Free Mara McBain by McCade's Way

heads with my little brother, and I guess I went looking for an argument I could win.”
    “I didn’t mean to be snotty with you. I deserve whatever you give me for that.”
    “I ain’t going to smack you. I’m not your daddy.”
    “I just want to make you happy. I promised myself I’d do whatever it took. You’re giving me so much and what’re you getting in return?”
    “I’m not too sure you aren’t getting the raw end of the deal, darlin',” Trey answered with a snort.
    “What do you mean?” she whispered uncertainly.
    Trey closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the cupboard, fighting with how much to tell her. Some wounds were still fresh. In the last three years, he’d been forced to leave the life he’d built in Texas to come home and watch the man he’d thought invincible brought to his knees with a disease he couldn’t fight. He’d tried to start a family of his own, only to have that dream ripped away, and he’d lost his beloved mother to a broken heart. He really wasn’t sure how much more he was supposed to take. His lips curved in a bitter smile. Gen thought him strong and steady. Would telling her help heal old wounds, or would it just leave him vulnerable? His uncle’s impatient voice on the porch made him thud the back of his head on the cabinet door. Now wasn’t the time.
    “Suffice it to say, I’ve got a nasty temper, a jealous streak a mile wide, no social graces and I ain’t much to look at. You could’ve done better.”
    He ignored her negative head shake and levered to his feet, offering his hand down to her. Cole chose that moment to stick his head back in.
    “Your minute is up.”
    Trey shot him an exasperated look, but turned back to Gen as her hand cupped his cheek. Stepping close, she stood on tiptoe to kiss him. He smiled down at her, but didn’t let her step back. Lowering his head, he claimed her lips in a long slow kiss and then rested his forehead against hers.
    “If nothing else, darlin', we’re good at this,” he drawled.
    She laughed, blushing lightly. “That we are.”
    “Set another plate. We have company,” he said straightening reluctantly.
    Gen’s gaze flew to the backdoor, and she looked back at him in confusion but she was already grabbing another place setting.
    “Do you want me to move dinner to the dining room?”
    “The kitchen will be good enough,” he said with a sigh and headed for the door. 
    A soft gasp sounded behind him and, as he turned, Gen flew by him to push Cole out of the way and grab at the laundry. He couldn’t hold back a laugh. Shoving Cole back onto the porch, he closed the door and helped his wife gather the hanging clothes into a basket before giving her another kiss and a little wink. The door opened against his back. 
    “I need to talk to you.”
    “Can’t a man kiss his bride in peace?” Trey grumbled. “What?”
    “Uncle Wade brought his new wife with him.”
    “Okay,” Trey said slowly. “Where is she?”
    Cole winced and glanced at Gen. “He left her at the train station while he came out to talk to us.”
    Trey turned, ripping the door out of his brother’s hand to glare over his head at their uncle. “How long ago?”
    “Our train got in at three,” Wade said defensively.
    “And you left her there alone for going on four hours?”
    “You make it sound like I left her in a brothel. She’s perfectly capable of sitting in a train station while I make arrangements,” their uncle said, rolling his eyes. “They let the twits vote and everything now.”
    Trey saw Cole brace to hold him back and just shook his head in disgust. His voice was a low rumble when he forced out the words, “Get off my property.”
    “You’re going to turn away family? What would Thomas say?”
    “My daddy would be as sickened by your treatment of a woman as I am, but what you need to worry about right now is the fact that he’s not here and I am.”
    “Thomas was my brother, I have a right—”
    “You