Glancing over his shoulder, the minister gave the closed casket a peek, as if Macon might push the top back up and be angry because his wake had ended early.

“What the fu—heck was that?” East shouted, coming down the hall from the kitchen at the back of the house. He took one look at the minister and gave a contrite smile. “Sorry, Father.”

“It was time for the party to end,” I told him.

East looked out the open doorway to the slow stream of cars going down the drive.

“I should’ve thought of that,” he grumbled, then shrugged. “Want a sandwich?”

I shook my head, eyeing the huge sub he had in his hand. There was a table covered with finger foods in the other room. A sandwich was the last thing I wanted. How anyone could eat with a dead body on display was beyond me.

This was all part of the will. Macon, being the center of attention one last time. I wasn’t sure if the lawyers were going to bother me for cutting it short.

“You should relax, dear,” the minister advised. “It’s a difficult time. See you at three.”

I gave him a nod and ushered him to the open doors, closing them behind him.

“Yeah, sis,” East agreed, patting me on the shoulder as he turned and headed back toward the kitchen. “You should relax. Not that you know how.”

I frowned. I’d been running a billion-dollar company with Macon, not like him grading papers as a university professor. He lived in Bozeman, rarely coming back to the ranch, even when he had his summers free. I didn’t blame him. I wished I was him and had his carefree lifestyle. But I’d been groomed to carry on the name. To run the business.

He had no idea. No clue as to what I’d had to deal with. What I’d lived through. Agreed to. Survived. I’d sheltered him and my two other brothers, gave them the freedom to be what they wanted. I couldn’t relax, because when I did, I didn’t like what happened.

I caught Jed’s eye as East disappeared toward the kitchen.

“Even the minister said to relax,” Jed said finally. “Orgasms sanctioned by God.” He came over to me with that long-legged swagger. “Even you can’t argue with that,” he added.

I rolled my eyes as I moved around him, leaving him to follow me. Or not.

He did, of course, back to the library. I’d have thought less of him if he’d given up now. I put the shotgun back on the mounts, then moved to my father’s desk, leaned against it as Jed closed the door behind him.