“I don’t see what that has to do with his dirty secrets. He didn’t tell me.”
Gage lifted his shoulder. “Yeah, I imagine he figured he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, seeing as I took off after I found out what a gigantic prick he was, I imagine he figured he wouldn’t let you in on the secret. Losing one heir is a problem. Losing two just starts to look careless.”
“That’s why you took off? Because you found out what a terrible person Dad was?”
It was damn sure close enough. “Yes. I was poised to become king of his trash heap. And it wasn’t what I wanted.”
“And you think it is what I want? Did you think for one second what kind of position it would put me in? Mom?”
“No,” he said. It was honest. When he had taken off he had been eighteen years old, full of self-loathing and anger. All that had mattered was his pain. It had been unique to him, of course. And nothing anyone else could possibly understand. Because he had been eighteen. So, he had been a dick.
“Yeah, I didn’t think you did.” He took a deep breath. “Thanks for not lying about it, though.”
“There’s no point. I didn’t come back here to be the hero of the story. But I did come back here to take care of what I was asked to. Dad’s lawyer contacted me and said that I’m still the person Dad has written down to be the executor in case he was incapacitated.”
Colton shook his head. “I’ve been the one here taking care of things.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t messed up. I’m just telling you how it is.”
“So, now you’re going to step up?”
“Yes.”
“And that’s it? Whether I think you should be here or not?”
Gage pushed his hat back on his head. “Look. Nobody asked you. And I can understand why you’re not happy about it, but that doesn’t change anything. I have some things to take care of here, and I damn sure intend to take care of them.”
“What will that entail? Are you going to deal with Mom’s emotional fallout when she finds out that she’s destitute?” Colton took a step forward. “That’s what I’ve been dealing with. The fact that Mom is always one major incident away from a complete emotional meltdown. And Sierra is pregnant.”
“I know. I mean, I noticed at the hospital.”
“She’s a woman. When you left she was a kid.”
Gage’s face heated. He felt like a fire had started in his chest and spread outward. Anger, pouring through him like molten metal. “I know.”
“Madison... You have no idea what she’s been through. The things they say about her... She could have used you here. I could have.”
“What happened to Madison?”
“She’s going to have to tell you about it. You don’t get to come in and learn all of our secrets right off the bat. We’ve been here. Taking care of Mom, taking care of each other. All you took care of was yourself, Gage. So forgive me if I can’t just accept the fact that you’re here. And that you think you have a right to step in and start handling family business.”
Gage pressed his hand against one of the supports on the deck. “This isn’t about rights. It’s about responsibility.”
“You haven’t cared about responsibility at all in more than a decade. Why are you starting now?”
“Because I was asked to.”
Colton didn’t say anything to that. Instead, he rocked back on his heels, looking toward the inside of the house.
“That woman is your wife?” Gage asked, suddenly realizing that he didn’t know much of anything about his siblings. Beyond Sierra’s very obvious pregnancy.
“Lydia,” Colton said. “And yes. She is.”
“It doesn’t seem right that you’re married. I remember you being sixteen.”
“Hate to break it to you, but time marched on while you were gone.”
Gage suddenly felt hideously old. And a little bit like something that might be found on the bottom of his boot. But then, he imagined that that was Colton’s goal. He couldn’t say he didn’t deserve it.
“Yeah, I guess it did.”
“What exactly are you going to do? About that debt?”
“I’m going to sell off as much as I can. My goal is to preserve the business and the ranch. I assume you’re good with that.”
He could tell Colton was good with it, and more than a little annoyed that he couldn’t disagree. “Yes. I mean, that’s what I would do.”