Free Branded by Laura Wright Page B

stop.”
    â€œBecause I know you, Ellie. You wouldn’t do this, break up a family—”
    â€œMac!”
    Mac’s eyes cut to the older woman’s. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she brought theglass to her lips and drank. When she’d drained the thing, she dropped it on the table. It fell on its side and rolled back and forth.
    â€œMy history and my life with Everett is my own business,” she said with more passion than Mac had ever heard from her. “Understand?”
    Did she understand? Hell no. She didn’t understand one thing that had gone down today. But pushing and barking for an explanation wasn’t the answer. Not now. Not while Elena’s grief was so raw and fresh.
    â€œAll right, Ellie,” Mac said pouring them both another round. “But Blue has a right to know that history when he’s ready.”
    â€œWhen he’s ready,” she whispered, taking up her glass. “When we’re both ready.”
    It was all that was said, and for the next hour, they drank in compatible silence.

Diary of Cassandra Cavanaugh
    January 30, 2002
    Dear Diary,
    Today Cole told me that he wished I was never born. Well, not
never
, he said, just not the same day and time he was. He said he doesn’t mind that we have the same eyes or the same rocket ship–looking birthmark on our bellies, but he thinks I get all the attention ’cause I’m a girl. He thinks that Mama didn’t want another boy after Deac and James, and that she accepted him only because he came in a pretty pink package with me. I told him I thought he was crazy. But he wouldn’t budge. He thinks she’s always hugging and kissing on me more. I told him maybe he should take a bath, that he always smells like the cows, and Mama doesn’t like cows.
    He started to cry after I said it. Then he told me I’m the worst sister ever.
    Maybe I was being mean, but I can’t help it. It’s just hard sometimes. Three of them and one of me. I mean, I know I got Mac, but she doesn’tlive here. The boys just all want to hang out together and sometimes I feel like I don’t belong. Like they wouldn’t even notice if I was gone.
    I wish someone would notice me.
    I’m going to go watch TV.
    Bye for now,
    Cass

Six
    The bunkhouse located between the creek and the stables had been a dusty dorm room for cowboys once upon a time, but things had changed. Over the last few years, a girl had moved in, and subsequently moved the boys out to new, larger ranch hand quarters near the big lake. Granted, the girl was the Triple C’s foreman, so there was a good amount of rustic still going on inside. But the place was light and airy and clean, and James was real appreciative that Mac had forced his hand on taking the place. Truthfully, he’d tried every which way to let her know he’d be fine in the loft apartment in the barn, but she wouldn’t hear of it. Said he needed to be near the horses while he was there. She was something, that woman. As kind and thoughtful as she was tough.
    James pushed open the screen door and headed out of the bunkhouse, down the steps and into the still, breezeless night. Over near the creek, under thelight of a nearly full moon, he spied a heavy grain sack hanging by a few ropes that were wrapped around a thick branch on a nearby tree. Performing some fancy footwork while delivering several death blows to the sack’s gut, Cole didn’t notice his approach until James was right up on him.
    â€œSo, who you imagining this is?” James asked.
    Wearing only a pair of gray sweat shorts, the rest of him covered in a sheen of sweat and aggression, Cole bobbed and weaved and tore into the sack several more times before he answered. “No one. Anyone.”
    James nodded. “Right.”
    â€œI have a match coming up, that’s all,” Cole said, giving the dejected-looking sack a roundhouse kick. “I need to