“Yeah, the only way it could be more personal is if it was actually me. Because it basically was me. Only a year ago.”

“Well, Mom would handle it differently now, and she did. She feels... She’s not proud of what she did. Not at all.”

“Well, she did it. Whether she’s proud of it or not.”

“Yeah,” Gabe said. “But I think it’s safe to say that she did change.”

He didn’t know why he was defending her. Not when he was so pissed off about it himself. Not when he was the one who had been used as a weapon against his father.

“I needed you all to know. Because... I’m going to contact them. I’m going to find out who they are, and I’m going to make sure they know...”

“What? That they’re welcome here? That we have room for them?” Jacob said it dryly, but McKenna looked at him with ferocity in her eyes.

“Didn’t you have room for me?”

“It was different,” Jacob said, not having the decency to look shamed. Because Jacob never did.

“How?” McKenna pressed.

“You’re a sister,” he said. As if that explained everything.

“It does feel different,” Caleb said, nodding.

“That’s not fair,” McKenna said.

“Fair doesn’t come into it, McKenna,” Jacob said. “Life’s not fair.”

“How’s preaching to the choir going?” she asked dryly.

“I’m not trying to. I’m just saying it feels different. It doesn’t mean I don’t support Gabe’s decision.”

“Well, supported or not,” Gabe said, “it’s what I’ve decided to do.”

“What do you think is going to happen?” Caleb asked. “We are all going to end up one big, happy family taking care of troubled boys on your ranch?”

“Dad’s ranch,” Gabe said.

“Why? Because...”

“Because I feel damned guilty,” Gabe said. “Because I probably could’ve gotten more information. And you know...if they’d been younger, I probably would have.”

“How old are they?”

“Our age.”

“Oh, wait a second. Dad was cheating before he had money?” Caleb asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “That’s the size of it.”

“Damn,” Caleb said. “I like to pretend that all that went to his head. But even when he was just a regular ranch hand he was out fucking around.”

“Yeah,” Gabe said. “Pretty much. And that saved them from coming after the money for a while. That and the fact they were married at the time. But eventually they realized they had a potential cash cow on their hands having Hank Dalton’s kids.”

“Well, that’s something,” Jacob said, his tone bitter.

“They may not want to be part of this, anyway,” McKenna said. “Let me tell you, I had to make a choice not to be angry. So that I could be a part of this. Because I love the three of you, idiots though you are. I’m getting to love Hank, too. And your mom... She’s been good to me. This isn’t a normal family situation, not by a long shot, but it’s the family I have. They may not make that same choice. They may have stepdads that they are just fine with. They might be married and have kids of their own.”