I shook my head and pulled the keys out of my pocket. “Please, Vance, not tonight. I need to get home to Raleigh.” Before climbing inside the cab of the truck, I paused. “Raleigh . . . he’s sensitive.” Each life storm seemed to leave Raleigh’s bladder in a more weakened state than before, but I kept that part to myself.

Vance held a palm up. “You don’t have to explain. Accidents happen to the best of us.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. When I continued to speak, it was only in a whisper. “Raleigh came in right behind me the night I found my mother . . . the night I found her dead.” I focused on the lights strung over the tops of the trees around the town square. “I froze. Couldn’t do anything but stand by the door and scream. He was only seven years old, but Raleigh didn’t even hesitate to push me out the way so he could scoop up the blue baby. The one not breathing. I don’t know what possessed him, but he jiggled the baby in his arms. A frenzied jiggle.” I blinked as the lights became blurry and met Vance’s glassy eyes. “He jiggled the baby and the next thing I remember was the baby squalling and turning red. Raleigh saved Nash’s life that night.”

Vance stepped closer, but I put the wall up and hurried into the driver’s seat. “So when I say Raleigh is sensitive, you best believe he has every dang right to be.” I didn’t thank Vance for helping me find my brother. I didn’t thank him for helping Raleigh keep some measure of dignity. I should have, but pride is a terrible greedy thing and wouldn’t let me.

Vance caught the top of the door and refused to let me close it. “Three years, Austin . . .” He slowly shook his head. “Three years together. Yet this is the first time you’ve ever opened up to me . . . Wow.” He rubbed his chest with his free hand, showing me just how deep the hurt of that went.

“We’re not together anymore,” I blurted, continuing to inflict more pain like the vile person I was.

“Exactly!” He released a derisive snort. “I’d have done anything to right whatever wrongs were going on out on the farm for you, if you’d just let me in . . . You never did.” He gently closed the door, eyes pinned to mine through the window before he turned away.

Through a haze of regret, I watched him walk off into the dark. Ever the gentleman, Vance bowed out of the way of my pride and let me go.