through her hair. “Oh, crap, I don’t think I combed my hair.”

“You look beautiful” slipped out before he thought about it.

There was an awkward pause for a second. Then she said, “Since you’re usually nice to everyone, I won’t take that personally.”

There was nothing he could add to that. He really shouldn’t have said it in the first place.

“Now I’m going home to finish off that bottle of wine. Tomorrow is the start of the rest of my life. A life without Paxton and without the Rebel family. You don’t have to worry about me coming over here and causing trouble because this will be my last visit.”

“Jenny...”

“You were right. I spend too much time over here and, like I said, tomorrow I start over with a clean page and a bright smile for a new future. I’ll return White Dove first thing in the morning.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I can’t keep the horse.”

“Why? I gave her to you! And she’s pregnant.”

“I’m cutting all ties, Quincy.” A feather of a hiccup left her throat. “And that means I can’t accept the gift. I’ll just leave her in the pen at the barn.”

She loved the horse, and he knew this was hurting her and he didn’t know how to make it better. Even though her mind was set, he couldn’t accept it.

“The horse will always be yours.”

“Goodbye, Quincy. I’ll miss our talks.”

Me, too. More than you’ll ever know. More than I can ever tell you.

He wanted to tell her there was no need for her to stay away. Lisa and Paxton wouldn’t always be here. That was only asking for more trouble, though. There had to be a clean break, and his feelings didn’t matter. He would get over it and move on, just like she would.

As she walked into the darkness to her truck, Quincy, for the first time in his life, felt his heart break. When his dad had died, his heart had been shattered. This was a different kind of pain, something he could change, but he was bound by family loyalty and that was what was tearing him up. He was a Rebel, though, and he would survive.

Without Jenny Rose in his life.

Chapter Three

Paxton met Quincy at the front door. “Did you talk to Jenny?”

“What do you care?” Quincy walked toward the kitchen, but Paxton followed. Falcon and their mother were in the kitchen.

“What did she say?” Paxton kept on.

Quincy got a beer out of the refrigerator and twisted off the top with more force than necessary. “You have a phone, don’t you, Paxton? Why don’t you try using it to call her, the way you should have days ago.”

“Come on, man, get off my back.”

Kate Rebel turned from the sink. “Paxton, your father and I raised you better than this. Not calling Jenny was the coward’s way out, and I didn’t raise cowards. Tomorrow you will go over to the Walker place and you’ll apologize with your hat in your hand. Jenny has been around this ranch since you were kids and I’m really upset at the way you’ve treated her.”

“Mom, I couldn’t call her. She’d cry and I couldn’t handle that. Besides, I told her when we broke up we weren’t getting back together. I wasn’t ever going to change and she had to accept it. That was it for me. Jenny and I were over and I didn’t feel I had to call and explain when I fell in love with someone else.”

Their mother wiped her hands on a dish towel. “That may be so, but you still owe her an apology.”

“I’m not apologizing!” Paxton shouted. “You treat me as if I’m in grade school. I’m a grown man and Jenny and I had a relationship and we broke it off. Do you want me to call every girl I’ve ever dated to let them know I’m engaged?”

Falcon was sitting at the kitchen table and he rose to his feet. Quincy was on alert because he knew Paxton wasn’t going to get away with talking to their mother like that. They respected their mother. Always.

“I expect you to be a man and care about other people and their feelings, especially Jenny’s, since you’ve dated her since you were in high school. I know it’s been on and off, but that was because of you.” Kate shook her head. “I’m not going to talk about this anymore. You will apologize. That is my bottom line.”

“I’m not apologizing,” Paxton said again with anger in his voice. “And another thing, why can’t I sleep in the house with Lisa? Your ideas are old-fashioned and outdated. You have to start living in the twenty-first century.”

Their mother’s lips tightened into a thin line. “This is my house, and you will live by my rules. If you want to sleep with Lisa, you can sleep with her in the bunkhouse, but not under my nose, in my home. That was a rule your father and I made years ago, hoping you boys would grow up with morals and integrity. If you don’t respect that, you’re free to leave.”

“Maybe I should. You care more about Jenny than you do about your own son.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ve had enough of your attitude.” Falcon stepped closer to Paxton. “Apologize to Mom this instant or I’m going to lay a whole lot of hurt on you. We all worked our butts off today to give you a party and this is how you thank us, by disrespecting our mother? You know better than that.”

“Shut up, Falcon. You’re not my father.”

That was when Falcon’s fist connected with Paxton’s jaw. Paxton staggered backward, landed against the wall and slid to the floor. He was immediately on his feet, ready to take on his older brother, who was now head of the family.

“Falcon!” their mother cried.

Quincy got between his brothers. “Enough. Go home to Leah, Falcon. I got this.” Since they still couldn’t take their preemie son out around people other than family, Leah and Falcon had taken turns coming to the party. Falcon had only been here a few minutes.

Falcon turned toward the back door at the same time that Eden danced into the kitchen. “Oh, there’s my daddy. Hey, Daddy, we’re having a party. Oooh.” Eden grabbed her head. “I’m floating.” She reached for the counter.

Eden was drunk. Before Falcon could get to her, Jude came into the kitchen. “Grandpa’s passed out, Quincy. You better check on him.”

“What’s going on in there?”

“Phoenix spiked the punch. Zane’s throwing up in the bathroom and I’ve got to go.”

Their mother threw up her hands. “Why can’t we have a party like normal people?” She went to the doorway and shouted, “Phoenix, get in here! And bring that punch bowl.”

“I’m taking Eden home,” Falcon said, placing his arm around his daughter and leading her toward the back door. “Let’s go home to Mama, baby girl.”

Eden leaned on her father. “I love Mama and Snickerdoodle. He’s so sweet. I... Daddy... Oh...” Eden ran into the utility bathroom and soon they heard her retching.

Phoenix walked in with the punch bowl in his arms. Falcon pointed a finger at him. “Your ass is mine in the morning.”

“What did I do?”

“You spiked the punch,” his mother told him. “And now Eden, Zane and Grandpa are drunk.”

“I told them not to drink it.”

Kate placed her hands on her hips. “How many times have I told you not to spike the punch?”

A silly grin split Phoenix’s face. “Well, Mom, I’ve lost track, but I haven’t done it for a while. Jenny put a damper on the party and I was just trying to liven things up a little bit, to get things going again. I didn’t mean to hurt anybody.”

“Pour that punch down the drain. I’ll deal with you later.”

“I’ll deal with you in the morning,” Falcon said.

“You’ll have to find me first,” Phoenix muttered under his breath, and Quincy had to give his younger brother credit for still cracking jokes when doom was about to rain down on him. Falcon was mad and everybody knew when he was to stay clear.

Rachel entered the room, followed by Egan. She looked at Paxton, who seemed to be holding up the wall. “Lisa’s looking for you.”

Paxton pushed away from the wall and walked out without a word to anyone.

“What’s going on?” Egan asked. “Why does Paxton have a bruise on his face?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Quincy said, figuring there had been enough excitement for tonight. If Egan found out Paxton had bad-mouthed their mother, Paxton would suffer another bruise on his head. Quincy was hoping he’d come to his senses and apologize before the party was over. If not, he’d have more than words for his brother.

Egan kissed his mother’s cheek. “We’re going home. I’ll be back in the morning to help with the cleanup.”

“Don’t worry about that. There’s enough of us here to take care of it. Spend your Sunday morning with your wife.”

“Ah, Miss Kate, that’s very thoughtful.” Rachel hugged her mother-in-law. “We’ll both be here because Egan wouldn’t be happy unless he was doing his part. And if he’s not happy, I’m not happy.”

Gabe, their uncle and his wife, Lacey, were the next ones to leave. Little by little, the party broke up. Since things had settled down, Quincy went to check on Grandpa, who was snoring into the sofa. He’d wake him up later. At the front door, Paxton and Lisa were saying goodbye to friends. Elias and some rodeo guys and a girl were out on the deck and Quincy could see things were getting heated. Elias was waving his arms. Quincy groaned and made his way to the deck.

“Party’s over, boys,” Quincy announced.

The rodeo guy glanced at Elias and then put his arm around the girl and they walked into the den.

“What’s wrong with you?” Quincy asked Elias. “You’re starting a fight in Mom’s house?”

“I danced with his girl, so what? She didn’t seem to mind.”

Quincy looked toward the sky. There had to be a full moon tonight because everyone was acting crazy. “Pick up some of these cans and let’s start cleaning up.”

Elias downed the rest of his beer. “You’re such a downer, Quincy. Do you ever have fun?”

That question was on his mind a lot lately. He was tired of being peacemaker in the family. Maybe it was time for him to let everyone handle their own problems.

“Life isn’t always about fun.”

Elias laughed. “After we get everything picked up, I’ll take you down to Rowdy’s for a beer and introduce you to someone who could change your mind in about fifteen minutes or less.”

“I’m not interested in cheap sex.”

“Who said it was cheap?”

“You’re an idiot.” Quincy went back into the den, and Lisa and Paxton were huddled together at the bottom of the stairs. Quincy could hear them as he made his way to the kitchen.

“Come on, Pax, your mom won’t know a thing. When she goes to sleep, just sneak into my room. I don’t understand why you didn’t come last night. I don’t like sleeping by myself.”

Quincy sincerely hoped Paxton wasn’t thinking of doing such a thing.

“Quincy.” Paxton caught up to him before he reached the door. “Please talk to Mom. She listens to you.”

“I can’t make her change her rules. There’s an easy solution to all this. Phoenix and Jericho can move into the house and you and Lisa can have the bunkhouse to yourselves. Everyone will be happy.”

Paxton glanced down at his boots. “Lisa thinks I live in the house. I haven’t told her I live in the bunkhouse when I’m home.”

“Have you told this girl anything about yourself?”

“Come on, Quincy. You know how it is. I met her at a party after a rodeo in Los Angeles. She’s an actress and I was blown off my feet by her beauty and I couldn’t wait to talk to her. When I did, it was bam—” he slammed one fist into the other “—love as if I’ve never felt it before. I wanted to spend every second with her. After two days, I asked her to marry me.”

“Where do you plan to live?”

“Man, I don’t know. I haven’t thought it through.”

“You better start thinking. She doesn’t seem like a girl who would enjoy following the rodeo circuit and sleeping in the back of a truck.”

“Mom would probably let us live here in the house. Lisa seems to like the house.”

“After what you pulled, you’ll be lucky if she still lets you live in the bunkhouse.”

“I know. I lost it for a minute. I’m just nervous about everything. I’ve never been this nervous in my life.”

Quincy felt a pang of sympathy for his brother. He’d gotten himself into a mess. “First, you need to tell Lisa about your living arrangements and talk about how she’s going to fit in with you riding the rodeo circuit. There’s very little work in Horseshoe for an actress. Second, you need to apologize to Mom profusely. And third, you need to apologize to Jenny.”

Paxton nodded as he followed him into the kitchen and apologized to his mother. He then asked if he could sleep in the house while Lisa was here and his mother said it was okay. He would have to sleep in the bedroom downstairs next to hers. Paxton frowned, but he didn’t say anything.

Quincy went to wake Grandpa, deciding it was time to let Paxton handle his own life. He had enough worries of his own. He’d hurt Jenny and that would weigh on his mind for a while. And his heart.

* * *

JENNY SAT ON the back stoop with a wine bottle in her hand. She tipped it up, taking a swig. She’d made a fool of herself tonight, and it was going to take a lot of wine to erase the memory of her standing in the Rebel den pouring out her heart to a man who really didn’t care.

Daisy, the family dog, hopped up on the step and sat beside her.

“Hey, Daisy, I made a fool of myself tonight. You know that feeling like when you chase that gopher into a hole and you start digging to reach her, but that gopher is long gone? I kept digging, Daisy, hoping to find just a little bit of emotion on Paxton’s face for me. There was none. And beside him stood this goddess with the most beautiful blond hair I’ve ever seen in my life. Can you believe that? He replaced me with a goddess.”

Daisy whined as if she understood every word. Jenny took another swig from the bottle. “You know, Daisy, looking back, I’ve come to the conclusion that I should have fool tattooed on my forehead. I clung to a fantasy in my head about Paxton. He was my soul mate, my dream come true because we met in school and became the best of friends. He was there when my mom died and I was there for him when his dad passed away. We needed each other. But he was on the rodeo circuit so much and around buckle bunnies and beautiful women. A lot of temptation. I truly believed, though, that he loved me. Now, how stupid is that? You tell me, Daisy.”

She drank more wine, and the beautiful blackness of the night around her felt as comforting as a warm blanket. Here, no one was gaping at her or thinking she’d lost her mind. Here, she was safe at home.

“And then there’s Quincy. Good ol’ Quincy. He’s loyal to a fault. I thought he was my friend and would stand beside me. We’ve shared as much as Paxton and I have and he let me down. Bad.” She drank the last of the wine and stared off into the night.

She was going to miss Quincy probably more than Paxton. She’d been waiting all her life for Paxton to come back and she’d just realized he was never coming home to her. Big moment. Big letdown. Big realization. She was comfortable with Paxton and she’d always known he was going to disappoint her, though with Quincy it was a shock, and that was why she was sitting here drinking wine as if it was Kool-Aid. It hurt that her friend Quincy had discarded her, too. Oh, well.

“Let’s go find more wine,” she whispered to the dog. She stood and swayed. “Maybe not.” Gingerly, she made her way inside, humming under her breath. Tomorrow started the rest of her life.

* * *

QUINCY AND ELIAS helped Grandpa up the steps and into the house. “I can walk by myself,” Grandpa complained.

“Fine,” Quincy said and let go. Grandpa staggered and caught the wall.

“Ready to let me help you?”

“You’re a pain in my ass, but you’re my favorite grandson.”

“Hey,” Elias said. “I’m standing right here.”

Grandpa patted Elias on the shoulder. “You’re my favorite grandson.” Grandpa had said that to all of them at one time or another. “Let’s go to Rowdy’s and get a beer.”

“It’s after midnight and everyone is going to bed, including you, Grandpa.”

“Spoilsport.”

It took him ten minutes to get Grandpa in bed. He called Elias for help to remove his baggy jeans and boots. They covered him up and walked out of the room with long sighs. It was a good thing they loved the old man or they just might choke him to death. He was that ornery.

“Did I tell you boys about the time I was in love with two women at the same time?”

Quincy and Elias stopped in their tracks. Neither wanted to listen to Grandpa’s stories this late, especially when he was drunk.

“Yeah, now go to sleep,” Quincy said.

They waited and soon heard snoring. They high-fived. Elias went into the kitchen and got a beer and Cheez-It crackers.

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

“What?” Elias went into the living room, picked up the remote control from Grandpa’s chair, sat on the sofa and flipped on the TV. “After having to remove Grandpa’s pants, I need liquor, preferably something stronger. Sadly, this is all I have.”

Elias could hold his liquor better than anyone Quincy had ever met. Soon he would crash and they wouldn’t be able to wake him for several hours. Quincy shook his head and went outside to sit on the porch to de-stress from the night. Mutt was asleep in his bed and didn’t move.

Quincy didn’t even want to think about Paxton and Lisa. That was out of his hands and he wasn’t interfering. In the morning, Quincy knew Falcon would take a strip off Paxton and Phoenix. Their behavior tonight wasn’t tolerated in the family. And Quincy would somehow try to smooth the waters between the brothers, like always.

Running his hands up his face, his thoughts of his brothers faded and they turned to Jenny. She was the bright spot in his life. He knew the days she worked and the days she was off. When she was off, he always headed home early to be with her.

She would bring beer and peanuts. They’d sit on bales of hay and watch the paints and talk. He’d shared more with Jenny than with anyone in his life. His tour in Afghanistan he shared with no one, except Jenny. After his dad had died, Quincy had joined the Army, much to his mother’s distress. He’d had to get away. The ranch wasn’t the same without his father. He hadn’t been able to stay away, though, and after his tour he’d come home. There was no way to explain what he’d been through or what he’d seen. Jenny had just listened and that was all he needed.

Jenny’s mom had died suddenly when Jenny was in high school and she’d shared her deepest feelings and sadness about that time. She’d also talked about Paxton and her fear he was never going to settle down. Quincy had never offered advice about his brother, feeling it wasn’t his place. But they seemed to be able to talk about anything.

During the springtime, she was a lot of help when the mares gave birth. Since she was a nurse, she wasn’t squeamish and they’d sat many a night in the barn when a mare was having a difficult time.

His life would now change, and he would be lonely again, just like when he’d returned from Afghanistan. Jenny had filled that empty place in him and it was over.

So many times he’d wanted to tell her how he felt, but he hadn’t. Paxton was his brother and he would honor that, even when it hurt, like tonight. Jenny was free now and he was sure other guys would be knocking on her door. But he wouldn’t be one of them.

Looking up at a million brilliant stars, he whispered, “Goodbye, Jenny Rose.”

Chapter Four

Quincy woke up at seven. He was usually up earlier, but after the long day yesterday, this morning he was dragging. He headed for the kitchen to put coffee on and then he showered and changed clothes for the day. Sipping his coffee, he walked into the living room and noticed Elias was still on the sofa sound asleep, a box of Cheez-It crackers in the crook of his arm, an empty beer bottle on the coffee table.

Grandpa stomped into the kitchen in his boots, boxer shorts and a hat, no shirt, no jeans.

“Did you forget something?” Quincy asked.

“I want coffee. I have a headache.”

Quincy went back into the kitchen and poured a cup for his grandpa and set it on the table. “You got drunk last night.”

Grandpa’s shaggy eyebrows knotted together beneath the rim of his hat. “I don’t remember drinking anything but punch.” He sat at the table and cradled the cup with both hands and Quincy noticed they shook a little. That bothered him. Grandpa was getting older. Quincy knew that, but at times it was hard to see and to admit when he wanted his grandpa to be the same strong figure he’d always been.

“Phoenix spiked the punch.”

“What? Wait till I get my hands on him.”

“You’ll have to get in line. Falcon, Jude and Mom are on him at the moment because Eden and Zane got drunk, too.”

“Is that boy ever gonna grow up?”

“We can only hope.”

Grandpa got to his feet and stomped toward the living room with the cup in his hands. “I’m gonna sit in my chair and vegetate today. Did you feed Mutt?”

“No, but I will.”

Grandpa eased into his chair and stared at Elias. “What happened to him?”

Quincy shrugged. “Elias being Elias.”

Grandpa nodded, finished his coffee and leaned back in his chair. In a few minutes, he was sound asleep again.

Quincy let Mutt into the house and fed him, putting a pill in with his food to help ease some of his arthritic pain. He left Grandpa and Elias sleeping and went to the big house to help his mom.

He found Phoenix and their mom in the kitchen. Phoenix had on rubber kitchen gloves up to his elbows.

“What are you doing?” Quincy asked.

“Cleaning the bathrooms.” Phoenix scowled.

“Someone vomited on the deck. You can clean that up next,” their mother told him. “And as soon as Zane gets up you can clean his bathroom.”

“Mom,” Phoenix wailed like a little boy.

Kate turned from the sink. “Did you say something?”

“No, ma’am.”

The back door opened and Phoenix immediately ran for the living room. “If that’s Falcon, you haven’t seen me.”

Falcon walked in a few seconds later. “Where’s Phoenix?”

“Why do you ask?” their mother wanted to know.

“Eden was sick again when we got home and Leah was really upset. How can he be so irresponsible?”

“I will take care of Phoenix, son.” His mother had that tone in her voice they all knew well. The voice that said she was protecting her sons with everything in her, even from each other.

Falcon took a deep breath, his broad chest expanding. “I’m sorry I hit Paxton last night. Leah is upset about that, too. I shouldn’t have used violence. That’s not an example I want my kids to see.”

“Thank you, son. I had a long talk with Paxton last night and he apologized and I forgave him. I’ll work this out with Paxton and Phoenix. That’s all that needs to be said.”

They all knew their mother held the power, and though they respected that, there were times it was confining. Quincy was just glad everyone was thinking clearly this morning.

“I have to get back to the house,” Falcon said. “Leah was up with Eden last night and I’m on baby duty this morning. You have to come over and see John, Mom. He’s becoming more alert every day and he’s very attached to his mother. His eyes follow her wherever she goes.”

“Don’t you worry, I’ll be over later to play with my grandson.”

Falcon walked out, but Quincy knew his acquiescence wasn’t that easy. Phoenix still wasn’t off the hook. His older brother would have his say one way or the other.

“Where’s Paxton?” Quincy asked.

His mom stacked dishes into the dishwasher. “We had a long talk this morning and he went over to apologize to Jenny.”

Quincy handed his mom coffee cups from the table, his heart beating a little faster at the mention of Jenny. He hated that, but he couldn’t control it.

Egan and Rachel came in and they continued to clean up. Rachel went upstairs to check on Zane. Since she was a teacher and going to the school anyway, she picked up Zane every morning. She’d grown attached to the boy.

Phoenix came in, rubbing his shoulder. “Rachel hit me.”

Egan laughed. “Rachel’s the least of your worries. Wait till Falcon and Jude get hold of you.”

“I’ve already spoken to Falcon and made it clear that there is to be no more hitting.” Their mother made her opinion clear. “I will take care of Phoenix and Paxton.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Egan lifted an eyebrow at Quincy and he just nodded. She wanted the matter dropped, and her sons would do just that in her presence. But later was anybody’s guess.

As Quincy continued to work, he wondered how things were going with Jenny and Paxton. She’d been extremely upset last night and he hoped they could forgive and part as friends. Why he hoped that, he had no idea. He just didn’t want Jenny to be hurt any more than she was.

* * *

JENNY WOKE UP to pounding, and it was in her head. Loud and painful. Crap. She rolled over and pushed hair out of her eyes. What had she done? Getting drunk solved nothing.

Crawling out of bed, she grabbed her head to stop the pain. It didn’t work. Staggering out the door, she met Lindsay in the hallway. She’d been called in to the hospital with a nursing problem last night.

“You’re home,” Jenny muttered.

Lindsay’s mouth fell open.

“What? I know I look like hell. Right?”

“Go into the bathroom and look in the mirror.”

“I don’t need to see myself.”

“Yes, you do.” Lindsay pushed her into the bathroom and Jenny stared at the wild-looking woman in the mirror. Her hair looked like a rat’s nest.

“What did you do last night?”

“Uh...” The embarrassing confrontation at the party came rushing back, as did the pounding.

“Not to throw you into a tizzy or anything, but Paxton’s waiting to talk to you in the kitchen.”

She swung around. “Tell him I don’t want to see him.”

Lindsay eyed her sister, and Jenny hated it when she did that. “Don’t you think it would be best to end this the right way?”

“And how would that be?”

“By being an adult and listening to what he has to say. Obviously, he wants to apologize.”

“You know what he can do with that apology.”

“Jenny...”

“Oh, okay.” She walked out the door.

Lindsay followed her. “Don’t you think you should comb your hair and change?”

“For what? I’m not dressing up for Paxton. I’m not doing anything for Paxton.”

“Jenny, you’re in shorts and a tank top.”

Marching to the kitchen, she shut out Lindsay’s nagging voice and went straight to the coffeepot. Her dad sat in his chair drinking coffee and eating breakfast. With his hat in his hand, Paxton stood there, looking nervous.

Her dad pushed away from the table and reached for his cane. “I’ll give you kids some time alone, but I’ll be right outside.” Giving Paxton a long look, he limped out the back door.

Jenny poured a cup of coffee, wishing her head would stop pounding. She took a deep breath and turned to face Paxton. The handsome face she’d loved for so many years now had worry lines stretched across it and the stress showed in his brown eyes.

Of the brothers, Paxton and Phoenix were the only ones under six feet. Phoenix was slim while Paxton was all muscle and that did well for him as a bull rider. He was as tough as any bull he’d ever ridden, with grit and determination unequaled by any cowboy. That was one of the things she had loved about him.

She sat at the table and sipped her coffee. “Why are you here, Paxton?”

He gripped the hat in his hand. “I came over here to apologize for my behavior. My mom said I took the coward’s way out and she was right. I should’ve called you.”

“You needed your mother to tell you that?”

“Come on, Jenny.” He motioned toward the chair. “May I sit down?”

“If you must.” She took a gulp of coffee, hoping it would boost her wide-awake, recharge her batteries and possibly make her a beautiful blonde.

“I’m going to be completely honest.”

“Now, that would be refreshing.”

“I’ve never lied to you, Jenny, even when you asked me about other girls, I told you the truth. The last time we broke up, I told you it was for good. We couldn’t keep doing what we were doing. It wasn’t working for either one of us.”

She remembered how much that had hurt. But then, all their breakups had been hard. She’d just never thought...

“Can you remember the last time we had sex?”

Her eyes jerked to his. “What?”

“I can’t. Can you?”

She just stared at him and resisted the urge to smack him. How dare he ask her that?

“When we were in high school, we needed each other. I was there when your mom died and you listened while I talked about my dad. We leaned on each other because we needed that support and we trusted each other. That turned into much more, but looking back, our relationship was always about friendship. When I started spending more time on the circuit and away from home, I realized there were a lot of pretty women out there who didn’t want to be tied down. I never wanted to be tied down. I told you that many times, but you never seemed to hear me. You wanted so much more than I could give you.”

She twisted the cup in her hand, looking down into the dark depths and seeing that young girl who’d clung to Paxton because she’d had no one else. Her sister had been dealing with her own pain and so had her father. Paxton had soothed all those broken pieces inside her.

“Whatever we had was good and we both clung to it because it made us feel better. But that’s not what real love is. I know what it is now. And when you’re in love, you want to be tied down.”

There was a butter knife on the table and she picked it up and handed it to him. “Why don’t you just stab me in the heart?”

“Jenny, you’re the best friend I ever had and I hate to lose our friendship. But I have to move on now. Please understand that. I will always remember our teenage years as something special. It made me the man I am today.”

Tossing the knife onto the table, she got up to refill her cup. It was almost full, so she poured it down the drain and watched it disappear. Just like her feelings for Paxton. Or as near as they were ever going to.

She hated that everything he was saying was true. She couldn’t remember the last time they’d had sex. It had been a very long time. She’d just kept clinging to the past and hoping those old feelings would come back, but they hadn’t. He didn’t need her anymore and she wondered why she still needed him.

“I think we clung to the past because it was comfortable for both of us, an easy place to be. But we’re older and we need more, or at least I do.”

She turned from the sink, determined to be the adult she was supposed to be. “I’m really trying to listen with an open heart, but it would be much easier to smack you for the hurt you’ve caused me.”

A smile touched his handsome face. “I’ll miss your humor. You always could make me smile and bring me out of the dumps better than anyone.”

“So you really love this Lisa?”

“Yes. She’s all I ever think about. Phoenix says I’m in lust, but I know differently.”

“Do you? You once said you loved me.”

He stared straight into her eyes. “How long has it been since I said that?”

And then it hit her. He hadn’t said it in years. They hadn’t had sex in years. They hadn’t been anything in years, only in her mind. She’d been clinging to the past just like he’d said. It was comfortable and she didn’t want to venture outside her comfort zone. So where did that leave her? Alone echoed through the hollow places of her heart.

And that was what scared her.

The moment she felt the fear inside her, it was gone, and it was replaced with something stronger—her pride. She wasn’t a weepy clinging sort of woman, and she wasn’t going to let him get away with making her feel like one.

“Do you remember the prom?”

He sighed. “Jenny, I don’t want to relive our high school years.”

“I remember the prom,” she went on as if he hadn’t spoken. “What a night.” She leaned against the cabinet, holding on to her cup as if it would keep her rooted to the floor and her emotions in check. “We had such a good time dancing with each other and with our friends. I was dancing with Brad Coleman and you were dancing with his girlfriend, Tonya. When the music stopped, you and Tonya weren’t there. Where were you, Paxton?”

“Jenny...” His sun-browned skin paled.

“Let me see, oh, yes, you were out in the foyer ramming your tongue down her throat. It was our first big fight, but being the big fool that I am I forgave you.” She touched her forehead. “I really should have fool tattooed there, don’t you think?”

“That was my fault, but you were holding out on sex and Tonya...well... You can be a prude sometimes.”

“Oh, no.” She shook a finger at him. “You don’t get to come over here and make me feel guilty. You’re a liar, a cheater and a jerk. I hope you treat Lisa much better than you ever treated me.”

“Jenny—”

“I just can’t believe I spent all these years with a fantasy in my head, because that’s what it was—just a fantasy.”

“I’m sorry you’re hurt.”

“Oh, I’m not hurt anymore.” She placed her coffee cup on the counter. “I’m moving on, Paxton, and that’s an exhilarating feeling. There has to be a nice guy out there somewhere who appreciates fidelity and undying love.” She headed for the hallway and turned back. “Thank Miss Kate for me for forcing you to come over here and apologize. It has opened my eyes and I feel liberated. Have a good life, but I’m really skeptical that you know the difference between lust and love. That’s Lisa’s problem now. Hallelujah.” She walked down the hall, leaving a stunned Paxton staring after her.

She raised her arms in victory. “Oh, yeah. That felt good,” she murmured under her breath. Falling headfirst onto her mattress, she groaned from the pounding in her head. She hoped she remembered all this vividly when her mind cleared, and that she could easily discard her feelings for Paxton. That would be a test in the days to come. There were a lot of guys out there, and she was going to find the perfect one who would love her just as much as she loved him. Oh, God, was that another fantasy?

Were there even guys like that? The ones who believed in true love and fidelity? Of course, she told herself. It may be like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack, but she wasn’t going to give up. She began to softly sing the song “I Will Survive” under her breath and drifted into sleep.

Chapter Five

Jenny slept most of Sunday in a drug-like stupor. When she was awake, it felt as if tiny people with big hammers were building a roof on her head. But even her aching head couldn’t block the thought that she had wasted a lot of years on Paxton. It wasn’t his fault. It was hers. She’d refused to see what even a blind person could—there was no future there.

By Monday morning, she was feeling better. Even her bruised pride had survived the weekend. She was on duty at the hospital, so she was up at 4:00 a.m. to start a twelve-hour shift, getting patients ready for surgery. And on Mondays the schedule was usually full. Back-to-back surgeries all day long.

She’d gotten up thirty minutes earlier because she had an errand to do. Slipping on jeans, boots and a T-shirt, she hurried toward the back door and the barn. Since it was September and still hot, White Dove preferred the corral to the barn. Jenny grabbed a couple of bridles and made her way there. The black-and-white paint horse raised its head as Jenny approached and trotted to the fence, followed by Jenny’s quarter horse, Sassy.

The moonlight cast an iridescent beam of brightness, making it easy for Jenny to see. She climbed the fence and stroked the horse’s face. Quincy had bought her at a horse auction in Laredo. She was skittish and had marks on her coat where she’d been beaten with a whip. Quincy had said he had gotten her cheap, but she doubted that. The horse was beautiful with a black patch on her left rump extending down part of her leg. Another black patch was on her shoulder and ran down part of her leg and stomach. The area between the patches was white and to Jenny it resembled a dove. Quincy had made a face when she’d said it, but he’d named her White Dove anyway. There were other black spots on her neck and body and her face had a white blaze. She was due in the spring with her first foal.

Jenny would miss that. A tiny choke squeezed her throat. “Sorry, girl, I have to return you.”

She slipped a bridle on Dovie and then on Sassy. With one hand, she opened the gate and then led the horses through and closed it. As she vaulted onto Dovie’s back, she winced. She wasn’t all that crazy about riding bareback, but since Dovie was pregnant Jenny wasn’t putting a saddle on her. Kneeing Dovie, she started off on a well-used trail to the Rebel property, leading Sassy.

She picked her way through the woods carefully, trying not to think that this was the last time she’d be riding this horse. The light thump of hooves sounded like thunder in the quiet darkness. Only the chirp of crickets and the croak of frogs in the small pond interrupted the quiet now and then. The darkness was all around her like a comfortable jacket, and she felt safe in these woods. She’d grown up here and knew every inch of them.

The closer she got to Quincy’s corral, the more she wanted to turn back. Even though her heart was breaking at having to give up something she loved, she continued her journey. That was what starting over was all about.

Soon she reached the property line and dismounted to open a barbed-wire gate she and Quincy had installed so Jenny wouldn’t have to walk so far to the barn. She swung onto Dovie’s back and made her way to Quincy’s barn and corral. Once there, she dismounted again and led Dovie through the pipe gate.

She stroked the horse’s face. “Goodbye, girl. Quincy will be good to you just like I was.” Wrapping her arms around Dovie’s neck, she held on tight.

The horse neighed softly.

Her throat squeezed in pain as tears threatened. Quickly, she kissed the horse and walked out, closing the gate. Dovie neighed again, but Jenny kept walking. Swinging onto Sassy’s back, she rode away, letting the tears fall where they may.

As she made her way home, she refused to think about the past. It was over and she couldn’t go back. Today she was starting over and that began with breaking all ties to the Rebels.

No matter how much it hurt.

* * *

QUINCY WAS UP early on Monday. It was the beginning of a workweek and they always had a family meeting to discuss what needed to be done and who was going to do it. Before going to the office, he went to feed his paints. As he carried sweet feed in a bucket to a trough in the corral, he glimpsed White Dove walking back and forth along the fence.

Damn it! Jenny, you didn’t have to do this. Dovie continued to walk the pipe fence line, agitated. The other mares, sensing her anxiety, began to follow her. Red Hawk threw up his head and neighed, not liking that his mares were upset.

Quincy dumped the feed and the mares immediately trotted to the trough. Dovie continued to pace. He’d check in again on her later. A newcomer always interrupted the herd, but Dovie wasn’t new. The mares and Hawk knew her. It was Dovie who was causing a disturbance and he’d have to do something about it if her behavior continued during the day.

Late getting to the meeting, he quickly found a seat and was surprised to see Grandpa present. He’d left him nursing a cup of coffee this morning.

Fall roundup was around the corner and Falcon talked about what pastures they would work first. So far, nothing had been said about Saturday night. Paxton wasn’t even there and Phoenix sat slumped in a corner, probably hoping that Falcon and Jude couldn’t see him.

“Today I want all the fence lines checked on the pastures to make sure once we start roundup, the cattle can’t break the fences,” Falcon said.

“Paxton will be spending time with Lisa,” his mother announced. “And Phoenix will be helping me at the house for the next few days.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Elias was the first to voice his opinion, as always. “I get to work my butt off while Paxton and Phoenix get to laze around.”

Their mother looked directly at him. “Paxton has a guest and he will spend time with her. Phoenix will be making amends for what he did Saturday night. He will be cleaning the gutters on the house and anything else I find that needs doing.”

“I’ll switch with you, Elias,” Phoenix offered.

“There will be no switching,” Kate stated. “You will make amends to everyone. Poor Zane was still not feeling well this morning.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You better be,” Jude said. “I find it very hard to understand why you do the things you do.”

“To your old grandpa, too. You need to grow up, boy.”

“I’m sorry, Grandpa. I’ll do anything you want to make amends.”

“Good. My toenails need clipping. I’ll see you at my house when your mom is through with you.”

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