AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dad laughed. “Oh, don’t give up yet, son. She asks about you occasionally. And...” he gave him a mock glare, “it seems you’ve been holding out on me too. You’ve been playing video games online with her?”
“Yeah.” His shoulders slumped. “And she’s so far ahead of me on that it’s surprising she agrees to play with me at all.”
He chuckled. “She told me you saved her a couple of times.”
“But she only needed help because she was running a totally innovative, out-of-the-box offensive, so I did defense. The woman is brilliant.”
“I think she’s played a lot more than you have.” Dad frowned slightly.
“That’s true, but still, she comes up with stuff I’d never dream of. She’s legendary in a lot of the online forums. And when she signs on, almost everyone wants to be a part of her team. Doesn’t matter what we’re playing.” Tom scowled. “The ones who don’t are constantly pushing her, harassing her, trying to find out who she really is. Ticks me off, but there’s nothing I can do about it. Either way, I’m tilting at windmills.”
“Like I said, don’t give up yet.” Dad waggled his eyebrows. “I have a plan.”
“Of course you do. Everybody’s got a plan except me.” He used to be the one with the plan, but since moving back home, the few plans he made fell apart.
“You’ll just have to be patient.” He sniffed.
“That I can do. One advantage of getting a little older, you do manage to get a little wiser. Or dead. And I’m not dead yet.”
“Not even mostly dead.” Dad used a terrible British accent.
Tom groaned and cleaned up the remnants of dinner. They had to go over the ranch’s finances tonight, which probably meant he wouldn’t get to play online. But maybe if they got started right away... Games with Wiz were the highlight of the day. A highlight he didn’t want to miss.
Late that night, he logged off with a goodnight to Wiz, but she didn’t answer. She’d been unusually determined, well, more like downright vicious against one of their opponents. Must be somebody she knew already, someone who’d attacked her in the game before. He’d never seen her that aggressive. He’d hung on as long as he could, but he had to get some sleep, or he’d fall off the tractor tomorrow. And staying alive in the real world was way more important than a video game. He hoped she remembered that too, but he wasn’t too sure she would. But she’d just about killed off the character when he logged off, so maybe she would be off soon too.
He got up to brush his teeth, surprised at the time. Way too late. Tomorrow would be a bear. Sleep deprivation was easier at twenty, that was for sure. Pushing forty? He snorted at his own idiocy. Impossible. He yawned and turned out the lights. He hoped Wiz was okay. And if she wasn’t, that she’d call him. But that wasn’t horribly likely.
A phone was ringing. His phone. Tom picked up his cell, blinking at the time—3:13 am? Before dawn calls were usually bad news. “Hello?”
“Tom?” Wiz sounded plaintive.
“Yeah. Are you okay?”
“Yes. I just...I wanted to apologize for not saying goodnight to you. I was too wrapped up in the pursuit.”
“That’s okay. I figured as much. Who was that guy, anyway?” Tom yawned, then reconsidered. “Sorry, if you want to tell me. You don’t have to.” But there was something else going on—she wouldn’t interrupt his sleep just to apologize. He sat up, hoping he’d wake up a little.
“No, I know. Thanks. But...that’s my ex’s character.”
“Your ex? As in ex-husband?”
“Yes.”
Anger roared through him, shockingly hot. He stood up to pace but controlled his impulse. She didn’t need a jealous rant, especially when he wasn’t entitled to such a thing at all. “I’m sorry. Tell me?” He deliberately softened his voice; he didn’t want his crappy knee-jerk emotions impacting her.
“Marrying him was a mistake. A big one. He divorced me, so I made sure he didn’t get anything he didn’t earn. I hired the best lawyer in the state to make sure he couldn’t claim alimony or anything else later because I knew I’d be successful.” Anger and determination coursed through her voice.
“Good for you. Guy must be an idiot not to know what he had.” He wanted to suggest a video call, but she was sharing, and he didn’t want her to stop.
She chuckled. “You must be still asleep to say something like that.”
“No.” He yawned. “Well, yes. But I’d have said that anyway. Because it’s true. I don’t know how anyone could be around you for any length of time and not feel lucky.” Maybe voice-only was good for both of them; he might not have said that to her face.
Silence rang on the line. Tom glanced at his phone—the call was still connected.
“That’s nice of you to say.”
He huffed. “I’m not being nice. I’m being truthful. You’re smart, talented, brilliant, brave, and you have a huge heart. What’s not to like?”
