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Bennett recognized the futility of trying to pull one over on his mom and drowned any resentment in his damn good glass of wine. He filled her in on what Jax had told him earlier, about her being the CEO and owner of Steel Born.

“I know. Who do you think told Jackson?” Of course. “How do you feel about that?”

How did he feel?

Proud? Obviously.

A little jealous? Sure. She’d chased down a dream he wasn’t aware she’d had.

In the end he settled for neutral. “She’s got a heckuva product, and I’d be stupid if I turned the contract down just because of our past.”

“Are you saying you’ve thought about it? I mean, you loved her deeply, Bennett. That doesn’t just go away.”

Why was everyone so keen on pointing out the obvious to him?

“I know. But a lot of time’s passed and we’re… different now. I can be a professional.”

Grace didn’t seem convinced, but if she disagreed, she didn’t vocalize it. “What about her land and ranch?”

“Those aren’t as promising. She’s in arrears on the land and stock. Both have been cited and penalties have been assessed. I’ve taken care of what I can by leasing the cattle from Newman’s estate, but the land’s in bad shape. I was making a list of what needed to be repaired when Maggie, uh, when she came home.”

Grace sipped at her wine, and Bennett regretted not grabbing a beer and settling into this uncomfortable conversation with a decent buzz.

“That’s not your place, son.”

“As she made me aware. Don’t worry, I got the message.”

“What’s next?”

Bennett went to reply. He had a list, after all—a schedule to keep if he was going to secure the rest of the land in the valley by his next birthday. His skin itched at his mom’s observation that the self-imposed deadline might have anything to do with his estranged brother’s success on the other side of the state. Even if it was more than a little true. But the way his mom stared at him, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyebrows perched, said he’d better shut up and give her the floor.

“I had some ideas, but it seems you’ve got something you’d like to add.”

“I do. Thank you.”

Bennett forced a smile. I’m thirty-three years old. At some point, he needed to tell his family to butt out of his business, but today wasn’t that day.

“I’d like you to help Maggie with the penalties.” Bennett’s mouth shot open, but his mom shook her head. “I know there’s only so much you can do in that department, but the truth is, you have pull in that arena whether you choose to use it or not. If you can give her a leg up, it might make it easier to get her operation back in working order.”

“Jax, what do you think about all this?” Bennett asked.

Jax took a swig of his longneck and grinned. “I agree with Mom.”

“Christ. I knew this town was small, but this is getting out of hand. A man’s entitled to at least some say in his own life, isn’t he? You know I’m actually wishing you wanted to talk about the wedding? At least then, I’d feel like I was entitled to an opinion.”

“Oh, darlin’. If only that were true. It’s not a Deer Creek thing but a Marshall one. If I left you two to your own devices, you’d be up Deer Creek without a paddle or clue how to swim.”

She wasn’t wrong there.

“Okay, so I’ll help with the fines—”

“And…” she said.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He’d shaved and showered for this? “And?”

“And I want you to be a good neighbor and see to it she feels welcomed back by the community. I’ve done my part—now it’s your turn, son.”

Bennett’s jaw hung open, drying in the warm, late-afternoon sun. The weather wouldn’t hold, though. As soon as the sun set behind the hills, the temperature would drop, and the chill would settle back in.