Kids at school teased him mercilessly for his large, awkward body, and the adults were much worse. People who didn’t know him didn’t know he was a kid and that made things even harder. Adults who did know him wanted to take advantage of him or make him show off his strength and athletic skill like he was some circus animal. He grew a tough shell quickly, but that didn’t stop the pain and confusion from simmering below the surface. There was almost a full year when he barely spoke, only responding to his family when addressed directly.

Something happened when he went away to college and by the time he finished business school and the rest of his peers had caught up with him in physical maturity, he’d seemed to level out, but if people pushed him, that fucking temper. Sometimes you’d see it coming. He’d warn his brothers when they were getting on his nerves. Sometimes, though, the top would just blow right off.

Sam and Zach let out frustrated breaths, both thinking about how they could get through to him before their grandmother came walking in the door.

“You can be concerned about Miss Leona seeing someone new, but you can’t stop her from doing it. I want to know why it pisses you off so much,” Zach said.

“It’s not—” Jesse finally started to unclench. He let out his own breath and tried again. “I know that she doesn’t want me in her business, but I am just trying to protect her.”

“From what?” Zach asked calmly.

“The guy she’s talking to, Frank Chester?”

“Yeah, the organ guy from church. What about him?”

“He was trying to get at the ranch.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” Zach asked.

“Yeah. I’ll fight a Frank Chester,” Sam added, making Zach laugh.

“’Cause I took care of it.”

“Miss Leona said you scared the shit out of him.”

Jesse stopped pacing, then cracked his knuckles. “Literally.”

“Oh man!” Zach threw up his hands. Sam winced.

“Okay. I don’t want to lose the ranch to some old man who put one over on Miss Leona, but what’s Frank Chester, like, seventy-eight?” Zach asked. “You could have given him a heart attack. You can’t be rolling up on the elderly like that.”

“Whatever, he’s fine.”

“Okay. So you’re trying to protect Miss Leona’s wallet and the ranch. Fair. But how do we know this new guy is after her money? He could be a nice dude,” Sam said.

“What do you mean ‘this guy’? She’s out with Frank Chester again.”

“Uh right, she is.”

“There’s someone else?!”

“Jess. Calm down,” Zach said, palms up like he could soothe the rage out of him.

“I’m not gonna calm down.”