Cowboy Take Me Away (37 page)

“I’m just supposed to chalk it up to boys being boys? Excuse my sons’ behavior because they’re McKays?”

“No, but it’ll go a long way in tryin’ to explain it.”

“You are an exasperating man, you know that? This is why
you
need to deal with this. I have no experience with this wild teenage behavior, Carson. None. And you do. Lots of experience.”

“If me’n Cal and Casper and Charlie had done half the crap that was blamed on us, we’d be in jail right now. Sundance is a small town, Carolyn. Rumors spread, and change so much that usually what the end person hears ain’t close to the truth of what really happened. This won’t be the only time
we’ll
hafta deal with it. So we’d better come up with a way that I don’t always end up bein’ the bad guy.”

“That’s how you see it?”

“Yep.”

“Bull.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Bull. I’ll agree when it comes to ranch work and chores you crack the whip. But how often do you have to do it? Hardly ever because the boys don’t want to disappoint you, or get extra chores for leaving things undone. Whereas I have to ask five times to get the garbage taken out, and then whichever boy deigns to do it, mutters about me being a nag. Same thing happens when I tell them to put away their clothes. Or to pick up their rooms. Or to help with the dishes. I can’t be the disciplinarian because they don’t listen to me. I’m just the nagging mother.”

“Caro, that’s not true.”

“It is.”

“How long has this been goin’ on?”

She rolled her eyes. “Years. So maybe I am using the gender argument when it comes to teenaged boys. But do you really believe they’ll have an open conversation with their mother about sex? Cord wouldn’t look me in the eye for two weeks after I found that
Playboy
magazine in the bathroom. He reacted the same way after that night at the Rusty Spur and I all but told him that fighting made you horny and you were about to ball my brains out in your truck.”

He sighed. “All right, all right, I get it. I’ll talk to them. But fair warning that if I do this, chances are slim Karen’s mother is getting an apology.”

Carolyn kissed his cheek. “Thank you. I’ll tell the skinny dipping twins you want to see them in your office.”

So that’s how Carson ended up having the sex talk with his sons. It helped that he’d had three shots of whiskey before the conversation started.

Getting summoned into Dad’s office sent the other kids scurrying upstairs to their rooms, because a trip to the office meant they were in big trouble.

Colby and Colt sat on the padded bench and the two of them nearly took up the entire thing. Carson remembered when he could line up all five boys on the bad bench.

“Have any idea why you’re both in here?”

A moment of silence followed.

Then Colt said, “I know I was drivin’ too fast. And I don’t have any excuse except I wanted to see how fast that truck would do a quarter mile. Colby was just along for the ride.”

Carson looked at Colby and the boy cracked like mud in the August sun.

“I know you said you didn’t want me on the back of a bull because I’d break my fool neck, but I had to try it one time. And Colt didn’t have nothin’ to do with it besides drivin’ me there and home.”

Jesus. He wondered just how many confessions he’d get out of these two if he kept doing his stone-faced statue imitation.

“That’s not why we’re in here, is it?” Colby asked.

Carson shook his head.

“It’s not?” Colt said, realizing he’d made an unnecessary confession.

“But keep goin’. Let’s see what other shit you boys’ have been pullin’.”

“Ah, we didn’t mean to get stuck up at Flat Top after the keg, and we’ll get your tow chain back from Dag…tomorrow?” Colt offered.

“Jesus, Colt, shut your damn mouth,” Colby snapped.

“Well at least I didn’t tell him about us takin’ Tina and Tonya to—”

“Shut up!” Colby said again.

Colt closed his mouth so fast his jaw popped.

“Since it sounds like we could be here all night with what you two have been up to, how about I get right to it.” He paused. “The name Karen Ayers ring a bell? And before you decide to get cute, I’ll just throw it out there that Karen’s mother already called here and talked to your mother. So she knows that you skipped youth group last night and went skinny dippin’ with Karen.”

“Mom knows?” Colby said.

“We’re dead, huh?” Colt said.

“You think your mother needs to get phone calls like that? Hell no. And not only because she passes the buck on to me.”

“Is she madder about us skippin’ out on church? Or about us goin’ nekkid swimming with a girl?”

Carson stared at Colby. Hard. “What do you think?”

“We’re dead,” Colt said again.

“You boys cause her enough grief with her havin’ to nag you constantly to get basic household chores done. Next time you start muttering under your breath when she asks you to do something? Imagine if you’d have the same reaction if I asked you to do something.”

Colby and Colt exchanged a look.

“And feel free to pass that advice on to your brothers. Now. Karen Ayers. What in the hell were you thinkin’?”

A few moments passed. Then Colby said, “We weren’t thinkin’ beyond she’s the prettiest girl in school with the wildest reputation.”

“Was it her idea to go swimming nekkid? Or yours?”

“Mine,” Colby admitted.

“But it wasn’t like we had to beg her to take her clothes off or nothin’,” Colt added.

“That’s not the way she’s tellin’ it, least not to her mother. Anything else happen you wanna talk about?”

Colby closed his eyes when Colt opened his mouth. “She let us touch her boobs. Not both of us at the same time, but one of us at a time.”

Like that made it…better. Christ.

“That’s all that happened, Dad, I swear.”

Carson addressed Colby. “Why’d you think it’d be a good idea to take your fourteen-year-old brother along?”

“I’m almost fifteen,” Colt protested.

“I took him because goin’ to the lake was his idea,” Colby said.

Colt tried really hard not to look smug.

And Carson didn’t know whether to laugh or whap him upside the head.

“I ain’t gonna pretend that you won’t be tryin’ to have sex as often as possible once you start down that path. I will say I expect you to be responsible, discreet and respectful.”

Confusion filled Colt’s eyes. “I don’t get it.”

“He means wear a condom, don’t have sex on the school bleachers and don’t go braggin’ about which girls you’re havin’ sex with. Right, Dad?”

He wasn’t surprised Colby knew the score, or how to score for that matter. “Yes, condoms, every time, even if the girl swears she’s on the pill. We don’t need a grandkid and you don’t wanna get some crotch rot that’s goin’ around. Discreet also means I don’t ever wanna hear about you skinny dippin’ again, or where you’re dippin’ your wick, and I definitely don’t want your Ma catchin’ wind of it, am I clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“As far as respect? Girls who’re willin’ to have sex with you? Treat ’em right, not like they’re just a warm place for you to stick it in. Sex ain’t only about you getting your rocks off. The sooner you learn that—”

“The more sex I’ll have?” Colby inserted hopefully.

How was he supposed to answer that?

Don’t. Let that one go.

“Are we in trouble?” Colt asked. “’Cause you weren’t real clear on that.”

“If I could take away your dicks and give them back to you when you’re old enough to use them responsibly, I would. But since that ain’t an option…”

His sons looked at each other with relief, not like they’d gotten away with something.

“As far as the other shit you’re doin’?” He leveled his gaze on Colt. “If I ever catch you drivin’ faster than the speed limit, you’ll be walkin’ everywhere for at least a month, understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

Carson’s gaze moved to Colby. “I told you no bull ridin’. Period. And that I’d consider lettin’ you try it when you were eighteen. Until that birthday rolls around, I’d better never hear of you goin’ against this rule I set. Never.”

“Sorry, Dad. It won’t happen again.”

“Now go apologize to your mother and ask her if she needs help with anything.”

They bolted so fast they tipped the bench over.

Carson reached for the flask in his bottom desk drawer. Good thing he had a few years before he had to have this same talk with Cam and Carter.

But no way, no how was he ever having this talk with Keely.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Hospital, Day 5—morning

He had a bad case of indigestion. Not a good way to start the day. But that’s what he got for trying to eat something healthy; eggs and toast and fruit gifted him with heartburn.

He should’ve stuck to eating cookies. But he was actually tired of cookies. He swore he heard Carolyn’s phantom laughter in his head.

The doctors had checked on Carolyn first thing this morning. No change. No plans to ease her out of the coma. They decided she’d “benefit” from two more days in stasis.

That really increased the churning in his gut.

Pacing hadn’t helped.

Neither had catching up on world news on TV. If anything that’d turned his stomach a little more.

The nurses let him use the private shower and steam room on this floor. Ten minutes of hot water pounding down on him and slipping on a fresh pair of clothes made him feel better.

He returned to the ICU waiting room to find his grandson Ky hanging around.

“Hey, Grandpa. I wondered where you’d disappeared to.”

Carson ran a hand through his damp hair. “Cleaning myself up so your Aunt Channing doesn’t come back and hose me down like we used to have to do with your Uncle Colt when he was a boy.”

“Uncle Colt? Really? Man, he’s always like…so clean. Cleaner than anyone else, even when he’s workin’ cattle.”

“Times change.” He dropped into his chair. “So what’s up?”

“Dad said I was supposed to tell you that me’n Anton and Gib are looking after your horse.”

“I appreciate that. I’m sure your Gran-gran would say the same.” As much as it pained him to admit, he’d have to get rid of Sheridan. That mare deserved an owner who could give her the care she deserved and that hadn’t been him in the last year. Plus, he couldn’t look at the horse without thinking of the accident.

Kyler shifted his sneakered feet and glanced at the closed hospital door. Carson couldn’t count the number of times he’d heard the words “spitting image” used to describe a father and son, but Ky was such a carbon copy of Cord—at least in looks—that even he’d mistakenly called the kid Cord a time or ten.

“How is Gran-gran?”

“The same. I keep tellin’ myself that’s a good thing. Might be bad if she woke up before the doctors wanted her to.”

Ky sat heavily in the chair next to him.

Didn’t seem like the kid wanted to be here—not that Carson blamed him. Chances were he’d been roped into keeping Grandpa company.

Ky locked his gaze on Carson’s. “Are you and Dad in some kinda fight? He wouldn’t come here himself and tell you about us takin’ care of the horse and we’ve been doin’ it for four days. Then I heard him complaining to Mom about you.”

“Not gonna repeat what names he called me?” Carson said with amusement.

“Nope.”

“Probably wise. Your dad—and the rest of my kids—ain’t happy about the ‘no visitors’ rule. They think I’m bein’ controlling and paranoid. They believe the rules oughta be different for them since Carolyn is their mother. But she’s my wife, my responsibility. My sole purpose is to do everything in my power to get her outta that hospital bed and home where she belongs.”

Kyler didn’t even blink at Carson’s snappish response. “I don’t understand why everyone is so bent outta shape about it. I know if it was Mom in there my Dad would be the same way. ’Cept probably worse.”

Silence stretched.

Finally Carson said, “You don’t need to stick around if your dad guilted you into comin’ here.”

“He didn’t. I’m here because I wanted to ask you something.”

“Ask me what?”

“What happened between you and Dad that made him move to Seattle?”

Not what he’d expected and he didn’t know if he should answer. “Son, does your dad know you’re askin’ me about that? ’Cause that wasn’t a happy time for either of us.”

“He refused to talk to me about it, so I figured I could ask you since you don’t pull punches.”

Maybe this would be the one time he would.

“I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t need to know so I can make a decision.”

“You and your dad still goin’ round and round about post-high school options?”

“We’re still going round and round about everything.”

Poor kid. Carson remembered what it was like to be at loggerheads with his dad and all the times he’s been a stubborn jackass of the first order with his sons. “Tell ya what. Get us both a soda and we’ll see where we end up.” Carson dug in his pocket and pulled out five crumpled one dollar bills. “Damn soda here is higher priced than whiskey.”

Kyler grinned. “Maybe we oughta be drinkin’ whiskey. I’ve got some in my truck.”

Carson gave him a level stare.

“Kidding. Dr. Pepper it is.”

He returned with two bottles of soda, two candy bars…and three bucks. Carson raised an eyebrow when Ky passed the money back. “The candy is my treat.”

“Thanks. You oughta be savin’ your money to take out all them pretty girls swarming around you. Gas ain’t cheap these days.”

“Dad pays for my gas, so it’s all good.” Kyler cracked open his soda. Then he wolfed the candy bar before Carson opened his wrapper.

“Why don’t you tell me what’s goin’ on.”

He sighed. “The team’s already started football practice. Every morning from six to eight and then there’s weight training and agility conditioning every afternoon from four to six. Coach thinks we can win state this year after we’ve finished second the last three years, which would be awesome since it’s my senior year. I come straight home after practice and get chores done. Dad is passing off my evening chores to Foster, which is about time because I was doin’ way more at his age than he is. Anyway, there’s already been a couple of college scouts showing up to watch practice.”

“The scouts are there for you?”

A tinge of red appeared on Kyler’s cheeks. “Yeah. Anyway, I like the scout for UWYO. They’re a division one school, but they’ll never get close to a national championship. The scout who showed up last week was from Oklahoma State. He talked a good game and they’ve got the winning records to back up their claims.”

“Did either of them offer you anything?”

“Both did. Full rides. Arizona State University offered the same thing with the option clause of expanding their offer, whatever that means.” He wiggled the metal tab on the can. “So to throw more crap in the mix, last week, Marla called.”

Since Cord had married AJ a dozen years ago, Ky had called AJ Mom, a fact his biological mother Marla wasn’t happy about. But since the boy visited Marla in Seattle maybe once every two years, and AJ was in Kyler’s life every day, Carson didn’t see the issue. “What’s goin’ on with her?”

“She wants me to apply to Washington State.”

“Huh. I didn’t realize that team was on your radar.”

“It’s not. But as soon as Marla found out about the other teams throwing out offers, she contacted the athletic director and sent in an audition tape.”

“Without asking you?”

Kyler nodded. “Kinda slimy, I know. She did it because she means well, but all Dad sees is manipulation.”

“Is WSU sending a scout?”

“I guess.”

“You interested in goin’ there?”

“I don’t know. I want to base my decision on which football team has the best shot at playing in a national championship the years I’m on the team. Dad says there’s more to the decision than that.” The soda can dented after Kyler squeezed it with obvious frustration.

“He tellin’ you where you should go?”

“He says it’s a no brainer; I should pick UWYO.”

“What’s his reasoning on that choice?”

Kyler looked him in the eye. “Sentimentality.”

Whoa. Such an astute kid for seventeen. “You wanna explain that?”

“Because he could come to the games and because I wouldn’t be far from home. But he also knows if I choose a bottom tier division one school then my chance of playing pro ball after college is practically none.” He tacked on, “Not that I think I’m good enough to go that route now. But if I don’t choose the best possible program, then I won’t grow as an athlete.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “And the other thing? I don’t want to get a degree in Ag management.”

“That’s what he’s suggesting you do?”

“Yeah. But sure enough if I earn that degree and come back here and try to ranch with him, he’ll get pissy and remind me he’s been a rancher for far longer than I have and there ain’t nothin’ wrong with the way he does things and most things about ranching can’t be learned in books anyway.”

Dammit, Cord, didn’t you learn anything from me? Pushing that boy in one direction—your direction—is gonna push him away from you.

“Sounds like him.” Carson sighed. “Hell. That sounds like me.” He shot Kyler a look. “That’s why you want to know what happened. So it doesn’t happen between you and your Dad.”

“I also wanna know if it’s some freakin’ pattern with McKays that I’m destined to repeat regardless of what I do.”

“You askin’ if I had the same issue with my old man?”

He nodded.

“Yep.”

He groaned.

“It’s just one of them things. Different personalities and differing philosophies creates friction. Can’t tell you how many times when I was in my early twenties that I told my old man to fuck off and I’d never run the ranch the way he did.” Carson’s eyes narrowed. “You tell your Gran-gran I swore in front of you and I’ll deny it.”

Kyler snorted. “I’m pretty sure after being married for almost fifty years Gran-gran knows exactly how much you swear, Grandpa.”

“She still gives me hell about it.” More than anything in the world he wanted that woman to wake up and snap, “Carson McKay! Language!” at him.

“What did your dad say when you told him you didn’t wanna be a rancher like him?” Kyler asked.

“Told me to pull my head outta my ass and get my work done because he knew I was bluffing. Sounds like sappy bullshit from an old man, but the truth is ranching is in my blood, although some years I’da happily traded in the hard work and low pay for a steady job workin’ in the auto department at Sears.” He sipped his soda. “Does Cord know you wanna do something else with your life?”

“That’s the thing. I don’t know if I do. Maybe four years away from here and my family will make me miss it.”

Cord lasted almost three years in Seattle before he returned to Wyoming—not that Carson planned to mention it. “You have options. No one’s gonna fault you for lookin’ into them.”

“Thanks, Grandpa.” Kyler stood. “It’s about time for your hourly visit with Gran-gran so I’ll let you be.” He jammed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. “Will you, ah, tell her I miss her and I can’t wait until she’s better?”

Carson didn’t trust himself to speak so he just nodded.

“Later, Gramps.”

He cleared his throat. “I thought you wanted to hear about the big fallin’ out between me’n your dad?”

“I do. But I’ll ask him.” He offered a sly grin. “Maybe it’ll help him remember what it was like to be the one wanting to get away.”

“Good plan. But remind him I told you that the way I handled it was wrong. All wrong. Maybe that’ll prompt him to do things the right way.”

After his grandson left, Carson pushed out of the chair, grimacing at the pain in his lower back. Getting old sucked. But at least his hip wasn’t bothering him.

He stared out the window without really seeing anything, his thoughts focused on the fight he’d had with his oldest son right before he left Wyoming…

“No.”

“Jesus, Dad, will you just listen to me?”

Carson reined his horse around. “So you can tell me that I’m an idiot? That you know so much more about what we oughta be doin’ in this section?”

“It’s not like I’m demanding we switch to raising all Angus or something. All’s I’m sayin’ is we oughta look at planting a different kind of grass mix here. We ain’t had the yield we ought to in the last two years since we bought this acreage and you damn well know it.”

He did, but how was he supposed to admit he’d been wrong?

Encouraged by his silence, Cord railed on. “And while we’re talkin’ about it, I don’t think
because that’s the way we’ve always done it
is the only damn answer you ever give me. But every time I’ve tried to talk to you, you shut me down.”

“Then you’d think you’d learn to keep your opinions to yourself.”

“You’re an asshole 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 asshole
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 fuckin’ 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.”