The Ballerina's Stand. Angel Smits

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СКАЧАТЬ chair at the head of the table, the soft blue fabric of her bridesmaid’s dress rustled loudly. Her high heels thunked to the floor.

      “You realize this is just the first one, don’t you?” He sat in the next seat.

      “Yes. Lord. Are we going to survive six of these?”

      “Hey, at least one of them will be yours.” He grinned at her.

      She groaned as she crossed her arms on the tabletop and rested her head on her forearms. “Not any time soon, I hope.”

      The coffeemaker gave off a last gasping sputter. Jason rose to get them each a cup.

      They’d just taken a sip of the rich brew when more footsteps sounded on the walk outside. “You’ll have to make another pot,” Tara predicted. “Should we hide the cookies?” She took a big bite of the one in her hand.

      Jason laughed, snagging one more for himself as the rest of the family came through the screen door. Addie made the best cookies and the comfort they gave wasn’t something any of them would give up.

      Wyatt entered the kitchen and made his way to the stairs, a sound-asleep Tyler draped over his shoulder. The boy would be staying here while DJ and Tammie went to South Padre Island for their honeymoon. Addie and Emily settled around the table with the rest of them.

      Jason served the last of the pot and made the second. The decibel level in the room rose, though that didn’t seem to faze baby Lucas. He was sacked out in a swing in the middle of everything.

      Jason leaned against the counter, watching and listening to the big rambunctious family. It felt good to be home. Wyatt soon joined him as they both sipped their coffee.

      “You’re really going to go through this insanity yourself?” Jason asked Wyatt. The engagement ring on Emily’s hand still sparkled with the newness of gold and diamond.

      “In time,” was all Wyatt said. It had taken him forever to propose, so Jason figured the wedding would take just as long. Jason was fine with that.

      A knock at the door surprised them all, and Wyatt went to answer. A cowboy, not one of Wyatt’s men, stood there. “Come on in, John.” Wyatt pushed the screen farther open and the tall, lanky man stepped inside. He hastily yanked the Stetson off his head and nodded toward the room’s inhabitants.

      “What can I do for you?” Wyatt lifted a cup, silently offering the man some coffee.

      “No. I’m good. Gotta get up early and that’ll keep me awake. I’m here to see the lawyer.”

      The room grew quiet, and every head turned to look at Jason. He frowned. He wasn’t here to work. Besides, what would a cowpoke need with a corporate attorney? “Uh, that’s me.” He pushed away from the counter.

      “Good. Good.” The man twisted his hat in his hands. “Can we talk in private?”

      Jason looked around, and Wyatt shrugged. Jason followed the man out into the yard. The big lights were still on, bathing everything in a white glow. Night sounds and a soft breeze broke the prairie quiet.

      “What can I help you with? John, right?” Jason knew the man was seeking help—he’d seen that desperate look in too many clients’ eyes.

      “It’s not me, sir.” The man twisted his hat around again. “My boss sent me.”

      “Who’s your boss?”

      “Pal Haymaker.”

      Jason cursed. Jason didn’t want anything to do with Haymaker, a man who’d tried to run Wyatt out of business and had nearly killed Lane and Mandy with his stupidity.

      “I’m not interested in working for him.” Jason didn’t even try to keep the contempt out of his voice.

      “Please, sir.” The man stepped forward. “He’s not doing so good.” The man looked up at the sky as if hoping to see an answer written in the heavens. “I know he ain’t been good to you and yours. But he asked me to tell you it’s not about your family.” The cowboy swallowed and Jason saw the man’s Adam’s apple bob. “He said he don’t trust no one but you with this.”

      Jason cringed. He hated when a potential case piqued his interest this way. It made it hard to keep his distance and objectivity and turn it down.

      “You have any idea what it’s about?”

      The cowboy shook his head. “He asked me to have you come see him tomorrow mornin’. If you can.”

      Jason sighed. What could it hurt? “I can be there around nine?”

      The cowboy grinned. “Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.” Relief rolled off the man’s broad shoulders.

      Jason watched the cowboy amble away and climb into a battered pickup. A cloud of smoke rose up behind the vehicle as it left the yard.

      What would Haymaker have done to the guy if Jason hadn’t agreed? He didn’t want to know.

      “What the hell was that about?” Wyatt spoke from the now-open screen door.

      Jason slowly walked back to the house. “Apparently, Pal Haymaker has a legal matter he only trusts me to handle.”

      “He’s up to something.”

      “Yeah. But I’m curious enough. I think I’ll go see him.”

      “You’re not going by yourself.”

      “Why not? I meet with clients on my own all the time.”

      “I don’t trust Pal and you know why. You might need a witness.”

      Wyatt did have a point. “Well, you can’t go—he’d probably shoot you on sight. And same goes for Lane, especially since their last go-round after the fire. And DJ’s not exactly available.”

      Wyatt laughed mirthlessly. “Yeah. Take Chet with you. He and Pal go way back. He’s the only one of us the old man won’t try to blast into the next county.”

      Jason nodded. “I can do that.”

      “John give you any idea what it’s about?”

      “No.” Jason stared at the empty driveway, a frown on his brow. He was usually good at reading people, and that cowboy hadn’t just been doing his boss’s bidding. He’d been scared.

      “I thought Pal was half-dead.”

      “Yeah, well, until he’s actually six feet under, don’t count that bastard out. He’s still powerful around here.”

      The silence settled around them, comfortably. Jason had always respected Wyatt. Only in the last few years had Jason gotten the chance to get to know his older brother better. Man to man.

      Wyatt had stepped into the role of parent when their dad died. Wyatt had been fifteen, while Jason had been eleven. Those roles still permeated their relationship.

      “How’re things going out there in LA?” Wyatt СКАЧАТЬ