Bossman's List

by Ashlee Price

  “Did you know that Lisa was with someone else?”

  Gemma sighed to herself and wished that he hadn’t found out so soon. She wasn’t stupid enough to ask him how he found out. It didn’t matter, he knew and she had known for almost a week. “You dumped her, Scott, after five years. What did you expect to happen?”

  She wasn’t answering his question, but her lack of an answer made it clear to him that she had known. “I wish you would have told me, Gemma.”

  “Why? What does it matter? You did a good thing letting her go, Scott.”

  He made a frustrated noise on the other side of the phone. “Because I just went over there like an idiot to find some guy there with her.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, oh. Wouldn’t have minded a heads-up, Gemma.”

  “Scott, she has a right to move on. You left her. Don’t want to marry her, why wouldn’t you just let her go? Don’t you want her to be happy?”

  He did want her to be happy, but he hadn’t thought that it would be without him. Scott just wasn’t ready to move on, but it appeared that Lisa was. “I do, Gemma, but…”

  “Why did you go over there at this time in the day?”

  “Because I can’t stop thinking about her.” It was just as simple as that and Scott then realized that he had made a huge mistake and there was nothing he could do about it.

  “Well, I am sorry, Scott. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings if you found out. I figured you would find out eventually, though I didn’t know you would be going down to her house.”

  “Who is it?”

  There was a pause. Gemma knew better than to tell her brother anything. He had a temper on him that was worse than all of the other brothers combined and she didn’t want him to make any more rash decisions.

  “Tell me Gemma.”

  “I don’t want to, Scott. I know how you are and you can’t go around town beating guys up because they are dating your ex. That isn’t right and you know it. You have to let her go.”

  Scott didn’t want to hear it and after he asked a couple more times, she still refused and he hung up in anger.

  “Is everything okay love?”

  She nodded that it was. “Yeah it was just Scott freaking out. Go back to sleep baby.”

  Gemma felt him laying down next to her and pulling her in towards his warm body. She had a moment of need, but it was gone and he was back to sleep next to her. She stayed up for another hour until the sun was fully lighting the sky. There was nothing else that she could do, but her heart went out to her brother. Gemma really hoped her mom was right about everything working out and she couldn’t help but feel guilty about it all. Were they doing the right thing?

  Chapter 7

  Scott didn’t go back to the ranch later in the morning. He didn’t want to go back and he wasn’t in the mood to do any work. Scott was still trying to wrap his brain around what had happened and though Gemma was right, he shouldn’t care who it was that Lisa was with, he did. It was something that ate at his insides and he just had to know. There was someone next to her and doing the things that he had done to her and it was driving him crazy.

  He turned off his phone after it wouldn’t stop ringing. First it was Henri that called, and then Gemma and then Elna. He ignored them all and sat at the small bar drinking. It wasn’t enough that it was only noon and he was already plastered, but it wasn’t enough. He still remembered the voice behind her telling her to come back to bed and his rage took over.

  “Scott, I think you have had enough. Do you want me to call one of your brothers to come and get you?” Ralph had never seen the youngest brother so drunk, so early. It had been a long time since he had seen him in such a state.

  “I’m fine, give me another.”

  Ralph didn’t want to, his pudgy face showed the concern that everyone seemed to have for him lately. He was sick of everyone feeling sorry for him. Did Ralph know too? “Have you seen Lisa this week?”

  He nodded, but knew that it was not a good time to talk about her. Everyone knew that they were together, thus everyone knew when they broke up. It was a small town and Ralph wasn’t so stupid as to get him riled up. It wasn’t the first time that Scott had torn up his bar and he didn’t want a repeat. Sure the family would pay for the damage, but it took several days to clean up from his last fight.

  “Yea, I have seen her a couple of times. She has been coming in her sad like. I was sorry to hear that you two broke up. I always thought you would be together always. You guys seemed perfect for each other.”

  Scott nodded. He realized more than anything that she was the one for him, but Lisa had moved on. “She already has someone else and I want to know who it is.”

  Ralph moved back and shook his head like he didn’t know. He knew that Scott would find out it was David from the feed store, but he was not going to be the poor soul to tell him. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Scott, everyone has a rebound. That is what people do to forget about other people. She loved you and she is just trying to get over you.”

  Scott knew it was true. He had never questioned how she felt about him because he didn’t have to. Lisa had always been there for him and they had shared everything together. But now that she was gone, it felt like half of him was missing and he took down the shot with the thought.

  “Last one, Scott, and then I am getting you some coffee.”

  Scott didn’t want coffee, but even he knew that he had had enough to drink. The only problem was that he hadn’t forgotten about her. After all that was going on, all of the alcohol in his system, he was still thinking about her without restraint. Scott didn’t think he was ever going to be able to get over Lisa. He hadn’t thought any of it through and the last thing he was thinking about was moving on with another woman. He didn’t want someone else to forget about her. There was no one to compare to her and Scott had made the worst mistake of his life.

  Ralph went to the back to brew some coffee and when he got back out, he was happy that Scott was still there. After he got a cup in front of him, he called down to the ranch and had Marcel come down and get him. The man was hoping that the big brother would be able to help him see that his destructive behavior was not going to do him any good.

  Marcel arrived a few minutes after he called. The family was starting to worry about Scott, but Scott wasn’t so worried about everyone else.

  “Come on bro, let’s go home.” He touched his arm and the man pulled away. Scott was drunk and never had been good at holding his liquor. He just wanted to forget everything in the bottom of the bottle. His plan of action was working fine and the last thing he wanted to do was talk about it. Talking about it wasn’t going to make anything better.

  “I’m good here Marcel. Why don’t you go home to that pretty little wife of yours?”

  Marcel sighed and sat down next to him on the stool beside him. “Look, I know you are bummed out right now, Scott, but it will all work out.”

  Scott didn’t want to hear it. The coffee wasn’t what he wanted and he tried to lean against the counter to get the bottle of whiskey that he had been drinking from. He had nearly finished the bottle himself and he wasn’t done. It was still light out and Scott wasn’t ready to stop until he was out. He had always been one extreme to the next and Marcel had seen this before when their father had died. Scott had been in his teens and had gone over the deep end.

  Now was just the same. He could see the same look in his eyes that told him that his brother didn’t care what happened. It was not a good place for Scott to be in. The last time he had been like that, jail is what finally slowed him down. The Callahan money got rid of the problem, but he was older now and if he did something really stupid, there may be no way for them to save him the next time. Marcel knew that he had to get him home before he started wreaking havoc in the town. Everyone knew why he was acting out and most knew who Lisa was now dating. It wouldn’t be long before Scott found out as well.

  “Scott, come on. Don’t make me drag you ou
t of here.”

  He just kind of sneered at him, sure that Marcel wasn’t big enough to do such a thing. “Go on brother. You have a wife to get home too.”

  Marcel closed his eyes. He had always had a short fuse when it came to Scott’s rebellion, but even he knew that the man was hurting and he felt bad for him. There was no time for it though. The rest of the patrons would be in soon and Marcel wanted to get him out of there before anyone else could see him like that. He knew that Scott would be embarrassed the next day or he would wake up in jail because he had started a fight with someone.

  “You either come with me or I am going to call mom.”

  Scott looked over at him. “You can’t be serious.”

  He was, though, and Scott knew it. Even in his stupor, he didn’t want Elna to see him that way. He had always been the baby of the family and he had also been the one that was close with her. Marcel tried to help him up and that time he went willingly. To Marcel it was a win to not have to knock him out to get him home, that was always the last resort.

  “Thanks for calling me Ralph.”

  He just nodded and asked if he needed any help. “Do you want me to help you get him out to the car?”

  Scott answered, telling him that he had it, though if it wasn’t for his brother’s strong grip on his arm, he would have already been flat on his back. Scott had drank way too much and there was no way that he was going to make it anywhere on his own steam.

  Marcel got him into his truck after a little wrestling and threatening and was on his way back home when Scott finally passed out. When he got back he had Henri help him to his bedroom and laid him on the bed. It wasn’t even three in the afternoon and he looked like he was out for the night.

  Chapter 8

  “What are we going to do about him?” Marcel, Paul and Henri were all at the table and not one face held much glee. They all knew that Scott was on a road that he had been in before and no one wanted to see it. There was not much to be done though and Marcel was thinking that his brother needed some time away from the ranch. There was a cattle drive in their future and he thought it best that he and Scott went alone.

  “I think we should go ahead and take the cows up to the north pasture a couple weeks early. It would get him out of town and away from the bars for a bit. I will go and try to talk to him.” Marcel felt like it was his responsibility as the older brother to help him through it. They had all thought that it would work out with Lisa and though Scott tried to pretend that he was okay with it, in reality he wasn’t.

  Paul thought that they should all go, but Marcel argued that it should be him. Henri was under the impression that Scott just needed time alone because that is what he would want in that situation. There was talk for a while, but Marcel got his way as he usually did. He was everyone’s big brother and no one wanted to be the one against him.

  “I just don’t like the idea of two people on a cattle drive. We have a lot of them to move this year. Tons of newborns and the Brazos River is ten feet higher than it is supposed to be. There is a reason that we wait till the end of the month. I don’t know if we should really be driving this early.” Paul said concerned. There had been a lot of rain that season and his mind was always on the logistics.

  Marcel wasn’t thinking about any of that. He was worried about what Scott would do, and there was no way that staying in town and working it out was going to be an option. It never worked before and he was sure that the chances of it working again were slim. There was something more important than losing a calf. He didn’t want to lose his brother like they almost had before.

  “I know that it will be a little higher. I was thinking we could cross a little higher up where it is not so wide. It will be stronger and deeper, but they should do fine.” He wasn’t sure of himself, but his face showed confidence in his plan.

  “I am with Paul, Marcel. It is risky to go now, but I can see your point too. You guys just make sure you have a few extra supplies. There are some parts that don’t have any cell service out there. I don’t like the idea of you going alone, but I guess two is better than one.”

  ***

  Scott was getting up about the time work was finished and Davina was over making dinner. She already knew what was going to happen and she had come over for some emotional support. Everyone liked Davina and they liked her cooking even more. Scott thought with his stomach and Marcel thought that it would be an easier way to ease him into it.

  “Good evening sunshine!” Marcel was talking loud close to his ear. Scott pushed him back and grimaced. His head was pounding and he almost thanked Davina for the coffee that she slid to him. It was late in the evening and dark outside, but the warm cup was as close to pleasure as he had in days.

  “That smells good, Davina.”

  “I made your favorite.”

  He smiled, but then knew that something was amiss. “Why?”

  “Because I know you have been having a rough go of things.”

  He shrugged. “Pity?”

  “Yes, it’s pity food. Do you not want any?”

  They both knew he did and no one said much else until he had eaten some of it. His senses were off because of the hang over and he was possibly still a little drunk, the alcohol still not out of his system. “So why is everyone looking at me like I am about to freak out?”

  “Because I had to go get you at two in the afternoon stone drunk at a bar. What’s going on?”

  Scott made a sneer. “It seems like everyone knows what is going on besides me. I told you before that I don’t need to talk about this. You know damn well what is going on with Lisa. I am just waiting for one of my brothers, to tell me who the hell it is.”

  “Why?”

  “You know why.”

  Marcel knew that his brother had every intention on fighting. With older brothers, Scott had to get tough quick and had resorted to violence more than once. “That isn’t going to happen. We might not be able to bail you out this time.”

  Scott shrugged and went back to the bowl of stew. If he had to listen to the crap, the least he could do was eat well. He was already starting to feel a little better, his stomach no longer sounding like it was trying to eat itself. “You guys can’t watch over me all the time. The town is small and I will find out what I need to know.”

  His older brother sat down next to him at the large wooden table and put his hand on his shoulder. “I need you to help me with the drive. If you still feel like smashing his face in, I will give you his name.” Marcel would, but he hoped that he could get through to him before he tried to kill the poor boy. David was weak and while he wasn’t sure why Lisa went that way, he knew that his brother would make short work of him. Scott was the strongest and just most manic of the Callahan boys. He had taken down all of his older brothers at one time or another. Marcel’s jaw still hurt when he remembered the time they had gotten into it at the very bar he had picked him up from earlier in the day.

  The smile that came across his face made Marcel realize that he was going to have his work cut out for him. There was something sinister in the way Scott was looking and the last thing that he wanted was to have to bail him out of jail again.

  “So is it a deal?”

  “I don’t want to wait weeks Marcel. The drive isn’t until the end of the month.”

  “Not now. There is supposed to be flooding next week and we need to get them to the upper pasture or they will be stuck here and I don’t know how much hay is left. They need to get up there and then the Jerich twins are going to take over. There are already up there.”

  Marcel was lying through his teeth, but it wasn’t as if his brother had been checking the weather lately and he was just so convincing. He almost had Henri and Paul convinced and they knew that it wasn’t true.

  Scott was warming up to the idea with a second bowl and was soon ready to go. He knew that he needed a couple of days away, but was convinced that he would not have a change of heart. Marcel had been softened by marriage, but Scott
knew that he wasn’t going to be softened and tamed like his brother.

  He would go and then get the information he needed to take care of the man. There was no real thought of reasoning. It was just the idea that someone had even touched Lisa. It didn’t matter if they were together or not. Lisa was always going to be his.

  “Fine, Marcel. You want to do the drive? We can leave in the morning. No sense in waiting if it has to be done. But when we get back, I am going to hold you to what you said.”

  Marcel nodded, hoping that his idea didn’t backfire on him.

  Chapter 9

  “Do you think you are going to be able to get through to him? I saw the look in his eyes. He was kind of scary looking.” Davina wasn’t worried for her husband as she watched him dress. She was going to miss him, but she was more worried about it not working out. Marcel felt such responsibility towards his brothers and she wanted to make sure that he didn’t get his heart broken as well.

  “I don’t know. He gets that way some times. After dad died, he really lost it. He was fighting everyone, got expelled from school. He works on the ranch because of it I think. He has been doing a lot better, but everyone around here knows that Scott will hit a man before he will argue. It’s just the way he is.

  She nodded and got up, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. “I just worry that you are getting too into it. You know what happens if you get your hopes up and he goes on another bender. Do what you can, but you can’t push people to just get over that kind of thing.”

  “Are you worried I will get my feelings hurt?” Marcel found it funny. The tiny woman was always so worried about him like he was glass. “It will be fine Davina and I will be back before you know it. You were just saying that you were getting sick of seeing my face just a couple of days ago.”

  “Well that was before I realized I wouldn’t see it for a few days. A week is too long to not be able to kiss you and touch you.” Her body pressed against him and he groaned.