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“And that Nixon looks just like Luke did at his age. Remember a time or two seeing him and trying to approach, but often he was with a brother or his asshole father.”
“Did people try to help them?”
Her father exhaled. “We did. Some of us used to take stuff round to the house, but he’d always come out and warn us off.” He shook his head. “I’ll be honest, sweetheart. I think we could have tried harder. The problem was we had young kids and I had this business to run. Then I was flying a lot more. No excuses are good ones, but they’re the truth.”
“People were mean to them, Dad.”
“They were. That Mary Howard was a bitch. Glad she’s got hers now with Piper marrying her boy.”
Quinn snuffled.
“They’re a good family, those Trainers and the rest. Credit to them that they rose above the hell of their childhood. Nixon will do well with them. You should go and see them, Quinn. I know you’re worried about the boy.”
“Yeah, I may just do that.” But then she’d have to see Luke, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for that. People slept with each other and didn’t make commitments all the time. Why couldn’t she just treat this like that?
Because you don’t do that kind of thing.
“Baby, you know your mom loves you and that she doesn’t mean to be hard on you.”
“Dad—”
“I need to say this while she’s not here.”
“You don’t need to.”
“We are proud of you. I need you to know that. Your mom feels that too.”
“But she wants grandkids?”
“Something like that,” he sighed.
“I’m thinking of moving to the Air National Guard, Dad.”
“Why?”
“It brings me closer to home, and I feel like I’m ready for that. Ready to change my lifestyle. I’d like to teach also. It’s just something I’ve been considering lately. Buying a house and making a home somewhere.”
“As long as you’re thinking about this for you, not us.”
“It would be nice to be closer to you and Mom, Dad.”
His smile was wide. “Be nice to have you closer, but only if that’s what you want, Quinny.”
“Hey.”
They looked to the doorway of the barn and found Piper holding Grace’s hand. She wore long black fitted track pants, and a black shirt with the words We Got Game in white on the front. Over the top and open was a black quilted jacket. Grace was dressed in a pink dress and black leggings. Her boots had sparkles on them.
“You need to hustle it along there, Quinn. We’re on court soon.”
“Why do I need to hustle it along?”
“Basketball, girl!”
“Did I actually agree?” Quinn wiped her hands on a rag. She wondered if Luke would be playing today.
“Yes. You wrote it on a napkin in Tea Total in your blood.”
“Well, then.” She felt a little kick of excitement. “Blood oaths are blood oaths.”
