days.”
Callie looked at the old man and then up at the sky.
“How can you tell?”
“Haven’t you seen the blackbirds flying around? Always
a sign of snow when they take to the sky in droves and circling overhead like
they have been last couple of days. Right pretty red sunsets too. Anytime this
week coming I reckon, you mark my words.”
CHAPTER
TWELVE
Sherbet followed Callie around the rest of the
afternoon, dogging her every step. Chance let her go and do her jobs, and since
his hip was hurting he sat on the front porch and relaxed. His stress levels
were low for the first time in weeks. He loved being home at the ranch and
having Callie here was the best thing that could have happened to him. It was a
shame he had to have her here under false pretenses as far as his brothers were
concerned, but he was sure they would all come around sooner or later. He hoped
for sooner so he could come out about his future.
After Tyson’s visit this morning, he’d decided it was
time he called Rory and pushed him to come and visit. He missed his brother.
There had to be something he could do for him to bring him back into the fold.
He picked up the phone and dialed the number.
“Denver Police, Sheriff Watson speaking.”
“Rory, its Chance.”
“Chance, well what do you know. The famous one is
calling me. What’s happened, brother, run out of rich people to spend your time
with?” The bitterness in his voice was a shock. They had been close as
teenagers until Chance had run, leaving Rory to hold the fort with the other
boys and their drunken father.
“Since when has that been an issue between us? I
wanted to see how you were doing?”
“One day after another, same as always.” A deep sigh
sounded over the phone. “Sorry, I don’t mean to take it out on you. Some days
are great, some suck like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Rory, you can always take it out on me. What do you
think family’s for?” He missed the closeness they used to share. “When are you
coming home? It’s about time, don’t you think?”
“I just don’t know what to do anymore. I thought if I
stayed here I would get a sense of Cindy and it would be enough, but it isn’t.”
Chance could hear the weariness in his brother’s
voice. “Put in for a transfer or just throw it all in. Come and stay with me
for a while until you know what you want to do. Buy a ranch of your own if you
want or work in town. Pretty sure there are enough offences happening in a town
the size of Estes Park to warrant you moving back here.” Chance looked over the
view and his gaze was drawn to beyond the forest deep in the valley where the
town was nestled just out of sight.
“I already put in for a transfer. Decided it was time.
I’m just waiting to hear if I got it or not.”
A spark of hope settled in Chance’s chest. To have his
brothers all back in town would be the ultimate buzz. “It will happen, just you
wait and see. You can stay with me, I have heaps of room as you know.”
“From what I understand, you have a new house mate
already. Not sure I want to cramp your style.”
“Tyson.” His little brother was the town gossip,
Chance was convinced of it.
“Yep, that one never could keep anything to himself.
Besides, with you going back on the circuit, your new manager might want the
place to herself. I can get accommodation in town anyways. Maybe catch up with the
old man and see what he’s been up to.”
At the mention of their father, Chance grimaced.
“Can’t see how he’d change. Once a drunk always a drunk.”
“Let’s agree to disagree, shall we? You weren’t there
to see everything so don’t go judging him like that.”
Chance heard the words and took the hit to the gut,
knowing Rory was right. Still, he doubted his father had changed any since he
left home. Sitting at the kitchen table with a bottle of whiskey for company
while the boys brought themselves up was a poor excuse for a father. And when
he lost it, they all
Callie looked at the old man and then up at the sky.
“How can you tell?”
“Haven’t you seen the blackbirds flying around? Always
a sign of snow when they take to the sky in droves and circling overhead like
they have been last couple of days. Right pretty red sunsets too. Anytime this
week coming I reckon, you mark my words.”
CHAPTER
TWELVE
Sherbet followed Callie around the rest of the
afternoon, dogging her every step. Chance let her go and do her jobs, and since
his hip was hurting he sat on the front porch and relaxed. His stress levels
were low for the first time in weeks. He loved being home at the ranch and
having Callie here was the best thing that could have happened to him. It was a
shame he had to have her here under false pretenses as far as his brothers were
concerned, but he was sure they would all come around sooner or later. He hoped
for sooner so he could come out about his future.
After Tyson’s visit this morning, he’d decided it was
time he called Rory and pushed him to come and visit. He missed his brother.
There had to be something he could do for him to bring him back into the fold.
He picked up the phone and dialed the number.
“Denver Police, Sheriff Watson speaking.”
“Rory, its Chance.”
“Chance, well what do you know. The famous one is
calling me. What’s happened, brother, run out of rich people to spend your time
with?” The bitterness in his voice was a shock. They had been close as
teenagers until Chance had run, leaving Rory to hold the fort with the other
boys and their drunken father.
“Since when has that been an issue between us? I
wanted to see how you were doing?”
“One day after another, same as always.” A deep sigh
sounded over the phone. “Sorry, I don’t mean to take it out on you. Some days
are great, some suck like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Rory, you can always take it out on me. What do you
think family’s for?” He missed the closeness they used to share. “When are you
coming home? It’s about time, don’t you think?”
“I just don’t know what to do anymore. I thought if I
stayed here I would get a sense of Cindy and it would be enough, but it isn’t.”
Chance could hear the weariness in his brother’s
voice. “Put in for a transfer or just throw it all in. Come and stay with me
for a while until you know what you want to do. Buy a ranch of your own if you
want or work in town. Pretty sure there are enough offences happening in a town
the size of Estes Park to warrant you moving back here.” Chance looked over the
view and his gaze was drawn to beyond the forest deep in the valley where the
town was nestled just out of sight.
“I already put in for a transfer. Decided it was time.
I’m just waiting to hear if I got it or not.”
A spark of hope settled in Chance’s chest. To have his
brothers all back in town would be the ultimate buzz. “It will happen, just you
wait and see. You can stay with me, I have heaps of room as you know.”
“From what I understand, you have a new house mate
already. Not sure I want to cramp your style.”
“Tyson.” His little brother was the town gossip,
Chance was convinced of it.
“Yep, that one never could keep anything to himself.
Besides, with you going back on the circuit, your new manager might want the
place to herself. I can get accommodation in town anyways. Maybe catch up with the
old man and see what he’s been up to.”
At the mention of their father, Chance grimaced.
“Can’t see how he’d change. Once a drunk always a drunk.”
“Let’s agree to disagree, shall we? You weren’t there
to see everything so don’t go judging him like that.”
Chance heard the words and took the hit to the gut,
knowing Rory was right. Still, he doubted his father had changed any since he
left home. Sitting at the kitchen table with a bottle of whiskey for company
while the boys brought themselves up was a poor excuse for a father. And when
he lost it, they all
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