I laughed as he opened the door and stepped out, offering his hand to help me out on his side. And as I took it, I wondered over this man, the gentle—albeit grumbly—man who held me while I cried and helped me out of the truck like a proper gentleman. I barely recognized him, much preferring this version of him to the smug fellow who would love nothing more than to see me crash and burn before putting the entire country between us again.
People had gathered in clusters outside and on the porch, so we snuck around back to avoid the first wave. We headed inside in silence, sharing a look before he opened the door and ushered me inside.
The house was full to bursting and warm from the crowd. The only space not occupied by people was occupied by furniture, and when we entered, every face in the place turned to us.
There was a collective sigh and a flurry of hellos and brushes of arms and we’re so sorrys and he’ll be missed. And Jake and I wound through the throng, stopping when we could, hugging when it was required, shaking hands when they were offered.
Eventually, we exited the crowd into the kitchen, which hadn’t filled with people simply because no one could get in Kit’s path without paying for it with a burn or a potential shanking. Kit tended to run with knives.
“Oh, there you are,” she said, wiping her brow with the back of her hand and leaving a streak of flour in its wake. “Everybody’s been asking about you. Here. Take these out to the table, Jake.” She shoved a platter of delicate pastries at him.
“Can I help?” I asked.
“No, honey. I’ve got my hands full and prefer it that way. If I stop, I’ll …” Her chin wobbled. “Well, I just can’t stop, that’s all.”
“Then don’t,” I said with a small smile, turning to leave her to it.
Jake was held up at the table by a little old lady I didn’t recognize. Beyond her hovered a host of others with sad, hungry eyes, waiting for their chance with him. I couldn’t remember the names of most of them, though I recognized their faces. Plenty I didn’t know at all. And looking around, standing in the warmth of the kitchen, there was suddenly no air again. Too many people in too small a space.
Somehow, among a crush of people, I was alone. Jake was the center of this universe, the living connection to Pop, blood or not, and I was just a girl on the edge of the crowd, looking in on something I wasn’t truly a part of.
The urge to escape overwhelmed me. I hurried for the back door and reached it unobstructed, slipping out onto the porch that circled the house, seeking solitude. For a moment, I found it. Closed my eyes and leaned up against the side of the house, relishing in the feel of the cool air on my overheated skin.
“Long day, huh?”
I bolted off the wall, my eyes flying open to find Chase Patton leaning against the railing.
He’d always been a tall drink of water, his smile easy and his body long and lean. Blond hair artfully mussed, eyes crisp and blue as a summer day. He was handsome, and he knew it. As the only son of the man who owned the town, he got anything and everything he wanted. I wondered briefly if anyone had ever told him no and decided they hadn’t.
Of course, I hadn’t seen him since before I moved away. I knew him—everybody did. But I’d seen a side of him he hid from others, first and foremost, his father.
We watched each other as he brought his cigarette to his lips to take a long, lingering drag, and when he exhaled, he breathed slithering smoke like a dragon.
My heart thundered, my cheeks flushed despite myself. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize anyone was out here. I’ll leave you to it.” I started to turn, hoping I could avoid an actual conversation with him, but he snagged my hand.
“Please, don’t. Don’t go back into that hothouse on account of me.”
I withdrew my hand from his and folded my arms.
“Smoke?” he asked, cigarette hanging from his lips as he reached into his back pocket.
“No, thank you.”
He settled the pack back where it’d been and took another drag. “It was a beautiful service. Frank’s gonna be missed around here, no doubt about that.”
I almost laughed—he certainly wouldn’t be missed by the Pattons. “Thank you.”
“When my grandfather died, it was the longest day of my life. He was the epicenter of this town, and the hoopla was almost unbearable. All any of us wanted was to be alone, but we found ourselves in the middle of everyone else’s grief. It’s brutal. But tomorrow will be a different kind of hard. Because that’s when it really hits you.”
I swallowed my tears, nodding. “Thank you for coming to pay your respects.”
He smirked even as he took a pull. “All you’ve done is thank me since you came out here.”
At that, I did laugh, relaxing just enough. I leaned against the house again, facing him. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Why did you come? The Pattons and the Brents are the Hatfields and McCoys of this town. You can imagine it’s a surprise to see you here, at the house.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Would you kick us out if I said it was politics?”
“You? No. Your dad? No promises.”
“The honest truth is that I’ve been holding out hope he’d have the courage to mend fences. I can’t say I subscribe to a hundred-twenty-five-year-old feud—no good has ever come of it. I’ll keep holding out for a change of heart, especially now that Frank is gone,” he said with a nod toward the house. “There’s no reason to keep it going—not one that makes sense. But I couldn’t let him come alone. So here we are.”
I glanced in through the window to see James Patton talking with all the gusto of a politician, and the sight turned my stomach. I tried to tell myself perhaps the song and dance was just how a man like him dealt with regret. By pretending it didn’t exist.
“I heard you inherited the farm. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, infinity,” he teased.
I chuckled, looking down at the slats of the porch.
“So what are you going to do with it?”
“Well, if you know that I inherited, you know Jake inherited half.”
“I do.”
“And you also know we have to decide everything together.”
“Naturally. Of course, I didn’t figure you’d stick around. I thought you’d be back to New York.”
I frowned. “You and everybody, it seems.”
“It makes sense, that’s all. Don’t take it personal,” he said, somehow sounding reassuring. “You know Dad’s been trying to acquire your farm forever. Maybe one day, it’ll be up to you and me. We can put the feud to bed by joining forces. I’m sure you know we could do a lot for your farm. How we could use our reach and money and expand.”
“I’m sure you could, but I think we’ll be just fine on our own. We’ve lasted this long.”
He smiled sidelong at me so amiably, not a single warning bell rang. “You have. And I’m sure you’ll outlive us all. But it’s a nice thought, isn’t it?”
I was just about to thank him again for a laugh and excuse myself, but before either of us could speak, the back door flew open, and Jake blew out.