Page 41 of Roping My Rival

It’s incredible the number of requests we get for donations. I love it, and I wish we could say yes to everything, but as my youngest brother, Clarence, has pointed out, it’s not sound business to keep giving away all our profits.

Which is fair, but honestly…we can do more. I’m even warming up to Jesse’s auctions for the local farmers, even though I despise them.

Jesse exits the bathroom off the office shirtless while brushing his teeth and gives me a thumbs up. After rinsing his mouth, he returns while pulling on a shirt.

“We are. His parents are getting older and won’t make it every year now. He wants the tradition to continue, and since he’s my mentor, I thought it made sense. Unless you disagree?”

Shaking my head, I set the donation letter aside. “Not at all. I was thinking we should invite the 4H group for the afternoon go-round and let them see the rodeo up close. The evenings can be whoever the Sutherlands and you want to give tickets to.”

Jesse unzips an oversized duffel bag and begins placing clothes in the small closet like he’s moving in. “I like that idea. What else is going on?”

Leaning back in the office chair, I raise an eyebrow at my brother’s odd morning activities in our office.

“You tell me. Why are you unpacking so much here?”

He looks at the duffel and smiles sheepishly. “Oh. I guess I need to fill you in on things.” He clears his throat and places a stack of T-shirts on a shelf. “I hired a nanny. I want Maise to get used to waking up without me. So I come here super early, and I figured I’d just keep clothes and stuff here so I don’t forget anything. Katrina isn’t coming back, and I need to get back on the circuit soon. So….” He turns towards me with his arms outstretched. “Here I am.”

“What do you mean, she’s not coming back?”

He slumps on the sofa across from me. “She sent me a letter from her lawyer giving me full custodial rights and divorce papers. She’s still Maise’s mother, but she says she can’t handle the stress of motherhood. I can’t say I understand the decision.” Jesse swallows hard. “She’s left us, bro. This time it’s for good.”

“Jesse…I’m so sorry. Is she getting help?”

I knew their marriage was in trouble, but I never thought she was in so much distress that she’d leave her child.

“Yeah. That’s the only bright spot. She’s in some kind of centre, I guess? I feel guilty, though. Maise won’t understand.” Jesse swallows. “I can give her better than we had. I know it, but we’ve got bumpy times ahead.”

“Maise will have her dad, uncles, and grandpas. She won’t lack any love, Jesse. It’s not your fault Katrina isn’t well. Maybe she’ll come back to Maise in the future, and they can still know each other. I know it’s hard, but I believe Katrina is doing what she thinks is best for Maise. She loves that kid.”

It would be different if Katrina just vanished or was mean, but she’s not like that. Jesse and Katrina were crazy in love, but even I noticed something wasn’t right when she was pregnant. She hasn’t been the same since, and I know she tried to make it all work, but sometimes brains don’t cooperate.

“I just wanted to give my daughter what I didn’t have, you know?”

The silence sits between us. As two teenagers adopted from less-than-perfect families, I know what he’s saying, and I want that for her too, but Maise has more than we ever did already at her age.

“She’s already so loved, Jesse. Way more than we experienced at her age. She’ll be okay.”

He nods, and for the first time in a long time, I see Jesse really sad. It breaks my heart not to see a smile on his face.

“Sometimes when I read her a story at bedtime, I think of you, you know. Remember when we first met and shared a room? You asked me how I could read so much every night.”

My smile is fond. “I remember. You said reading takes you to better places and helps you sleep away reality. Then I told you I had a reading disability, and you just read out loud one night.”

“The Hardy Boys House on the Cliff.” Jesse smiles.

“Yep. I thought their adventures were so cool. I loved listening to you read.”

His smile falters. “That’s what Maise always says. Read it again, Daddy. Do the voice, Daddy.” He runs a hand over his face. “Tell me it will work out, Warren. I’m not a bad husband and father. I know that. It’s just another bad thing I’ll get past, right?”

“It will, Jesse. We’ve made our own families, and this will work out.”

His exhale is shaky. “Enough about this. Your first rodeo with Dane went well.” He grimaces. “I’m sorry about his trailer, though. That’s so bizarre.”

“Yeah, I know. I talked to Pops about it and how Dane doesn’t want to report it. Pops said to ask him if he knows who did it. Isn’t that weird?”

Jesse nods before standing to brew himself a coffee from our machine in the corner. “Do you think Dane might know?”

Dane was never on my list of favourite people, and if he rubbed me the wrong way before, who’s saying he didn’t make enemies with others? Although slashing tires feels extreme. I didn’t hate him that much. Hell, I let him siphon my gas when he might not have even needed it.