Anger began to simmer deep in his gut. Too bad Mom wasn’t still around. She’d take his side in a discussion like this.

But despite her loyalty, she would have been hard-pressed to stand by him after the stupid stunts he’d pulled in high school. Nor would she have been able to change the old man’s mind about cutting him loose after that minor fender bender on graduation night thirteen long months ago. Or stop the ultimatum he’d issued to get his act together or forget about taking his place at the farm.

Like that was ever going to happen now anyway, with the sheriff on his tail.

He glared at his gloating brother and righteous father, a harsh rebuttal hovering on the tip of his tongue.

Keep your mouth shut, Holmes. Anything you say will backfire. Talk to the old man when Wayne’s not around.

For once, Tyler listened to the silent voice of reason he’d too often ignored.

“I’m going home.” He rose. “Thanks for the pizza.”

His father stood too. “I’ll walk you out.”

“I know where the door is.”

“I said I’ll walk you out.”

Fine.

He strode toward the door, brushing past his sibling’s chair.

“Enjoy the rest of your evening, Ty. Stay out of trouble.”

“Wayne.” His father frowned at the favored son. “There’s no call to bait your brother.”

His father was coming to his defense?

That was out of pattern.

The old man followed him into the hall and out the door. On the front porch, he paused. “I have news. All of the paperwork on the Wilson place is finally finished. It’s mine.”

“I’m glad you got it.”

That wasn’t a lie. His dad had worked hard his whole life. The sun-weathered skin, deep crevices on either side of his mouth, and fan of lines beside his eyes aged him a decade beyond his fifty-one years.

He and his dad may have had their disagreements, but his father had done his best to provide for the family—and had bailed him out whenever he’d strayed from the straight and narrow.

That’s why he’d tried to help him get Fred’s land.

But like too many of his schemes, that one had gone awry.

Now he’d messed up again with Mavis Templeton.

“I’m sure Wilson’s turning over in his grave to know the land ended up in my hands. Never met such an ornery cuss in all my life.” His father shook his head and scratched the shiny bald spot on top. “Anyway, there’ll be more work to do now, with two places to manage. I could use your help here.”

His spirits took an uptick. “You want me to come back?”

“Not yet. I told you to take a couple of years to get your act together, hold down a steady job, keep your nose clean. Far as I can see, you’ve been doing that. If you keep it up, I’d like you to come back next spring.” He clapped a hand on his arm. “I always told your mom I wanted to leave each of you boys your own spread. Now I can do that. But you have to earn it first. You understand where I’m coming from, son?”