"You know you never did ask me that question you were going to ask me after we went out with Tyson and Little Lynn the other day." Gary tells Brooke through their phone call as he feeds the horse he has up in the pens. It has only been a few days since he got back from their visit, yet he misses her terribly. With everything going on around the ranch he hasn't had much time to sleep let alone have long conversations with her.

She giggles and he can almost see her eyes glowing with mischief. "Well, you know you never reminded me about it either."

He rolls his eyes even if she can't see him. "That is absolutely no excuse." He pours the oats out in a black tub that sits on the ground before adding, "So are you going to ask me now?"

"Well, I don't know. Do you really, really want to know? I mean, do you think you can handle it?" She tries to sober her voice up so he thinks she is serious.

Not getting any enjoyment from the conversation now he sighs. "Brooke I'm serious, I want to know." Frustration laces his voice even though he doesn't really want it to.

Quickly she turns serious. "I was going to ask you if it is hard dating your sister's best friend." Her voice is serious and thoughtful.

He can tell this isn't one of her jokes. She genuinely wants to know. On the other hand he genuinely doesn't have an answer. "Umm," he stammers while processing it and trying to come up with something that in a round about way makes him look a tad smarter than he feels.

Suddenly she feels dumb for asking and expecting an answer. "Sorry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot, just forget I asked."

Gary sighs. That's not what his silence meant, but how is he suppose to tell her that? "Brooke, that's not what I meant. You just caught me off guard."

"I know, I'm sorry," she says quietly before quickly adding, "I'm going to let you get back to work. Talk to you later."

Rolling his eyes and feeling his irritation slowly turning to anger he tries to keep her on the phone. "Brooke please just hear me ou-"

She doesn't let him finish. "Bye, Gary." Holding her phone her hand hits her thigh with a heavy thump. "Why don't I just do a few other stupid things today?" She grumbles looking around the painfully slow salon. From the back of the salon she can here Kristen bubbly talking on the phone to her husband. Even though she knows it isn't right the sound just sends her anger meter soaring.
***

Gary hears the line click and instantly squeezes his eyes shut tight. In and out he breathes deeply trying to calm the rage inside himself. At this point and time he isn't sure what he is mad at or with. Instead of trying to call her back and having to endure the agonizing rings he sends her a text.

Sweetheart, I'm sorry, I just have to think about an answer. I'm going to check things and move some cattle and then I'll call you if you aren't busy.

Even as he sends the message he feels tense. He knows it's not settled and that bothers him. Fighting is not his thing, okay maybe as a kid he occasionally picked a fight with his brothers, but that's not the same. This time its more than 'who's the toughest' and mom makes you hug afterwards. There's no mom to patch it up and no blood tie to keep you together.

He almost laughs at his own thoughts, but doesn't when his phone starts to ring. Hopefully he looks at the name across the top of the screen. His heart sinks just a bit. It is not who he hoped, but someone he enjoys talking to none the less.

"Hey, Cane what's up?" His voice is only half as cheerful as usual.

A deep chuckle comes from the other end of the line. "You sound as if you were looking for an escape."

This makes Gary grin and shake his head. Then with a slightly more than suspicious grin he says, "Say! You know how women think surely you can tell me how to get out of this mess." 

Cane snorts loudly. "Do you know who you are talking to?"

"Of course I do; it's Mister Love Expert." Gary is sure that the huge smile on his face is evident in his voice.

"You sure she didn't whack you up side the head, you seem to be acting a little crazy."

Laughing heartily Gary shakes his head. "I'm fine. What's up?"

Cane grins into the phone and leans back in his chair. "Nothing much, I was just going to see what you have planned for Mom and Dad's thirty-fifth wedding anniversary."

Slowly, as it sinks in, Gary's eyes grow wide. "How did I forget that it's the end of this month?" He runs his free hand over his face. "I don't know. You got any ideas?"

"That was mine, to call you."

"Thanks man," Gary replies rolling his eyes. "I'll see what I can come up with and call you back tonight. You be thinking too!!"
***

Brooke chunks towels in the washer as the anger inside of her builds. Her phone call with Gary that morning continues to play in her head reminding her of the not so great way she reacted. It taunts her and makes her want to go back and change it even though she knows there is no way she can. She is like a bottle with something expanding inside her stretching her to the limit.

Just a few more hours till you go home; she tells herself, though it isn't much comfort. It's just been one of those days. As her dad would say, she woke up on the wrong side of the bed. And it just so happens that ever since then things haven't been flowing right.

When she does arrive home it is not as she had hoped. Apparently Jeremiah got off early, because he sits on the couch with his feet on the coffee table. He instantly stiffens when she walks through the door. "Hey sis, how was work?"

Rolling her eyes she shakes her head and replies, "You don't want to know."

"That bad, huh?" To her surprise there isn't a teasing chuckle at the end of his comment like she expected.

Plopping down on the couch beside him she runs her hands throw her partial pony tail. "To put it in a nut shell I just couldn't do anything right."

"Mmm." There is a moment that neither of them say anything. Both just stare in front of them until Jeremiah speaks again, "Well, have you talked to Gary much today?"

A deep sigh comes from her. "Not really. That is yet another thing that didn't go right today."

"You didn't talk to him or it didn't go well?"

She shrugs a bit. "I talked to him, but I can tell he was super tired and I just messed it all up. I'm just worried about him. He hasn't been getting much sleep and he works all the time and I'm not even sure if he is eating!"

With raised eyebrows and trying to hide his smirk Jeremiah nods. "That was a lot of 'ands'." He laughs, but quickly sobers up to explain when she gives him the death glare. "It's just that you sound so much like a women."

Throwing her hands up in the air she exclaims, "Well I wonder why!"

"Okay, well let me finish. Y'all are always worrying about those you love and making sure they have what they need. You remind me of mom."

Her face holds a mixture of happiness and a twinge of sentiment. "You really think so?"

"Absolutely!"

A couple hours later Brooke finds herself at Jaelyn's house. Alyssa sleeps in the swing at the end of the couch while Jaelyn sweeps and Brooke looks on.

"How has it been going with Cane being back under the same roof and helping out?"

Jaelyn stops mid sweep and leans up against the broom for a moment. "It's going, to be honest. I feel like it is different, because we are doing totally different then we used to. It's fun to see him with the kids and stuff, but living together again is a bit weird. I'm pretty sure it is so much easier for he and Tyson than it is for me."

Brooke smiles. "That's understandable considering how much water has crossed under that bridge. You're married and have a kid! Has he said anything about his plans?"

Back to sweeping Jaelyn shakes her head. "Not really, he has mentioned that once Alyssa is a little older and I won't need his help so much that he is going to move out and stuff. He just hasn't said where or anything."

"You have some hope to hold onto!" They both laugh. "Who are you thinking will keep Alyssa when she get mobile and stuff?"

Jaelyn dumps the dust pan before a sheepish grin spreads across her lips. "You! No, Dr. Haze who sold his practice to Tyson and all that, anyways, his wife offered to."

"Aw! That's so sweet!"

"It is and I'm so glad that it will be her. They are super sweet people."

Brooke smiles, but doesn't get a chance to say anything before her phone begins to ring. A smile pops up on her lips and Jaelyn leans over her shoulder to see who it is.

"Answer it," she says nudging her best friend.

Grinning Brooke slides the green circle across her phone screen. "Hello."

"Hello, sweetheart, what are you up to?" Despite their rough conversation this morning his voice is soft and full of a smile.

"Just gazing at your favorite niece," she can't hold in her giggle.

His smile grows and he raises his eyebrows. "Oh really? So you're too busy with that cutie to talk to me, huh?"

"No, not that busy."

Chuckling he says, "Good. I've got some news for you."

If possible, her smile grows and she scoots to the edge of the couch. "What's that?"

"I'll be down there in a couple weeks and-" he pauses "-Is Little Lynn within ear shot?"

Jaelyn scrunches her nose up and gets up from the couch, but not before yelling, "Not anymore meany!"

"Tell her to remember she's the little sister." He grins before continuing, "I'll have you an answer to your question from this morning then."