Secrets Collide (Bluegrass Brothers)

trouble believing it,” Miles said in a wistful way that left Cy feeling slightly jealous.
    “I guess I’m the last one standing. You all will have kids and I’ll be the strange bachelor uncle wanting their dads to come play poker,” Cy laughed as he teased his brothers.
    “Yeah, right. You just moved into the number-one marriage spot on the list. I'm sure Marianne will have a write-up in the paper this week. You’ll be off the market in no time,” Pierce predicted.
    “I’m not going to feel too sorry for you when all the single women of Keeneston descend upon you either. Not when you’re getting text messages from naked supermodels and America’s Sweetheart. I still can’t believe you were in that movie with her,” Cade said as he took off his cowboy hat and wiped his brow.
    “Yeah, I guess I can’t complain about that,” Cy said with a grin.
    “Yep, but payback’s a bitch and her name is Kandi,” Marshall laughed as he slapped Cy on the shoulder.
    “Kandi? She’s married with like a couple of kids, right?”
    “It’s never stopped her before,” Cade warned.
    “What about Gemma?” Miles asked. “She was a little distant, but after what she’s gone through in the past twenty-four hours, I can’t really blame her for that. And boy, she’s a knockout. Curves in all the right places for me.”
    Cy narrowed his eyes at Miles.
    “That she is. And the women all liked her. Tammy thinks she’s really nice and has ordered me to have her over to our apartment for dinner,” Pierce told him.
    “Yep. Katelyn, too.”
    “And Annie.”
    “Morgan sent me armed with an invitation for Gemma. You know, you all could've stayed with us. We have plenty of room.”
    “I know. But y’all have wives and babies on the way. I don’t know how much danger I’m going to be in, but I thought I'd be safer in town where someone looking for me would have to get through the Rose sisters, John Wolfe, the PTA, the Belles, and every farmer in the area before finding us,” Cy explained.
    “Well, you know we’re all here if you need us. We have a certain skill set that could come in handy. Well, except Pierce there. All he can do is invent robots,” Marshall joked.
    “Ha-ha. My robot can kick your ass,” Pierce shot back.
    “We’re just teasing. We couldn’t be prouder of you, and you too, Cy. What you’ve done is very dangerous and I’m sure has saved many lives,” Marshall said seriously.
    Cy just nodded his head in response. He had saved lives. He’d stopped the bombing of an airplane bound for L.A. He’d broken up the sale of chemical weapons. He’d helped the Swiss secure their banking system to avoid increased hacking activity. Cy had never felt as if he had saved people, though. He was just doing his job. Miles, Marshall, and Cade had been the real heroes and he was just trying to make them proud.
    “I’m proud of you, too, bro. Now, what do you think of your land?” Pierce asked.
    “It’s great. Thanks for buying it for me, Pierce. You picked a great area,” Cy said sincerely. Pierce had called him and told him this farm was for sale years ago. Marshall’s farm sat on one side and Cade’s on the other. It was filled with a mixture of rolling hills, woods, and a small creek.
    “I think I want to build the house right over there.” Cy pointed to a clearing close to the boundary line with Cade’s property. “I can continue running the cattle in this pasture and maybe plant some crops in the fifty acres on the east side of the property.”
    “Well, welcome home, brother. It’s great to have you back. We’ve missed you,” Cade said as he reached over to shake Cy’s hand.
     
    *     *     *
     
    Gemma pushed the swing with her big toe as she sat with one leg resting on the large porch swing. The bath had been restorative and she had gotten out with a renewed sense of justice. She slipped on a wispy white skirt and a green peasant top before heading downstairs with the notebooks and the box her sister had made.
    Not wanting to feel closed in, Gemma had decided the large porch overlooking the street was the perfect place to see what secrets her sister held. With a quick wave to the sheriff’s cruiser keeping watch, Gemma looked around the porch for a place to work. The swing had called to her and with a deep breath, she set the box on her lap and opened the lid.
    It was filled with pictures—some taken with a telescopic lens, others with a phone or a concealed camera, and a