stared at his son and wondered if Jeremy and Tricia had made other plans that perhaps he should know about. Maybe, just maybe, he would be given the opportunity to retire, gain another daughter-in-law and, if he was lucky, another grandchild.
His gaze shifted to Tricia. “Never forget that you’re family, Tricia. Everyone connected to the farm is family.” He lifted the cardboard container cradling three foam cups. “Let’s go somewhere and get somecoffee that doesn’t come out of a vending machine looking like mud.”
Turning, Sheldon led the way out of the hospital, Tricia and Jeremy following.
“Why don’t we finish this some other time?”
Sheldon’s voice broke into Jeremy’s thoughts, his sharp tone filled with annoyance. “No, Pop,” he countered. “Let’s get it over with now. My recommendation is that you sign for a short-term, high-interest loan to ease your cash flow. Once you sell the mares you can pay it off interest free.”
Sheldon nodded. “In other words I would use or borrow the bank’s money at no cost to me.”
“Exactly,” Jeremy concurred, smiling. “Borrow a little extra because you may see some stock you hadn’t planned on buying.”
“Now you sound like Ryan.”
“I’m not into horses like you and Ryan, but I do know horse farms need an infusion of new bloodlines every three to five years. And what Blackstone Farms needs is a three-year-old who will be eligible for next year’s Kentucky Derby.”
Nodding in agreement, Sheldon closed the ledger, pushed it aside and watched his son massage his forehead with his fingertips. “Do you still have headaches?”
Jeremy lowered his hand. “They come and go.”
“Do you want me to go back to your place for your medication?”
“No. I’ve stopped taking it.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like not being in control of what I do or say.”
Sheldon gave him a long, penetrating look. “You can tell me it’s none of my business but—”
“But you’re going to say it anyway,” Jeremy countered, smiling.
A rare smile deepened the lines around Sheldon’s eyes. “Yes, I am going to say it anyway.” He sobered quickly. “What’s going on between you and Tricia?”
Jeremy did not move, not even his eyes. “There’s nothing going on?” Nothing except that they were lovers once again.
“Do you love her?”
“I’ll guess I’ve always loved her.”
“Have you told her how you feel?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Jeremy shrugged a shoulder as he continued to massage his forehead. “We’ve been apart for too long. I’ve changed and she’s changed. If we had reconnected ten years ago or even last year, then I believe things would be different.”
“Why would you say that?” Sheldon asked.
“Look at me, Pop. Whenever I have the flashbacks, I feel as if I’m losing my mind. Tricia remembers me whole and sane, not crippled and crazy.”
Sheldon leaned forward. “You’re not a cripple.”
“Get real, Pop. The doctor says I’m healing nicely,but he knows and I know that I’m through with undercover assignments.”
“I’m going to be honest when I say I’m not sorry about that.”
“That’s because you never supported my career choice.”
“You belong here, Jeremy. You should’ve come back after you graduated from college.”
“I couldn’t come back.”
“Why not?”
Sheldon sat silently as Jeremy repeated what Russell Smith and Gus Parker told him that fateful night fourteen years before. “I’ve spent years beating myself up for breaking up with Tricia. I wanted to hate her, but every time I came back to the farm I prayed she’d be here.”
“Has she forgiven you?”
A smile inched its way through the uncertain expression on Jeremy’s lean face. “As much as she can, given the circumstances. Before Gus’s heart attack she said she’d give me three weeks.”
“Is that what she said?”
Jeremy nodded. “Loud and clear.”
Sheldon ran a hand over his face. “Damn.
His gaze shifted to Tricia. “Never forget that you’re family, Tricia. Everyone connected to the farm is family.” He lifted the cardboard container cradling three foam cups. “Let’s go somewhere and get somecoffee that doesn’t come out of a vending machine looking like mud.”
Turning, Sheldon led the way out of the hospital, Tricia and Jeremy following.
“Why don’t we finish this some other time?”
Sheldon’s voice broke into Jeremy’s thoughts, his sharp tone filled with annoyance. “No, Pop,” he countered. “Let’s get it over with now. My recommendation is that you sign for a short-term, high-interest loan to ease your cash flow. Once you sell the mares you can pay it off interest free.”
Sheldon nodded. “In other words I would use or borrow the bank’s money at no cost to me.”
“Exactly,” Jeremy concurred, smiling. “Borrow a little extra because you may see some stock you hadn’t planned on buying.”
“Now you sound like Ryan.”
“I’m not into horses like you and Ryan, but I do know horse farms need an infusion of new bloodlines every three to five years. And what Blackstone Farms needs is a three-year-old who will be eligible for next year’s Kentucky Derby.”
Nodding in agreement, Sheldon closed the ledger, pushed it aside and watched his son massage his forehead with his fingertips. “Do you still have headaches?”
Jeremy lowered his hand. “They come and go.”
“Do you want me to go back to your place for your medication?”
“No. I’ve stopped taking it.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like not being in control of what I do or say.”
Sheldon gave him a long, penetrating look. “You can tell me it’s none of my business but—”
“But you’re going to say it anyway,” Jeremy countered, smiling.
A rare smile deepened the lines around Sheldon’s eyes. “Yes, I am going to say it anyway.” He sobered quickly. “What’s going on between you and Tricia?”
Jeremy did not move, not even his eyes. “There’s nothing going on?” Nothing except that they were lovers once again.
“Do you love her?”
“I’ll guess I’ve always loved her.”
“Have you told her how you feel?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Jeremy shrugged a shoulder as he continued to massage his forehead. “We’ve been apart for too long. I’ve changed and she’s changed. If we had reconnected ten years ago or even last year, then I believe things would be different.”
“Why would you say that?” Sheldon asked.
“Look at me, Pop. Whenever I have the flashbacks, I feel as if I’m losing my mind. Tricia remembers me whole and sane, not crippled and crazy.”
Sheldon leaned forward. “You’re not a cripple.”
“Get real, Pop. The doctor says I’m healing nicely,but he knows and I know that I’m through with undercover assignments.”
“I’m going to be honest when I say I’m not sorry about that.”
“That’s because you never supported my career choice.”
“You belong here, Jeremy. You should’ve come back after you graduated from college.”
“I couldn’t come back.”
“Why not?”
Sheldon sat silently as Jeremy repeated what Russell Smith and Gus Parker told him that fateful night fourteen years before. “I’ve spent years beating myself up for breaking up with Tricia. I wanted to hate her, but every time I came back to the farm I prayed she’d be here.”
“Has she forgiven you?”
A smile inched its way through the uncertain expression on Jeremy’s lean face. “As much as she can, given the circumstances. Before Gus’s heart attack she said she’d give me three weeks.”
“Is that what she said?”
Jeremy nodded. “Loud and clear.”
Sheldon ran a hand over his face. “Damn.
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