"Me too. Luckily Colt"s got a forgiving nature or this"d be a different conversation, "cause we screwed up with him even after he cleaned up his act."
"Carter hated that he wasn"t around for any of that."
"I"m glad he wasn"t. It put me, Cord and Colby in the judgmental a.s.shole zone."
"But you straightened it out. As much as Carter loves having his own studio close to the house, I know he wishes sometimes we lived here, closer to his family."
When Macie looked away quickly, Carson said, "And you feel guilty about that?"
"Well, yeah. I get to see my dad every day. Dad"s kids with Gemma and our kids are growing up like cousins, but that doesn"t replace the connection we both want them to have with their McKay cousins. Carter had that growing up and he wants that for our kiddos."
"You"re visiting here at least every couple of months, and with your crazy schedules I"m happy your family can get here at all," Carson pointed out.
"It requires a lot of juggling, but it"s worth it."
"How many of my kids visit your family in Canyon River?"
"Colt and Indy and their brood were the most recent ones. But since they have the fewest kids of Carter"s siblings, it"s easier for them to get away. Jack and Keely used to come more often, but it got harder for them after they had the twins. Colby is helping Dad out with the bull riding school for a week this summer and Channing and the kids usually tag along. That"s always fun. Total chaos with ten kids. Then Ryder, Ella and Jansen don"t wanna be left out, so they"re usually over too."
"Good thing you built that big house a few years back." Carter and Macie"s sprawling ranch-style home was located on a beautiful vista on the outskirts of Gemma and Cash"s ranch and could easily accommodate all of the McKays.
"It"s a big change from the tiny trailer we lived in after we first got married and had the first two boys."
"I remember them days. Only our first two boys remember livin" in the trailer. Then again, we tend to play musical houses in the McKay family."
Macie"s eyes narrowed on the paper sack on the chair beside Carson. "I"ve been so busy yammering I didn"t let you eat your sandwich."
"I"d rather talk to you while I have the chance. Eatin" alone don"t bother me."
"Has anyone from the family come to check on you?"
"Dalton. And now you. I appreciate you stopping by. Tell the artiste-" a private joke between him and Carter, "-I"m glad he backed me."
"I will." She paused again. "Carson, I"m asking you one favor on Carter"s behalf. Maybe it seems strange coming from him, but I promised I"d mention it to you."
"What"s that?"
"If Carolyn needs physical therapy during her recovery, please ask Keely to work with her. Not only is Keely really good at her job, it"d go a long way in proving that your reasons for keeping Carolyn isolated were situational and short term."
That was something Carson hadn"t considered. He was just trying to get through each hour. It didn"t surprise him that Carter was trying to mend fences. He had so much of his mother in him: a kind heart, a fierce love and a stubborn streak. Sometimes as the youngest son his brothers had called him a mama"s boy, intending it as an insult. But Carson couldn"t think of a better compliment or a better person to aspire to be like than Carolyn McKay. "Not to worry. If Carolyn needs rehab, our daughter is the first one I"ll call."
"Excellent."
"Although, that girl did torture me after my hip replacement surgery with all her blasted exercises."
"How is your hip?"
"Better," he lied.
"Good. Take care of yourself. Know you and Carolyn are in a lot of people"s thoughts and prayers."
After she"d gone he tore the paper wrapper off the sandwich. Although he was starving, he savored each bite.
Contemplations about sibling solidarity and rivalry had him thinking about Casper. How in all the years he thought he knew his brother...he really hadn"t. While he"d never excuse how Casper had treated his sons, Carson knew his brother"s life hadn"t turned out the way he"d expected. But as usual, Carson had borne the brunt of Casper"s bad decisions...
Half the time Carson didn"t know why his dad summoned him for his help. The man grumped around like an old bear. Today was no exception. Carson had been delegated gate opener. With Cord propped on his hip, he shut the gate and walked over to where his dad unsaddled his horse.
His father didn"t look up when he said, "Ain"t exactly handy carting a kid around when we"re supposed to be movin" cattle."
"Carolyn was too d.a.m.n sick to even get outta bed this mornin". What was I supposed to do? Leave Cord bawlin" in his crib?"
"Shouldn"t she be over mornin" sickness by now?" he demanded. "This is the second time this week you"ve had to drag Cord along."
Like Carolyn had purposely spent the morning throwing up because she wanted to inconvenience Jed McKay. "If she ain"t better by tomorrow I"m takin" her to the doctor."
"So you"ll miss a day of work."
"Last I knew you had three other sons who could take up the slack for one d.a.m.n day," Carson retorted.
"Cow! Mmmooo," Cord said, pointing to the cattle slowly making their way to the stock tank.
"That"s right. A cow says moo. What"s a horse say?"
"Giddy up!"
Carson grinned. He loved that Cord had started to talk. "A horse says neigh. Think Grandpop will let you feed his horse some oats?"
"Sure I will," his dad said. "Get the bucket while I"m finishing this up."
"Down," Cord said.
"Nope."
Cord"s little booted feet kicked. "Daddy. Down."
"Do you wanna feed the horse?"
He nodded.
"Then you gotta stay close by me. I can"t have you runnin" around and getting hurt, okay?"
""Kay."
For all of Jed McKay"s bl.u.s.tering about having the boy underfoot, it amazed Carson that he was so patient with Cord. Showing him things outside. Setting up the wooden blocks and toys inside. Sneaking him ice cream. Jed just came over and plucked Cord from Carson"s arms and headed into the barn.
Since he"d become a father himself, Carson wondered how much his dad helped his mother when they were babies and toddlers. He couldn"t imagine having two little Cords to keep track of-like his mother had dealt with, with him and Cal. Having two kids in two and a half years would be hard enough.
He waited by the fence for his dad and son to return, wondering how to broach the subject of a pay increase. Things were tight and he was making the same money now as he had when he and Carolyn first got married.
They wandered out of the barn, Grandpop in a deep discussion with Cord about something when a Buick tore up the driveway and slammed on the brakes in the middle of the yard.
Then a tall, gray-haired man climbed out of the driver"s side and angrily stormed toward them.
The potentially dangerous situation had Carson s.n.a.t.c.hing Cord away from his dad.
"You!" The man pointed to Jed. "Are you Casper McKay"s father?"
"Who wants to know?"
"I do."
"And who the h.e.l.l are you?"
"Patrick Tellman." Then he sneered at Carson. "Another one who can"t keep his pants zipped. You"re populating the whole area with McKays, ain"t ya?"
"You"re about to meet the business end of my shotgun, comin" on McKay land and insulting me and mine."
"Is Casper your son?" he demanded.
"Yes, he is. What"s he done now?"
"He knocked up my daughter, that"s what he"s done."
Carson glanced at his father, but the man didn"t show a lick of emotion.
"Who"s your daughter?"
"Of course you gotta ask that since rumor has it all of your sons are notorious for catting around in three counties."
"Stop with the insults and get to the point," Carson warned.
"Who is your daughter?" Jed asked again.
"Joan Tellman."
Not a name Carson recognized. Last he knew Casper had been seeing a woman in Spearfish named Donna.
"So your daughter Joan is pregnant and she claims Casper is the father?"
"Claims?" Patrick Tellman moved in toe to toe with Jed. "Casper is the father. My Joan is a good girl and swore to me Casper was the only man she"s ever been with. But I can understand why you"d be suspicious since a sweet Christian girl ain"t your sons" normal type.
Wrong. Carson thought of his Carolyn-a good Catholic girl to the core. She embodied decency and goodness. He accompanied her to church hoping some of her ways would rub off on him. G.o.d knew he could use it.
"Don"t seem like she"s showing such good Christian values if she"s pregnant outside of wedlock," Jed said evenly, and Carson knew he was trying to retain his cool. "Has your daughter mentioned this to Casper?"
"No. That"s why I"m here. Father to father. I"m telling you I expect Casper to marry Joan as soon as possible."
Jed McKay didn"t say anything. Then he gave Patrick Tellman a resigned look. "I"ll talk to Casper today and I"ll have him contact Joan tonight."
"And if she doesn"t hear from him?"
"She will. I guarantee it. You have my word."
That seemed to satisfy the man. He nodded, spun on his heel and marched back to his car. His exit from the ranch was more subdued than his entrance.
Carson really wished he"d been long gone when this went down.
"That dumb f.u.c.ker," his dad said and Carson knew he wasn"t referring to Patrick Tellman.
"No kiddin". I didn"t know he was seein" this Joan woman."
"Never heard her name before today. But that don"t mean nothin". Only woman you ever brought home was Carolyn. And you had your share of rumors long before that." Jed sighed. "I need a G.o.dd.a.m.ned shot of whiskey."
Here was his chance to escape. "I"ll leave you to it. Let me know what happens."
"I already know what"ll happen-Casper is getting married." He pointed at Carson. "You ain"t goin" nowhere. In light of this there"s some ranch business to straighten out."
Cord fussed and Carson set him down. "What ranch business?"
"Something I wanna run by you before I tell Casper and Charlie. The Ingalls place I"m buyin" has a house. Since you and Cal work so well together, I"m leaving you both here and I"ll be sendin" Casper down there. Charlie too. Eventually."
Carson had a brief flash of anger. That house was way nicer than the trailer he and Carolyn lived in. Now with a baby on the way and a busy two-year-old it"d be an even tighter fit for four. Why hadn"t his father considered giving him the house?
Because he"s punishing you for moving out after your mother died.
He knew better than to complain, so he deflected. "When we have this discussion, I don"t want you to let on that I"d heard about these change in plans before they heard it from you."
"Why"s that?"
He watched Cord picking up rocks. "Because they already accuse me of getting special treatment from you."
"They meaning Casper."
Carson shrugged.
"Last I checked I"m still makin" the decisions for the ranch. It ain"t favoritism if I decide it"s what"s best."
"So will I be headin" down there to work those new sections? Will they still be comin" up here?"
"We"ll do what needs done."
That was his dad"s answer to everything. We"ll do what needs done.
Meanwhile Casper would skate by with the minimum amount of work and get paid the same amount as Carson did. And now he"d be adding travel to his day.
Doin" what needs done, my a.s.s.
He"d make sure the new sections of land were ready for cattle, but he would not help Casper get his house ready for his bride.