Crash

11: If I wasnt here, you'd be dead

"Wouldn't do me much good would it? That's why I'm hoping for a daughter," Maggie smiled and looked down at her stomach.

I had only found out a few weeks ago that Maggie and my brother were expecting a baby. They have been married for three years. My mothers exact words were 'bout damn time'.

Jake put a hand over her belly and hugged her to him. I chuckled and headed out to my truck. A moment later, Jake joined me.

He sighed wistfully ,"Little bro, I can't wait until you find the girl of your dreams."

"And then knock her up? No thanks," I grinned at him.

He looked at me with an almost pained expression "You don't understand yet. You can't be mister perfect cowboy bachelor forever."

"I beg to differ," I chuckled, tossing my things in the back.

"You still don't get it. I'm telling you that you're not going to be young forever. Find your girl and stop all of this hunting, player ways crap."

"Why would I stop hunting, for a girl?" I sighed and leaned against the door of my truck.

"Because! You need her," he exclaimed and laid a bear paw on my shoulder. Need? I don't need anyone. 

I looked at him skeptically, "And whys that?"

"Oh Nate, I feel so bad for you. You don't have a person you'd do anything for. The one you can't live without. You want to sleep next to her every night and hide her away behind you to always keep her safe. She'll be your best friend and the love of your life. C'mon, stop leaving girls in your wake and find the one you need," Jake was almost pleading.

I rolled my eyes, "Those were the perfect words of a completely whipped man. I feel so bad for you. All the women here are whiny girls with big hair that are scared of dirt and drink martinis all day. I don't want any of that. Thanks but no thanks. See ya Jake, I'll be back whenever. I may stay longer because of the mule deer and the weather. Might even get a moose. So don't worry, alright?"

"Yeah okay. Did you say goodbye to Ally?" He dropped the subject with a sigh.

I remembered the conversation with our little sister early this morning, "Yeah, she had work so we said goodbye early."

Jake scoffed, "Yeah right. No vet gets up that early. She just knows there's a chance Alana could come here. You know she hates her. Hell, we all do."

I climbed into my truck and started it,  "Well, whichever it is, we said goodbye."

Jake leaned into my open window and produced something from behind his back ,"Here. For your lonely nights."

I rolled my eyes again but took the bottle of Jack Daniels and stuffed it into my duffel, "Thanks."

"If you excuse me, I'm going back to my pregnant wife. My soulmate! My baby! Ah, God I love her! Maggie my doll, let's go home for a little while," Jake wiggled his eyebrows and turned to Maggie, who was waiting on the porch. I hadn't noticed her, but he'd apparently known she was there the whole time.