stomach does an impressive nosedive, and I marvel at his impeccable timing. “Hey, Dane,” I answer coolly, my nonchalant tone masking the fact that everything in me has just gone weak and wobbly. “Thank you for bringing Bo home Tuesday. I appreciate it.”
“No problem. How is he?”
I lean against the counter. “Better. Thanks.”
“How’s the bruising?”
“He’s in that yellow-and-purple stage.”
“I wanted to stop by and say hello to him, if you don’t mind.”
My chest constricts again, making breathing harder. I don’t know why Dane has that effect on me, but I’ve got to get a grip. “Bo would love it,” I answer.
He laughs softly. “Just Bo?”
I flush. “Cooper, too. He’d like to join your fan club.”
He laughs again. “I just picked up hay from the Sorensens and am still in the area, so I’ll be there in fifteen.”
My pulse leaps and I dig a hand into the back pocket of my jeans. “Sure. But, uh, Blue just arrived for the weekend, and he’s here now…”
“Oh.”
That one syllable says it all.
“In that case, Shey, I won’t stop. But let Bo know I called—”
“Dane.”
“What?”
The hardness of his voice undermines my courage. I gulp a breath before blurting, “You, Brick, and Blue used to be such good friends, friends for nearly forty years. Can’t you guys work this thing out? Can’t it be like it used to be?”
Silence stretches across the phone line, and then he sighs. “Darlin’, I wish it was.”
There’s loneliness in his voice. Regret, too. A lump forms in my throat. I don’t want to feel this much or care as deeply as I do, but it’s too late for that. “Then talk to Blue,” I beg. “And then maybe Brick will feel like he doesn’t have to take sides.”
“I’ve tried talking to him. Believe me. It doesn’t help. Maybe if Cody hadn’t died…” His voice drifts off.
Because Cody did die, and apparently my brothers do blame him. I close my eyes, shake my head, finding this all so impossible. “Dane.”
“Darlin’, I wish things had turned out differently, I do, but there’s no going back now. What’s done is done. What’s said is said.” He hesitates. “And unfortunately for all, a lot was said.”
And then he hangs up, and the click of the phone has never sounded quite so final.
Off the phone, I return to the living room fully expecting to be hassled by Blue, but he and the boys have headed outside and are in the Range Rover. I think Blue’s showing the car off until I see Hank slide behind the wheel.
Blue is teaching him to drive.
My lower lip catches between my teeth. Blue was the one who taught me to drive. And Dane was the one who taught Blue to drive. We’re all so connected. Too connected.
Filled with bittersweet emotion, I watch Blue show Hank how to stop and start, reverse, and park. Blue is exceedingly patient, just as patient with Hank as he was with me.
But Hank isn’t the only one to get a driving lesson. Bo and Coop each get a turn behind the wheel, and by the time the boys are done, the driveway is cloudy with dust from all the zooming down the drive and jerky reverses.
The lesson ends, and the boys climb out of the dust-covered SUV. Blue checks his watch as he approaches me. “I was thinking I might drive Hank and Bo to tonight’s game. I haven’t been to one of the high school games in years, and homecoming’s always a lot of fun.”
I love the idea of not driving any more today. “That’d be great. It’d save me the trip into town.”
“Perfect. We’ll head out now. And are we still good for tomorrow?”
“I’ll be at the McCurdy guesthouse bright and early.”
The two older boys take a quick shower and change and then leave with Blue, while Cooper heads to the barn to practice, which means riding the blue barrel he’s strung up between two posts. Coop rides this practice bull every day, and after a half hour I walk down to the barn to watch him train. Inside the barn, I find him
“No problem. How is he?”
I lean against the counter. “Better. Thanks.”
“How’s the bruising?”
“He’s in that yellow-and-purple stage.”
“I wanted to stop by and say hello to him, if you don’t mind.”
My chest constricts again, making breathing harder. I don’t know why Dane has that effect on me, but I’ve got to get a grip. “Bo would love it,” I answer.
He laughs softly. “Just Bo?”
I flush. “Cooper, too. He’d like to join your fan club.”
He laughs again. “I just picked up hay from the Sorensens and am still in the area, so I’ll be there in fifteen.”
My pulse leaps and I dig a hand into the back pocket of my jeans. “Sure. But, uh, Blue just arrived for the weekend, and he’s here now…”
“Oh.”
That one syllable says it all.
“In that case, Shey, I won’t stop. But let Bo know I called—”
“Dane.”
“What?”
The hardness of his voice undermines my courage. I gulp a breath before blurting, “You, Brick, and Blue used to be such good friends, friends for nearly forty years. Can’t you guys work this thing out? Can’t it be like it used to be?”
Silence stretches across the phone line, and then he sighs. “Darlin’, I wish it was.”
There’s loneliness in his voice. Regret, too. A lump forms in my throat. I don’t want to feel this much or care as deeply as I do, but it’s too late for that. “Then talk to Blue,” I beg. “And then maybe Brick will feel like he doesn’t have to take sides.”
“I’ve tried talking to him. Believe me. It doesn’t help. Maybe if Cody hadn’t died…” His voice drifts off.
Because Cody did die, and apparently my brothers do blame him. I close my eyes, shake my head, finding this all so impossible. “Dane.”
“Darlin’, I wish things had turned out differently, I do, but there’s no going back now. What’s done is done. What’s said is said.” He hesitates. “And unfortunately for all, a lot was said.”
And then he hangs up, and the click of the phone has never sounded quite so final.
Off the phone, I return to the living room fully expecting to be hassled by Blue, but he and the boys have headed outside and are in the Range Rover. I think Blue’s showing the car off until I see Hank slide behind the wheel.
Blue is teaching him to drive.
My lower lip catches between my teeth. Blue was the one who taught me to drive. And Dane was the one who taught Blue to drive. We’re all so connected. Too connected.
Filled with bittersweet emotion, I watch Blue show Hank how to stop and start, reverse, and park. Blue is exceedingly patient, just as patient with Hank as he was with me.
But Hank isn’t the only one to get a driving lesson. Bo and Coop each get a turn behind the wheel, and by the time the boys are done, the driveway is cloudy with dust from all the zooming down the drive and jerky reverses.
The lesson ends, and the boys climb out of the dust-covered SUV. Blue checks his watch as he approaches me. “I was thinking I might drive Hank and Bo to tonight’s game. I haven’t been to one of the high school games in years, and homecoming’s always a lot of fun.”
I love the idea of not driving any more today. “That’d be great. It’d save me the trip into town.”
“Perfect. We’ll head out now. And are we still good for tomorrow?”
“I’ll be at the McCurdy guesthouse bright and early.”
The two older boys take a quick shower and change and then leave with Blue, while Cooper heads to the barn to practice, which means riding the blue barrel he’s strung up between two posts. Coop rides this practice bull every day, and after a half hour I walk down to the barn to watch him train. Inside the barn, I find him
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