Flawless Surrender (4 page)

Dalton Keegan was home. He was on US soil. Good old Texas dirt. It felt wonderful and terrible all at once.

The first time he walked through the Austin-Bergstrom Airport he believed he was leaving Texas behind for good. He was on his way to medical school, and had no intention of coming back, even though he had made promises to his parents to visit every holiday he could. He held his ground for four years, only breaking down and visiting the summer after graduation. The look on his mother’s face when he announced his plans to leave for Africa was a unique juxtaposition of pride and disappointment. He knew she wanted him to stay close, but at the time he couldn’t handle the open floodgates to his memories that living in Texas would mean.

One emergency visit back home was all he allowed himself in the nearly ten years he had been overseas. But after seeing that pops was recovered from his heart attack, and that his mother was making plans to retire in Arizona, Dalton’s heart was in pieces, and he was ready to escape again at any cost. He left with a lighter heart because with his parents in Arizona, he would have the ability to visit them there and never again have to face his past in the Lone Star state.

Apparently, life had other plans for him. Just a mere two weeks ago they had gotten word at the camp in Mogadishu, Somalia, the organization was pulling all personnel out of the country. The violence had been escalating and the government factors weren’t being as helpful in discouraging the attacks on volunteer doctors and nurses. Dalton had seen a handful of volunteers killed in the years he had been over there, but it held no comparison to the thousands who died every year from malnutrition and disease because they couldn’t get help in time.

He was angry to be pulled out, but he had no say in the matter. He wasn’t ready to sign onto another position in another country, and his parents lived in a retirement community in Arizona. There was no extra room for him to live there, so here he was back in small town Texas for the time being.

Being back in Stone River meant facing the demons he had been running from for the last two decades, and he wasn’t exactly sure yet how to accomplish that. Running into Walt or Minnie White would be his worst nightmare, and yet in a small town like Stone River, it was going to be impossible to avoid them.

“Professor!”

The sound of his older brother’s voice echoed through the doorway of the airport terminal, and Dalton couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face. Even facing his worst fears wasn’t going to stop him from enjoying the time with his brother. He had missed the stupid nicknames, jokes, and even the backbreaking work that came with being home on the Triple T.

Dalton made a beeline for Tanner, whose broad cowboy build drew the eyes of the female population anywhere he went. Tanner never even noticed the dozens of sighs from women as he ambled through a public place because it was normal for him. His bearing was that of a proud Army general, and Dalton knew from experience that Tanner ran the ranch with the same efficiency.

Dropping his carry-on to the floor, he wrapped his brother in a masculine embrace of backslapping, chest pounding Alpha male greeting. “Skipper! Damn it’s good to see you!”

“You too, man,” Tanner responded with a chuckle. They had quirky nicknames for each other out of love, or at least it was love on Dalton’s part. Years ago, watching Gilligan’s Island had been the highlight of their after school ritual. Tanner was Skipper because he was supposed to be in charge, but his brothers made sure his ego never got too big. Dalton was always a Straight A Honor Roll student, so he was Professor, and that left Clint with the nickname Gilligan. Poor kid had started out as gangly and awkward as possible. It wasn’t until he hit fourteen when he finally filled out. After that, the girls went gaga for him. It was still weird to Dalton that Clint was in Hollywood working as an actor.

“Did you check bags?”

“Nah, I shipped my stuff back. It should be here in a couple of days. Just me and my pack.” The two brothers turned and headed across the airport. Dalton caught more than a few double takes as they moved through the crowd. People parted easily in front of the two big men, but it didn’t stop Dalton from feeling a little claustrophobic in the mass of bodies.

Their size was the first thing most people noticed when they were together. At six foot tall, they weren’t giants, but thanks to their parents great gene mash up, they were both broadly built and muscular. To help pay for medical school, Dalton had even posed for a few modeling companies at one point. His blonde hair and blue eyes stood out in sharp contrast to Tanner’s darker coloring and amber colored eyes, but they shared similar features in their oval faces, angular jaws, and long narrow noses. If Clint stood with them, the similarities in the three men were even more obvious. Clint had his mother and Tanner’s darker coloring, and toffee brown eyes. They were ringed with thick eyelashes that drove the ladies crazy. His dimpled chin was identical to Dalton’s, and they all three shared the same thick eyebrows and strong brow line. Yep, they were three brothers who looked alike, but couldn’t have been more different from each other.

They stepped out into the stifling Texas heat and Dalton threw his head back, inhaling deeply. “Ahh, it even smells different here.”

Tanner laughed, “You’re probably smelling the horse shit on my boots. I came directly from working all day long.”

“Can’t say I’ve missed mucking stalls, but I can’t wait to get back in a saddle.” Dalton tossed his backpack in the back end of Tanner’s old pickup truck and climbed up onto the cracked vinyl seat.

Country music blared out of the speakers when Tanner turned the key, and Dalton couldn’t resist tapping his tennis shoe to the chorus about “Boys Round Here.” He hadn’t been able to listen to much American music unless it was already programed onto his iPod. He couldn’t wait to spend a day searching all of the newest hits to supplement his small selection.

“So how was Africa?”

“Hot, dirty, and fantastic. I’m going to miss it.”

“Any word on whether or not the program will be able to reopen?”

Dalton shook his head, and sighed. “No, and until they can work something out with the government, I don’t see it happening. Could be after twenty years, MSF will just have to stay out of Somalia.”

“It’s a damn shame when people are attacking volunteers who are only there to help save lives and feed them,” Tanner said, and Dalton nodded his agreement.

“It’s a warzone. Anything goes in a warzone. There’s been so much conflict that most of the time no one is even sure who is on whose side. We were there to help everyone. Didn’t matter which side they were on, or what they had done in the past or might do in the future. The only thing that mattered was they needed help.”

Tanner snorted, “So you helped fix up the guys who were more than likely going to turn around and shoot you the first chance they had?”

Dalton shook his head, “No it’s not like that. I mean, sure, there is a chance of it, but for the most part, we are passing out food to people who are starving and treating them for diseases they’ve contracted because they don’t have the right stuff available. Anyways, I don’t want to talk about work. Tell me about Stone River? What’s changed at the Triple T?”

“Not much, man. I’m still working with the sun and falling into bed half dead at night. I just started working with Brooks Pastures to coordinate our breeding programs.”

“What?” Dalton stared at Tanner in shock. For decades the Triple T and Brooks Pastures had been in competition with each other. The idea the two families might work together had honestly never occurred to him.

“Yeah, Parker and Rogan have one hell of a stallion over there, and if I can get a few foals with some of our mares, well, I think it will serve us all well.” Tanner glanced at Dalton’s stunned face and grimaced. “Times have changed Professor. We can’t all avoid what’s happening around us by packing up and moving. I have to adjust our system or risk going under.”

Dalton hissed out a breath of air he hadn’t realized he was holding, “Shit, I’m sorry. You just surprised me. Are things that bad in Stone River?”

“Not bad so much as the bills are tight. We have had three straight years of drought. The Carrion River is way down, and the cost of water has gone up, so bringing more in isn’t an option. I have to find a way to keep us afloat without the crops.”

It was quiet between the two brothers for a few moments as Dalton pondered Tanner’s response. He was right of course. Changes had to be made in order to protect the ranch, and after almost fifteen years out of the ranching business, Dalton was the last person with a right to judge his older brother for his business decisions.

“Good for you.”

Tanner barked out a surprised laugh.

“I mean it, Skipper. That ranch is your heart and soul, and I admire you for doing whatever it takes to save it. If the Brooks boys are the way to do that, then I’m all for it.”

“Glad to hear it, because you’re going to have to help me explain it to pops when he comes to visit at Christmas. I haven’t told him yet.”

“Oh shit! Nope, you’re on your own with that, man. Besides, I’m not sure yet where I’ll be at Christmas time. I have a couple of months to figure it out.”

Tanner frowned, “If it means anything to you, it would make mama really happy if you would stick around for it. There are jobs in Austin, or old Doc Plass might be looking to retire? You have a home at the ranch, so you don’t have to leave if you don’t want to.”

Dalton turned his head to look out the window of the truck at the passing scenery. Now that they were on the highway there was only fields, cows, and the occasional scrub brush to look at, but he wasn’t going to let Tanner see the tears in his eyes. He wanted to be able to say yes. If only he had that option.

“We’ll see. I’m not sure Stone River can ever be my home again, Tanner. It wouldn’t be fair to Minnie and Walt.”

“Are you kidding? You’re still holding on to that? Walt and Minnie have grieved and moved on, Dalton. If they’ve managed to let it go, why can’t you?”

“Because they didn’t kill anyone, Tanner. I did. I will never be able to forgive myself, and they shouldn’t have to see their son’s murderer every day for the rest of their lives.”

“Dalton—”

“No! I don’t want to have this conversation right now. I just got my feet back on US soil and I want to use this time to rest. Do me a favor and let me know when we hit Stone River. I’m going to take a little cat nap.” Dalton promptly shut his eyes and ignored Tanner’s cursed mutterings under his breath. His brother was wrong. There was no way Walt and Minnie would ever move on and forgive him for Ben’s death. As well they shouldn’t. Forcing the whole thing from his mind, Dalton let his body relax and quickly slipped into sleep with the rocking of the truck.

*****

Tanner’s battered red truck pulled up in front of Zoey’s place at ten o’clock on the nose Saturday morning. Like any good weirdo, Zoey was watching for it from her apartment window. When the two broad-shouldered men climbed out, she could just barely hear their laughter through the thin glass, and a ripple of desire shot through her. Tanner’s cowboy hat was missing, leaving his buzzed head bare to her view, and when paired up with Dalton’s lighter sandy blonde hair they almost looked like a cowboy version of Good versus Evil. She wasn’t sure which option she wanted to taste first, the good or the evil, but at this moment neither was actually a choice.

Hurrying across the large room, she glanced around at the empty corners. She really didn’t have a whole lot that was hers. The sofa and chair along with most of the living room contents belonged to the landlord, as did the bed and dresser. That left her with just a stack of about twelve moving boxes, her bike, her television, and the cedar chest that she and Rachel had found at a flea market when they were seventeen. They had spent a whole month lovingly restoring the piece and it was Zoey’s most prized possession.

When the doorbell rang, Zoey plastered a smile on and swung it open. She was anticipating the blast of sex appeal from Tanner, but the electricity nearly singed her when her eyes met Dalton’s.

“Zoey Carson. Wow! I haven’t seen you since you were in pigtails,” Dalton said. His slightly shell-shocked appearance soothed her ego a little and she sighed.

“Ah yes, Dalton the demi-God who broke dozens of teenage hearts in Stone River when he left for medical school!” She threw back dramatically. His laughter was warm and he stepped forward wrapping her in a hug.

“Damn it’s good to see you too, woman. You grew up good!” Dalton’s hand rested on her hip with his arm holding her close, in an affectionate sort of way, as he looked her over. She returned the favor taking in his golden locks, dimpled chin, and midnight blue eyes. That combo alone would make for a teenage wet dream, but when settled over the top of a six foot tall perfectly sculpted specimen of man meat, it was nuclear.

“I’m not the only one. Age has done you well, Mr. Keegan.” She threw a glance at Tanner, surprised to find him glaring at the pair of them. “Morning, Tanner, is everything alright?”

“It’s fine. If you two are done drooling on each other, I would like to get a move on loading this stuff up. Unlike you two, I have chores to do when we get back.” He sounded gruff, but Zoey saw his eyes roam over her semi-empty place and soften when he realized what a small pile of belongings there was to move. “Did you get everything packed, Zoey?”

“Yep, this is it. Once we have it all loaded I just need to drop the key off to Mrs. Flannigan downstairs. Mr. Langley is going to be by tomorrow to collect all of the keys from her. She has a moving company coming to help move her out today.” She was still standing in the curve of Dalton’s arm, but sensing that it was making Tanner tense she took a step away from his younger brother and slid her hands into her back pockets. “Thank you both for helping me out. I’m sure Rogan, Parker, and Hudson would have, but with Sawyer down and the new baby—”

“New baby? What new baby?” Dalton asked, looking confused.

“The Brooks brothers married Rachel Morgan. You remember Rachel, she and I are best friends. The five of them got married almost a year ago now, and they just had a little girl named Juliet.”

“Fuck me! You have got to be kidding. Parker Brooks got someone to marry him? And he has a kid? Wait, did you just say all four of them are married to her? How the hell does that work?”

Tanner and Zoey shared a look and a laugh, “Oddly enough, brother, it seems to work for them. She married Rogan legally, but they are all well and truly married to her.”

“And the town didn’t burn her at the stake for bewitching the four of them?” Dalton joked, and Zoey started giggling harder.

“Nope, in fact they seem to have embraced and accepted their family pretty easily. It’s unusual, but as long as they aren’t hurting anyone, they are allowed to love whoever they want.”

“Alright, you can catch up on all of the gossip at home. I’m sure Zoey will be glad to fill you in. Let’s get moving.” Tanner picked up the closest box and passed it to Dalton’s waiting arms.

“You got it boss,” Dalton said with a sharp nod to Tanner and a wink at Zoey before he spun on his heel and marched out of the apartment.

“I see your brother is still an enormous flirt,” Zoey said, picking up a smaller box and following behind Tanner as he carried two boxes at once.

Tanner snorted, “Are you surprised? Dalton’s flirting was legendary. There’s no way Africa could change him that much.”

Zoey dropped the subject as they stepped out into the sunshine and Dalton relieved her of her armful. Tanner might think Dalton had all of the flirting skills, but he wasn’t giving himself enough credit. He had been doing a number on her body ever since she was thirteen and she spotted him and Lindsay Self making out in the back of Dottie’s ice cream shop. How she was going to survive even a couple of weeks in the same house as these two was anyone’s guess.