Cowboy Take Me Away

“So what happens now?”

“If I had the money I’d buy him out and not give a shit if I ever see him again. But that ain’t an option. So we’re stuck with him.”

“Sweetheart. Why didn’t you talk to me about this?”

“Because I’ve been too pissed off. The kids don’t need to see me this way either.”

Her heart ached for him. Because of Casper’s machinations, Carson couldn’t even grieve his father. Rather than ask more questions, she sat next to him and sipped her soda.

Carson gestured to the bartender for another beer.

Carolyn was about to head outside to tell Cord to go home, when someone behind them said, “If it ain’t another drunken McKay.”

When Carolyn started to turn around, Carson put his hand on her forearm, stilling the movement.

“You drowning your sorrows because Daddy died?”

He ground out his cigarette.

“Bet that puts the future of the McKay Ranch in question.”

Carson slowly turned around on his barstool. “First of all, Timmons, f**k off. You don’t know nothin’. And I ain’t that drunk, so tread lightly.”

She couldn’t help but spin to see who was stupid enough to taunt Carson.

The guy was big. Easily six foot four, but skinny as a telephone pole. Over the years she’d become familiar with most of the families in the area, but she’d never seen this man.

“I’d like to tread all over your goddamned spine. I owe you payback,” he sneered.

“For what?”

Timmons shuffled closer. “Don’t play dumb. You know what for.”

“It’s been almost twenty years and you nursing a grudge ain’t my problem.”

“Nursing a grudge over what?” popped out of Carolyn’s mouth before she stopped it.

“None of your business, bitch. Turn the f**k around and shut up.”

Carson’s boots were on the floor and he was in the guy’s face. “Speak to my wife like that again and I will shut that fat mouth of yours.”

“You always did bandy around like the c**k of the walk.” The guy loomed over Carson. “Too bad it don’t hold water no more. You don’t—”

Before the guy knew what hit him, Carson’s fists connected several times in a row. The last crack to the jaw rocked him back and Carson charged him, knocking him to the floor.

He pummeled the guy, but not without consequence. Timmons got in a couple of good shots. Which only served to infuriate Carson more.

As she watched fists fly and blood spurt and heard the dull thud of flesh smacking into flesh, it seemed ten minutes passed before a bouncer intervened, when in reality it’d only been a few minutes.

The bouncer shoved Carson back. “For Christsake, McKay, ain’t you old enough to know better by now?”

Carolyn tried to hand Carson a stack of bar napkins to mop up the blood and sweat dripping down his face, but he angrily smeared his face across his shirt sleeve.

“You keep letting ass**les like him in here and I’ll keep wiping the floor with them.”

“What the hell did he do to you anyway?”

Carson glared at the man wheezing and bleeding on the floor. “The dumb f**ker insulted my wife. That ain’t ever gonna go well for any man, no matter how old I get.”

Carolyn wanted to blow him a kiss but she refrained.

“Evidently he’s still got a beef about something that happened nearly two decades ago.”

“Damn right we do. You McKay f**kers took advantage of my grandpa and bought his land right out from under us. That parcel should’ve been passed down to his family. But no. You dangled a fat check in front of him and he sold to you without discussing it with any of us. That’s sneaky shit.”

“You’re just pissed off that your granddaddy sold his land and pocketed the money to enjoy his retirement rather than pass down a heritage none of you gave a damn about. He was happy to sell to us because he knew we’d take care of it and keep it productive. That’s what burns your ass. Your granddaddy preferred sellin’ to strangers rather than entrusting it to his own family.”

Timmons huffed and puffed as he maneuvered himself upright. “No one around here trusts any of you McKays and we’re all laughing that Jed finally kicked it. Good riddance to that manipulative bastard. We’re all hoping the rumors are true—rumors comin’ from your own brother—that you’re all about to get your comeuppance and be forced to sell everything.”

The next thing happened in slow motion.

Cord stepped forward, hitting Timmons with such force in the sternum that the man dropped back to his knees. Then he clocked him in the ear and the guy was back on the floor, writhing in pain. Cord stood over him, vibrating with rage. “Shut your f**kin’ mouth about my grandpop. You ain’t fit to speak his name. And I can guarantee you the McKays are gonna be around for a long goddamned time, so get used to it.”

“Out,” the bouncer said to Carson and Carolyn. Then he pointed to Cord. “You ain’t old enough to be in here anyway, pup, so beat it.”

None of them said a word until they were in the parking lot.

Cord spoke first. “Dad. It’s not true, is it? That we stand to lose the ranch?”

“No, son, it’s not true. Your Uncle Casper is tryin’ to pull some shit, but that’s all it is: a big pile of horseshit ’cause he’s got no other play. Makes me sick that my own brother is running his big mouth all over the place because he can. Puts all the McKays in a bad light.”