The Virgin Beauty. Claire King

the outfit, lock, stock and barrel. Get a fresh start somewhere else.”

      “And how would Mom and Dad live? We don’t have enough equity in the land to give them a big chunk of money all at once, and the capital gains taxes would take what we did make off it. Would we just leave here and let them fend for themselves after everything they’ve sacrificed for us?”

      Frank slumped over the wheel of the truck, studying the road ahead of him. “We could work around that.”

      “No, we couldn’t.” After a long silence Daniel said, “I need you there, Frank. I need you, and I’m not about to pay you to leave.” He ran his hands down his face, pulled reflexively at his bottom lip. “Look, I know you’re frustrated. I know you’re overworked. Maybe we can see our way clear to hire on a summer rider. That’d leave me free to help you and Lisa with the farming.”

      “She’s getting a job in town.”

      “Lisa? Where?”

      “With the new vet. Heard about it down at the Rowdy Cowboy, I guess. She doesn’t know much about vetting, but she took those secretary courses in high school, and those computer classes a couple years back.”

      “Huh. I didn’t know she wanted a job in town.”

      “Guess she does.”

      “We’re about to start farming.”

      Frank shrugged. “We’ll have to hire someone else.”

      “Is she moving to town?”

      “No. She said she’ll stay out in her house. Cost her too much to rent in town.”

      “Huh,” he said again, though the longer he considered, the more sense it made. Lisa had been complaining, albeit gently, subtly, for months about Frank’s erratic behavior. It was no wonder she wanted out. “I guess I’ll have to hire a rider, after all. You’ll need help with the farming until we find someone.”

      “Whatever.”

      “Frank—”

      Frank turned pleading eyes to his brother. “I can’t take much more, Danny. I swear to God.”

      “You’ll be okay, Frank. You’re just feeling blue right now.”

      “I’m not just feeling blue. It’s more than that.”

      “I can see that it is.” He could, quite clearly. “Have you thought about seeing someone about it?”

      “You were an animal doctor, Danny, not a human doctor.”

      “I wasn’t either. But it’s been three years, Frankie. You need some help.”

      “Yep.” His brother pulled up to the curb, behind Daniel’s pickup. “And I keep hoping you’ll give me some.”