Page 231 of Josephine and Clay

"That's your big wisdom?"

"It's worked so far."

The front door opens before I can answer.

Wyatt barrels into the kitchen wearing superhero pajamas and one boot.

Only one.

The second boot appears to have vanished entirely.

"Dad!"

Boone catches him automatically before he crashes into a chair. "Morning, buddy."

"I found a worm."

"Congratulations."

"It's huge."

"That seems unlikely."

Wyatt gasps. "Dad."

Boone glances at me. "See?"

"What?"

"Nobody prepares you for the worm conversations."

I snort into my coffee.

Maybe that's the closest thing Boone has to a parenting speech.

A couple hours later, I find Dallas in the ranch office. Because if Boone's version of fatherhood is practical, Dallas's is terrifyingly organized.

He sits behind a mountain of paperwork.

Three spreadsheets are open.

Three.

Who voluntarily looks at three spreadsheets before lunch?

"Dallas."

He glances up. "Morning."

"Need advice."

His pen freezes. "Are we all getting asked?"

"Apparently."

A faint smile appears.

I sit across from him.