Page 7 of Nixon’s Promise

Duke’s head popped up and he gave a woof before he lowered his head back down on his outstretched front paws and closed his eyes.

Great guard dog he was.

“See ya, Micky.”

“You got money?”

“Yeah.”

This was surprising. I gave him money for helping out around the house, but it was normally gone by the next day.

“Call me when you’re done.”

“I will.”

Zack stopped next to Nixon and looked up at him expectantly. “Ready?”

“Yeah.”

Nixon stepped away from my brother and stopped in front of me. “It was nice seeing you, McKenna.”

“You, too. Thanks again for all your help.”

“Anytime.”

With a smile and a dip of his head, he turned and started toward the woods.

I watched him walk away this time, too. And once again, I did it thinking Nixon Swagger filled out his Levi’s.

I’d survived another Swagger Encounter. This time just barely.

4

Nixon was standing outside the old milking parlor wondering what he was gonna do with the old pipeline, when he heard the crunching of gravel. He turned to see Zack walking through the old cow pound. He hadn’t seen McKenna or her brother since he’d taken Sally and Goat back. Then he’d invited himself to stay so he could watch McKenna work on her old Ford. The thing was such a piece of shit it was badass.

That had been a week ago. Nixon had hoped he’d run into McKenna in town. He actually kept his eyes peeled trying to catch a glimpse, but he hadn’t seen her.

“Yo,” Nix called out.

The kid’s face lit and he answered back the same way, a little less cool than when Nix did it.

“Yo.”

“Sally get out?” Nix asked.

“No. I was, uh… just walking around the woods.”

“Yeah? You do that a lot?”

“When I’m bored.”

“I did, too, when I was your age. Have you walked the length down to the east end?”

“No. Micky doesn’t like me wandering onto other people’s property.”

Nix could see that.

“Well, I own the woods. Feel free to walk it anytime. Back behind the pond,” Nix pointed in that direction, “I built a shack when I was about your age. Not sure if it’s still there.”