“You’re an ass**le and I’ve had enough of it.”
“Because I won’t listen to you?”
“You won’t listen to anyone, Dad. When was the last time Uncle Cal asked for your opinion on anything?”
Carson dismounted. “Am I supposed to be keepin’ track of that?” He sent his son a hard look. “Guess I don’t need to since you seem to be doin’ it for me.”
“I can tell you even your own brother says you’re bein’ a stubborn fool—just like your dad—about some of this stuff.”
“So you’re polling my brothers now? I’ll bet Casper weighed in heavily on the I’m an ass**le side, didn’t he?”
Cord’s spurs jangled as he walked over to stand in front of Carson with his hands on his hips. “I think there are days when even Mom would be on that side.”
“Watch what you say or you might find yourself eatin’ dirt, boy. You may be younger, but I got a lot of fight left in me when it comes to people talkin’ shit. And that’s exactly what you’re doin’ right now.”
They glared at each other. They’d been snarling and snapping at each other for the better part of a year. Cord working around him. Undermining his authority. If they weren’t arguing about what type of grass to plant, they were arguing about the breeding program, the field rotation, land lease issues, what shoes to put on the horses and what color to repaint the barn. If there was something to have an opinion on, guaranteed Cord would have the opposite opinion of his father’s. It’d gotten tedious and the back and forth was getting them nowhere.
“Real nice, Dad. Real helpful.” Cord jabbed a finger at him. “You wanna know the truth? No one wants to work with you. Colby is off rodeoin’ because he’d rather be anywhere than stuck here under your thumb. Cam joined the service as soon as he graduated from high school because he’d rather get his ass shot off than get his ass chewed every f**kin’ day of his life by you. Carter is goin’ off to college and you can bet your ass he ain’t majoring in Ag management so he can return to the fold and help you out.”
“What about Colt? You left him off your roll call of people who wanna get the hell away from me and my stubborn ways.”
Cord snorted. “Colt gives a shit about two things: pu**y and booze. He’ll be the obedient son doin’ whatever you say as long as ranching don’t interfere with his afterhours pursuits.”
Because Colt was easier to work with than Cord, it was also easier to ignore the similarities he saw between Colt and himself.
“I work my ass off. For years I’ve been tryin’ to prove I’m worthy of the almighty Carson McKay’s stamp of approval. But I’m never gonna get it. So I’m done.”
“Done what? Done for the day?”
“No, done for good. Jesus, Dad. Half the time you don’t even bother to listen to me. I think you suffer from old timer’s disease.”
“Old timer’s?” Incensed about the low blow, Carson snapped, “I’m fifty-two years old and a long goddamn ways from old timer’s. Just because what I tell you ain’t what you wanna hear don’t mean I’m some foolish old man rambling about nothin’.”
“Well you can ramble on to someone who gives a shit. As of tomorrow, that ain’t me. I’m gone.”
“Yeah? Where you goin’?”
“I’ll know when I get there. But it’ll be a long way from here.” Cord took off his gloves and threw them on the ground before he stormed off. Then his truck tires spit gravel as he tore off. Again.
Carson didn’t say anything. He just hung up his tack and brushed down his horse. Then to calm himself down and clear his head, he set about straightening the tack room. Carter popped in to let him know he’d finished chores.
He had no idea how long he’d been in the barn until Carolyn showed up. “You missed supper.”
“Sorry. Not really hungry.”
“Carson, honey, what’s going on? Keely tracked you down and said you were throwing stuff and swearing so she ran the other way.”
He said just one word: “Cord.”
“Ah. That’s why he took off like the hounds of hell were on his boot heels.”
“Yeah, well that fits since he all but called me the devil himself.”
That’s when she moved in and wrapped her arms around him. She didn’t say anything, she always knew what he needed, even just a simple touch. Immediately everything was better in his world.
She kissed the side of his neck and purred, “Mmm. Dust and sweat and cowboy. My favorite.”
“I’m a little more ripe than usual.” From angry sweat—not that he’d tell her that. Then again, she probably already knew.
“Come inside. Once you get scrubbed clean let’s see how dirty we can get.”
Carson lifted an eyebrow. “On a Tuesday night with the kids home?”
She shrugged. “Why not? It’s not like they’ll notice.”
Great plan. Things hadn’t been spontaneous between them in a while… His eyes narrowed. “Hey. Wait a second. Is this a pity f**k? You tryin’ to take my mind off me’n Cord havin’ words?”
“Maybe. Besides, don’t you always say a f**k is a f**k? And be honest, you won’t be thinking about anything else when your dick is in my mouth.”
He smacked her butt and she yelped. “Sugar, I love that dirty mouth of yours. Now march that fine ass of yours up to the bedroom.”
The next day Cord hadn’t shown up to work, which left him to do everything by himself since Carter and Keely were both in school. By the time he’d returned home, he’d found his wife staring aimlessly out the window. The breakfast dishes still in the sink, the house a bit messy; she always tidied up after Carter and Keely left.
“Caro? What’s wrong?”
Without facing him, she said, “Cord is gone.”
His gut clenched. “What?”
“He stopped to say goodbye.” Her voice broke on a sob. He went to her to pull her into his arms but she waved him off. “Don’t.”
“What did he say?”
“That he’d had enough. He needed to find his own way. Find a way not to hate you.”
That knocked the breath from his lungs. He reached for the back of the dining room chair to keep himself from passing out. He couldn’t believe it’d come to this. That he and his son couldn’t work this out. Carson figured Cord would go on a bender for a couple of days and things would go back to normal. That’s what he’d done when his old man had pissed him off.