Hope and the deep-seated need for connection he’d missed so much without ever wanting to admit it.
14
If Blake wandered a little slower than usual from where the tractors were neatly parked outside the main barn, he’d blame it on too little sleep rather than too much on the brain.
They were having a bumper crop of calves this year, and while that was a thing to celebrate, not even a full Coleman crew could keep up. Plus, rather than make anyone else do extra shifts, Blake had taken to dealing with the emergencies the family called in by himself.
March was going out like a lion, storm clouds brewing on the horizon. He wasn’t about to send Trevor out somewhere remote on the possibility his cousin got trapped and couldn’t make it back to Becky and his barely three-week-old baby for a few days.
Which also put the rest of the Moonshine clan off the list. Blake wasn’t about to be the one to blame in case Anna or Melody went into labour early, and then there was Lee and Rachel with their babies—
He caught himself snickering. “Isn’t just the damn cattle having a bumper year. The Coleman breeding program is overproducing kids too.”
“You say that anywhere near one of the Coleman women, and you’ll be relegated to hot dogs with the kids for a year instead of enjoying steak.” Matt joined him, brushing his hands together before tucking them under his armpits. “Jeez, it’s gotten nasty cold.”
“Uncle Randy said the weatherman predicts a huge snowfall sometime in the next three to four days,” Blake warned.
“Lovely. And how many more of the cows we’ve got on Mark’s grazing land plan to hide their babies just for shits and giggles?”
“All of them.” Blake ducked his brother’s half-hearted swing. “Damn, you’re getting slow.”
“It’s the lack of beauty sleep.” But Matt said it without any serious complaint. Just the comment of a man who knew this was par for the course at this time of the year.
By the time calving season was done, they’d all be so tired, they’d be sleepwalking. Eventually the seasons would change, and spring would arrive, and they’d get to do the next thing. Preferably after a good solid week of sleep.
Blake clapped a hand on Matt’s shoulder. “Good thing you started out prettier than the rest of us.”
Matt snorted. He pointed ahead. “That Uncle Mark’s truck?”
The vehicle was becoming more familiar.
For the first couple weeks after he’d arrived in town, Uncle Mark had mostly stayed over at the Whiskey Creek place. He’d come to visit Blake’s Ma and Dad, and Blake had heard that he’d been over at Randy and Kate’s as well. The visits had been slow, though. A trickle instead of a full-out assault on becoming involved with the family.
Which was definitely not what Blake had expected after Jaxi had given him the lowdown from Laurel that very first day.
Just this week Mark had shown up a few more times in places where Blake was. Usually tagging along with George, helping out with whatever tasks his uncle was assigned to.
“What’d you think of him?” Matt wasn’t the type to want to discuss the topic for no good reason.
Blake turned and gave him a little more attention. “Specifically?”
“Oh, don’t give me your sphinx face. You know as well as I do the girls have been chatting this up all over text and the phone lines. You think him being interested in Auntie Dana is a good thing?”
“Interesting question, coming from you.” Blake held up a hand. “And I don’t mean that in a shitty way. I mean it—”
“You mean it took a hell of a long time to figure out which family member was the one worth spending time with. It’s true. Everything that I dreamed of having with Helen ended up coming true with Hope.” Matt stared at their uncle’s truck thoughtfully. “I think this is different. My case was being too distracted by expectations. Helen and I were boyfriend and girlfriend, therefore we should do the next thing, then do the next thing. I never stopped to open my eyes wide enough to realize I was following tradition rather than being with the person who wanted to be with me.”
“You think Auntie Dana and Uncle Ben were right together?”
“Dad said they were. At least at first.” Mark shrugged. “I think it took a hell of a lot of guts for Uncle Mark to come back here, and the last few weeks have shown he’s not an overbearing asshole. Or at least not right out in public, he isn’t.”
“That’s a pretty low bar to start approval at,” Blake said with a chuckle.
Matt grinned. “I guess my point is, I changed, and that’s what made me the right person for Hope. Maybe it’s taken this many years for Mark to become the right person to be a part of this family in more ways than one.”
The man they were discussing popped out of the barn. He spotted them and gave a wave, marching forward with a steady gait that spoke of a strong body and a clear conscience.
“He did a damn good thing helping Becky,” Blake said quietly. “And he did it when there was no possible reward for his actions. To be honest, that says more to me about his character than anything he’s done recently.”
Matt met his gaze. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right.”
“It happens sometimes,” Blake said dryly. He turned to his uncle and offered a greeting. “We’re wandering slowly. Need help with something?”
Mark shook his head. “I was hoping that I could help you.”
Jaxi passed the final plate to Becca to place on the table before lifting her gaze to Blake’s. She spoke softly so that the children rushing around to get the dinner table ready couldn’t hear. “So, Uncle Mark wants to be added to the work schedule? As in, he’s planning on going back to taking a full draw from the family finances?”
“He’s always taken a partial amount for the parts of the land that were co-owned by all the Colemans. But no.” Blake caught her by the wrist and hauled her against him for a moment, soothing his own concerns in the way that she instantly nestled against him, a perfect fit. “He said he’s here and he wants to work. He said we’d figure out the financial part in an official meeting in a month or so, but that he’s got no dastardly plans for any of us to worry about.”
“Oh, that’s reassuring,” Jaxi said dryly. “I’m so glad he says he has no dastardly plans.”
Blake snickered, tilting her chin up so he could press a kiss to her lips. She relaxed, the tension draining out of her as he took what he needed at that moment.
“Mooooommy. Daaaaaddy. We’re hungry.”
“And you’re kissing again.”
Jaxi’s lips curled into a smile under his. “We have very observant children.”
“I noticed that,” Blake said with a tease, glancing toward the kitchen door. “Is the table set?”
“Yes. Except we need pickles.” Lana marched past them to the refrigerator, jerking the door open and reaching inside with an experienced air. She glanced back at them then waved a little hand imperiously. “I got this. You can ring the bell.”
“Why, thank you, princess,” Blake said politely. He winked at Jaxi then led her into the dining area. “Who’s my bell ringer tonight?”