Hunter's Moon (Hunter Family Saga; Half-Moon Ranch 1) by Bobbi Smith

repeated, surprised at the mention of
her name. It had been so long since he'd seen any of
his friends.
    "She helped Abby a lot right after..." Brent paused,
then went on, "They've stayed close ever since."
    "And Edmund? How is he?"
    "As successful as ever," Brent answered, hoping
his silent resentment didn't show. He had never
been able to forget Edmund's coldness the day
he'd shown him the extent of the Half-Moon's
debts. He looked at Frances. "When is Abby
coming back?"
    "Sometime tonight," Frances told them. "She just
needed to get away for a little while."
    Brent understood what Frances wasn't sayingthat Abby was torn by the prospect of their father's
return and needed time away to gather her thoughts
and prepare herself to see him again.
    "Are you two hungry?" she offered. "Would you
like anything to eat?"

    "No, not right now."
    "Well, if you change your mind I'll be in the
kitchen." She directed her comment to Brent.
    "Thanks."
    She hurried off, leaving the two men alone.
    Jack was tense as he glanced up at his wife's
portrait again. Nothing had changed, yet everything
had changed. He realized painfully that Brent had
been right.
    "The front bedroom is still yours," Brent said.
    "You didn't take it over, too?" His tone was sharp
with resentment.

    Jack turned away from Brent and stalked off to
the master bedroom. He didn't pause before the
closed door, but opened it and went on in, shutting
it behind him.
    Jack had thought seeing the house again had been
painful, but nothing had prepared him for the sight of
his and Beth's bedroom. The room was seemingly
untouched even after all these years. He closed his eyes,
fighting back the stabbing ache of emptiness that filled
him. This room had been their haven. He and Beth
had always found their bliss there-in the wide
comfort of their marriage bed-holding each other,
loving each other. But that comfort was lost to him
now-forever.
    Memories of Beth overwhelmed him suddenlyall the joy they'd shared and all the love. He sank
down on the side of the bed, struggling for control.

    This room might look the same, but it would
never be the same. Nothing would. Life as he'd
known it was over. There was no going back.
    There had been times during his long years in
prison when Jack had dreamed of this moment-of
being free and back home. But he felt no elation, no
thrill at being home. He felt only sorrow for all that
had been lost.
    Jack remembered his dreams for their future, and
all that had been lost on that fateful day...
    It had been a long, long time since Jack had
had a drink, but he desperately needed one. He
got up and left the bedroom. He'd always kept
his whiskey in the cabinet right by the dining
room table, and he was glad to see the cabinet
was still there. He was a driven man as he strode
to it and opened the door. He stared inside in
great frustration. There was no liquor of any
kind. It was empty.
    "Damn it!" In a frustrated fury, he slammed the
door shut.
    "What are you looking for?" Brent asked. He had
been in the back of the house, but heard the
commotion.
    "Where's the whiskey?"
    Brent went cold as he faced him down. "There
isn t any."
    "Why the hell not? I need a drink."
    Brent's expression hardened even more. "I would
think after what happened the last time you got drunk, you'd never want to touch another drop of
liquor." His words had the desired effect. His father
went pale, "Ma would still be alive if you hadn't
been drunk that day. Since then, I don't allow liquor
in this house-ever."

    Jack glared at him, shaken and yet furious, too,
over being denied what he needed. He turned away
and stormed out of the house.
    Brent watched him go. He didn't care how angry
his father was.
    "There's no way to avoid this, is there?" Abby looked
at Iona as Edmund drove them back to the ranch
late that afternoon.
    She was seated between the couple, a place that
should have made her feel secure. Instead she felt