Carry On Dreaming (The Cowboy's Promise sequel) (SLOW UPDATES)

Chapter 9

I step out onto the back porch around midnight, surprised to see Elliot there. He's stretched out on the wooden floor, watching the stars. I'm not even sure he's aware I'm here until he nods at one of our lounge chairs. Two beers sit by the chair, one unopened. I open it with my knife and take a seat by my brother, wrapping one arm around my knees. Elliot watches me with a carefully guarded expression. His eyes stare up at the clear night sky. I follow his gaze in time to see a falling star.

"Red," he says quietly.

"Yeah, bro?" I ask, meeting his whiskey-colored eyes.

"Remember when you told us we could tell you anything?"

I nod, wondering where he's going with this. "Yeah. I remember. What's up?"

"Well, those two weeks you were gone, right after Blake died, I did this." He parts his stack of bracelets to show me a thin, clean scar running halfway up his forearm, starting at his wrist. "I don't know what was going on. I just. . . . My demons got the better of me for one moment. And one moment was enough to make me end it. Just end the pain."

I can read the pain in his eyes clear as day. He sighs deeply and leans against the porch railing. It's been a while since we've had a meaningful conversation. Can't say I'm happy about the topic, but anything's better than not talking outside of work.

"What happened afterwards?" I ask gently.

"Faith walked in. I was in the bathroom and started cutting. It wasn't helping at all. I made the split-second to commit. Two seconds to cut a deep line up my arm. I had just dropped the razor when Fae came in. It took her to realize the mistake I made and I started crying."

We sit silently. Neither of us know what to say. We both settle for silence, watching the stars together. It reminded me of what me and Blake used to do together.

We used to have a ton of monarch butterflies around the ranch. Every spring they showed up, it seemed by the hundreds. Around the start of winter they began migrating south. Blake and I sat on the porch and watched them every day, until every one was gone.

€*€

I wake up with my arms wrapped around my wife, her small body pressed against mine. She stirs, blinking sleepily before kissing me. I smile as I kiss her back, then roll off the bed to get dressed. Dani sits up in bed, her curly hair forming a tangled halo around her head.

"Morning, babe. When did you go to bed last night?"

"Mm. Good question. When I checked the clock, it was two, I think," I reply. I finish buttoning my shirt and grab my boots as I walk downstairs. My boots are discarded by the door as I continue to the basement.

"Blaze. Rise and shine, bud," I call, knocking on his door. He opens it in a pair of boxers. He glares at me and heads back to dress.

When I finally make it to the kitchen, Andrew and Stephen are cooking this morning. When I ask where the twins are, they nod upstairs. I check their old room first. Faith is asleep on her bed, August curled against her. Elliot's passed out on his with Seneca. Smiling, I walk back to the boys. Dani and Blaze have arrived, both fully dressed.

I kiss Dani on the cheek and Blaze on top of his head as I go. Elliot and Stephen ask the day's plans as they serve breakfast.

"Well, I'm going to the auction house, and Ms. Speed asked if Blaze and I wanted to join her and her son for lunch in town. And Chad asked me to come over to his house. Dani, Rebeccah added a plus one if you want to join."

Danielle shakes her head. "No. You guys can make it a guy day or whatever. You and Blaze. I'll stay here with the crew. I think Elliot was taking Andrew on a date today."

I nod as she kisses me on the cheek, disappearing in the den with her coffee. Then I tell Blaze to shower after breakfast. He agrees and wolfs down what's left of his breakfast. Blaze trots upstairs to shower while I hook up the trailer and load up a couple cows and horses. When I walk back inside, Blaze is crossing the living room, Andrew training a camera on him. The only thing he has on is a towel around his waist.

"-home is pretty sweet. Except Elena has returned. Boo for me. But I learned to ride a horse and take care of chickens, so good for-" Blaze is saying to the camera. He trails off as he loses his grip on the towel, and it falls to the floor. His face is slowly turning bright crimson. Andrew is laughing so hard his face is the same shade.

"Andrew," I hiss, "turn the damn camera off!"

He finally switches it off, and Blaze yanks up his towel. He slinks off to the basement. Andrew continues to laugh. I follow Blaze and wait a minute, making sure he's covered, before I open the door. He's sitting on the bed in khaki shorts, pulling a white tshirt over his head. He nods in curt acknowledgement as I reach up to straighten a figure on his bookshelf. When I raise my hand, I notice him flinch.

He shakes it off, and I ignore it, as he searches for his tennis shoes. He tries to brush by me and head upstairs, but I block the doorway. With a sigh, Blaze flops down in his bed.

"What do you want?"

"What was that video?" I chuckle.

"For a friend," he says, covering his face with a pillow.

"Well, we need to get going, so grab your shoes, socks, wallet, hair, clothes, butt, whatever you need for the day and c'mon."

€*€

"So, where are we going?" Blaze asks over the radio.

"First stop is my buddy Chad Lee's house. He wanted to meet you and said he had something for me. Then we'll head back in town to meet Rebeccah and her son for lunch. Finally, there's an auction in Grand Junction at four. And you have the party tonight, right?"

He nods. "Sabian made sure I was coming this morning."

"Sure you are. I'll get you home in time to get ready. It's at Aaron's house, right?"

Blaze nods and flips through radio stations. He finally settles on an alternative rock station, where Blink 182 is currently playing. He leans against the window and half listens as I tell him different facts about the land and people. Soon, though, Chad's house comes into view. I pull in his drive and hop out, Blaze on my heels. Chad is on his front porch.

"Hey there, Dodge. Hey, Blaze."

Blaze nods in return.

"Hey yourself. What'd you need me for?" I ask.

"Come out to the barn. I got a surprise for Blaze and a favor to ask of you," he replies.

I shake my head. "You're always askin' me favors."

"But you love me, Dodge. That's the reason you put up with it."

"If you call it that," I joke.

We walk to the barn and back towards the arena, where Chad's niece is riding a black Arabian. Blaze's jaw drops at the magnificent animal.