Page 118 of Love Wells Kept

“Okay, if you’ll all let me finish.” Austin raises an annoyed eyebrow.

Kate puts a quick halt to the waning laughter with a bold, threatening, “Enough.”

“Thanks, Kate,” Austin says. “Anyway, I also wanted to thank Red.”

Slowly lowering the bowl of chili he’s slurping up, Red cocks his head at him.

“You already know you’re like a brother to me.”

Red’s mouth drops and he whisper-yells loud enough we all hear him. “He finally admits it.”

“Don’t make me regret what I’m about to say.” Austin shakes his head. He’s so damn amused by all of this. Night and day from the interactions I had with him when he came to the hospital after the accident—he was so stoic and gruff, and I hated seeing a grown man who was hardened by life, because my older brother was quiet and determined as a kid, but he wasn’t a grump. This version of Austin in front of me today is who I remember.

“So get on with it, then,” Denny chirps, grinning at our brother.

“Red—you’ve always been so much more than a friend or a ranch hand. You’re one of my brothers. And this year, you’ve single-handedly kept this place running. You took so much weight off all of our shoulders, and…I just really wanted to thank you, man.”

Red’s lips press into a thin smile, and he nods along with what Austin’s saying. “That’s what brothers are for.”

“Denver, Jackson, and I were talking a while back…before the accident, but it feels even more merited now. This place is as much yours as it is ours, and we want to make it official. Give you a piece of the ranch—the business and the land.”

I don’t remember this conversation, naturally, but it feels right. Even with limited memories of the last thirty-some years, I know he’s one of us. This day should’ve come years ago.

“I don’t…I don’t know what to say.” Red sniffs back his emotion, giving Cassidy’s hand a squeeze before standing. He steps into Austin with a firm, back-smacking hug. “Thanks, man. Love you.”

Denny shimmies between two chairs to join them. “Love you guys.”

Thanks to a gentle shove from Kate, I’m reminded that I’m technically part of this conversation, too. So I stand up and a few seconds later, my arms are wrapped around my brothers.

The hug turns into an awkward group pile-on, which gets even worse when Colt joins in, grinning like an idiot and throwing an arm over all of us. “Is this a brother-hug or a cult initiation? ’Cause I’m down either way.”

The entire group of us shift, nearly imploding or toppling over, and Cassidy shouts, “Sit your sentimental asses down before one of you falls into the fire.”

“Please,” Cecily adds. “Can we not have any more hospital visits this year?”

So we break it up, and I sink back into my seat with a sigh.

“You good?” Kate quietly asks.

“Yeah, I feel…lucky.” It feels like a weird admission, given everything that’s happened. But it’s true.

“Because you are. We all are.” Her thumb begins its usual routine. Hearts on my skin. I’m so damn lucky.

Across the fire, Colt raises his beer. “To Red!”

Everyone joins in, with an echo that has the kids stopping mid-play to stare at us.

Red lifts his chili in a mock salute. “And to Austin. For pretending to hate us all but secretly being a giant softie.”

Austin groans. “Wasn’t pretending.”

“And to Jackson,” Kate says suddenly. The spotlight feels unearned and uncomfortable, but the way she says it—soft and sure—pulls everyone’s eyes to her. “For being here. For fighting his way back to us.”

My dad tips his hat toward me with a quiet, “Damn right.”

“Fuck it, let’s cheers to everything. It’s making the beer go down quick.” Denny laughs, holding up his nearly empty bottle. “To Wells Ranch.”

The best damn home, family, life anyone could ever ask for. No memories required—this feeling is enough.

“To Wells Ranch.”