Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

F inley Ackerman pulled up to Dawson Rhinehart's cabin, and he found another truck parked there, as well as two horses. That meant he, Paul, Henry, and Libby had arrived last.

"You sure it's okay that we all came?" Paul asked, peering at the front door.

"Sure," Finn said. "I texted Dawson when we left." And it took just over an hour and a half to make the drive from Three Rivers Ranch to the Rhinehart Ranch. North to south, across the town of Three Rivers.

"I brought enough of Momma's potato salad to feed a small army," Libby said. "So I'm going in." She opened the door and dropped from the back passenger seat of Finn's truck.

"I have three dozen chocolate chip cookies," Henry said, grabbing the bag of them and leaving Finn to look at Paul. They didn't have any food up front with them, and Finn grinned.

"We have to go in too, whether we have food or not."

"All right," Paul drawled, and he sounded a lot like Finn's Uncle Pete. Paul was his son, so that made sense. He lived and worked at Three Rivers with his daddy and Finn's, in agriculture.

Finn got out of the truck, with Paul following suit. They went up the steps to the cabin, where Libby had already gained entrance. Lincoln Glover had brought his younger brother, Smiles, and they stood near the back of the house, in the kitchen.

Brandon Rhinehart laughed, but Dawson couldn't be seen. Alex wasn't here either, and Finn watched as the cowboys at the back of the cabin cheered as Libby put down a big bowl and Henry added the cookies to it.

Finn went into the kitchen too and clapped Brandon on the shoulder. "Hey," he said. "How are you guys up here? Survived the rain?"

"Better than some where the rivers are lower," Brandon said. "Dawson said there's a lot of mud out there, but I've been helpin' my momma this morning."

He had a long row of bread slices on the counter, with plenty of sliced meat and cheese nearby. Sandwiches. Perfect. Finn loved a good sandwich.

"Nicki made homemade potato chips," Alex said from behind Finn, and he turned to face his brother-in-law. He loved him like a brother, because he'd taken good care of Finn's wife before she'd been his wife, before he'd even returned to town.

And he still did, though he was married now and had a pretty woman to take care of as well.

"Yes," Link said, going to meet him. He took the brown paper bag from him and added, "I love these things."

"She made some with the barbecue seasoning just for you," Alex said. "I left them in my truck. Figured you could grab them on your way home." He grinned at Lincoln. "I know you don't like to share."

"Not Nicki's homemade barbecue potato chips," he said.

Finn noticed Smiles, who was probably sixteen or seventeen, standing there, almost out of the way, smiling of course. He moved over to him and said, "Hey, bud. When does school start again?"

"Tuesday," Smiles said. "We're not muddy at Shiloh Ridge."

"Yeah, we didn't get much at Legacy either," Finn said. "I think Alex is pretty wet, though."

"I'm what?" Alex asked as he arrived in the kitchen. He looked between Finn and Smiles.

"Wet," Smiles said. "From the rain."

"Oh, yeah." Alex rolled his neck as if stretching it. " Since the flood a couple of summers ago, whenever it rains, it's like the water doesn't know where to go but all over the place at Coyote Pass."

"We're havin' sandwiches for lunch?" Dawson seemed to growl the words, and he cocked his eyebrows at Brandon. His younger brother muttered something to him, and then turned to Libby to talk to her, his expression brightening as he continued to spread mayo on what looked like homemade bread.

Something didn't seem quite right there, and Alex said, "Pretty sure they forgot we were coming." He flashed a rare smile, and these lunches were about the only time Finn saw Alex show that thing. Well, he sure did have a special smile for Nicki too.

Dawson looked over to Finn, who lifted his chin to him. As his friend came closer, Finn said, "You look tired, Daws." He wrapped him up in a man-hug and stepped back, grinning.

Dawson didn't smile, but he did relax. "Been busy the past few days."

"The owls?" Finn asked.

Dawson sighed as Link turned his attention from his phone to the conversation. "Yeah, the owls, though I guess now that they're here, we just can't bother them."

"It's not like you have to take feed and water out to them," Link said.

Dawson cut him a look. "Nope. And the crops keep growing, I guess. We set up the fence. It's done. "

"And how's Caroline?" Link asked, and Finn was glad he had so Finn wouldn't have to. Because Dawson wore a tsunami in his expression. Link possessed some bravery to even ask; Finn thought he'd wait until Dawson had something to eat before he'd ask about Caroline Thompson.

"She's…we're not going out." Dawson ducked his head and reached up to remove his cowboy hat. He turned to the pegs along the wall beside the back door, and Finn met Link's eyes while their friend's back was turned.

"I asked outright," Link muttered. "Someone pick up the ball."

Dawson faced them again, and Alex asked, "Why aren't you goin' out with her? She cancel on you?" He'd never shied away from hard things, that was for sure.

"You said she seemed excited."

Dawson nodded, more of his grumpy exterior melting away. Finn's heart hurt for Dawson, because he recognized his own yearning and unrealized dreams in his friend's eyes. Finn had everything he could possibly want right now, but that hadn't always been the case. He'd spent nights alone, wondering what he'd done wrong.

He'd been stood up before, several times in foreign countries. He took the bag of potato chips as it got passed to him, and he wasn't going to leave those behind. Nicki had a green thumb and some skills in the kitchen, and Finn loved going to his brother- and sister-in-law's farmhouse for dinner any time they invited him and Edith.

"Not exactly," Dawson finally said. "Duke and I had some business last night, so I actually canceled on her."

"Oh, well, that's easy, then," Link said. "You just ask her out again."

Dawson gave him a dark look and took a couple of steps over to the counter to help his brother slice tomatoes. "I went down to get groceries for my mama, and I stopped by her place."

"Good move," Finn said. "And?"

"She…." Dawson focused all of his attention on his culinary tasks, which wasn't a good sign. Finn caught Alex's eye, and they had a quick conversation. "Her sister just moved in with her," Dawson said. "And she's only a few weeks into a divorce, so Caroline is a little worried about how she'll take her dating."

"How her sister will feel?" Link asked.

"Yeah." Dawson nodded. "Yep. That's right. So, I didn't ask her out again. We don't have a date set up."

"She was going to bring lunch today," Brandon said, and all eyes flew to him.

"Brandon," Dawson growled.

"What? She was." He stepped back from the counter and surveyed it. A smile came to his face. "But I guess she decided not to." He looked over to Dawson. "Why'd you say? "

Dawson's jaw jumped, and he turned with the serrated knife to put it in the sink. With his back turned, he said, "She didn't want to lie to her sister. Not even a little one." He faced the group, his face cleared of frowns and concern. "Can we not talk this to death? I swear, y'all are worse than my mama."

He cracked a grin, and Brandon chuckled, which further splintered the ice. Finn smiled, and Link did too.

"God's told me to be patient," Dawson said. "So I'm gonna do that."

"Good plan, brother," Finn said, holding out his fist for Dawson to bump.

He did, and then he looked at the food. "So, we forgot y'all were comin', but we've got sandwiches, potato salad, homemade potato chips, and chocolate chip cookies."

"It's a feast!" Finn called, and the other cowboys—and Libby—nodded.

"Henry's good with women," Paul said. "He might have some advice."

Dawson nodded and said, "I'll listen to whatever."

"I have an idea," Libby said. "We can talk about it while we eat."

"I've got a thought too," Smiles said, and that again brought all the eyes to a single person. Smiles was probably a decade younger than anyone there. "I mean, I'm young, but I go out with a lot of girls."

Link grinned at his younger brother and slung his arm around him. "He sure does. Real humble about it too."

Smiles just grinned and grinned. "It's just an idea."

"Let's eat," Dawson said. "And then we can keep talking about maybe some un-intrusive ways for me to keep in touch with her."

Henry moved to his side, and said, "You don't want to keep in touch with her, brother. She's not your elderly aunt." He grinned at Dawson. "We'll find a way that she can't wait to see you again, can't wait to come up here and check on those blasted burrowing owls." He picked up a paper plate and added, "I'll pray, yeah? And we'll eat."

Finn smiled, because he knew Henry hadn't eaten breakfast and was likely starving. Dawson nodded, and they all bowed their head while Henry squished his eyes closed.

"Lord," he said, his voice not as polished at prayer as others Finn had heard. He knew his cousin hadn't always walked on the straight and narrow path, and that he'd wanted to strike out into the world in a big way. In his own way.

He'd left his family and the ranch where they'd grown up together the week after his high school graduation, and he'd only ever come back to stay for short visits.

"We're really grateful to have friends we can rely on. Friends we can talk to openly about things that matter to us, to our families, and to our farms and ranches. We're all young here, Lord, and we need Thy help."

Henry paused, and Finn let his words really sink into his soul. He did need God's help—they all did—and he felt the overwhelming warmth and power and zing of pure love. Pure brotherhood. Pure belonging.

"Help direct our feet to the paths we should be on. Help those of us without a significant other to keep improving ourselves to be ready for when we'll finally meet our better half. Guide those of us in relationships to say and do the right things, even if it's not the thing someone else wants to hear."

He cleared his throat, and Finn had the distinct thought that he needed to spend more time with his cousin. Henry was finishing up his farrier training, and he had his apprenticeship left, and Finn could hire him to come check his horses. Alex could too, and Finn could make sure he happened to be at Coyote Pass when Henry did the job.

"Help us with our daddies, to know how to talk to them, to make our mommas proud, and to be there for anyone who needs us. Oh." He took a breath. "We're real glad Dawson and Brandon overbuy on sandwich meat and cheese, and we're real grateful they're hosting us for lunch today. Bless them and their ranch and then bless the food, and anyone else here who needs something specific. Amen."

He cleared his throat again and immediately started making a sandwich, even while the other "Amens" that had been uttered lifted up to the ceiling. Henry wouldn't look up, but Paul watched him, his gaze switching to Finn a few moments later while Alex and Libby took paper plates and got in line behind Henry.

Finn lifted his eyebrows, and Paul nodded, which meant they'd both noticed something in Henry. Finn might be able to bring it up easier, and he'd text Paul about it later.

Right now, his stomach growled, and he wanted a turkey sandwich with cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. They started to chat and chuckle as they got their food, and Finn happened to end up between Dawson and Henry, one of the last to make it to the table with his food.

"All right," Dawson drawled into a lull in the conversation. "Anything anyone wants to tell us all?" He looked at Finn, as if he might announce something like Edith was going to have twins in April.

Even Alex looked at him, and Finn's face grew hot. "Uh, sure, I guess I have something."

"You do," Alex said.

"Well, you could too," Finn shot back.

"But I don't." Alex lifted his sandwich to his mouth but didn't take a bite. "Nicki ain't pregnant."

Finn couldn't tell if Alex was upset about that or not, and he added it to the list of things he'd talk about with one of his best friends in a more private setting. Edith was pregnant, and they had learned the gender of the baby since the last time the group of them had met for lunch.

"Wedding plans are going well for us," Link said as he reached for a bottle of lemonade. "Misty's, uh, she's going to Dallas in a month or so to talk to her mom about coming." He nodded, and while Finn didn't know the whole story there, Link had told them all a little bit of his fiancée's past.

"And I appreciate you guys inviting Danny to this." He nodded around, his expression somber and serious and full of gratitude. "I think I can get him to come to one of these if you keep at it."

Finn did love a good sandwich, and he took a big bite just to get something in his stomach besides a few potato chips before he said his news. His friends were incredibly patient, and they all knew his stalling tactics as they didn't say anything or start another line of conversation.

Finally, Finn couldn't put it off any longer, and he said, "Edith's gonna have a boy in April." A smile coated his face and filled his soul, because he still couldn't believe he was going to be a father. That a tiny baby would be entrusted to him to keep alive, to love, to teach, to care for. "We're making lists of names now, but she doesn't want anyone to know."

He shot a look at Alex, who wore that smile he so rarely gave the world.

"That's amazing," Dawson said. "Congrats to both of you." Other rounds of congratulations went around, and Finn took them all without too much embarrassment. He met Dawson's gaze again and switched his to Smiles'.

Dawson got the hint, and he said, "All right. Let's hear what the young bucks have to say about what I should do with Caroline."