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“Good. I’ve already told Jerry, and he agrees. He can run the ranch for a damn week. If he has questions, he knows where to find me. He isnotto find you. In fact, I don’t want you near the barns. Jerry and the hands will let me know if you show up to work. You will get rested before you have a damn heart attack like I did. If you only need the week, you’ll be back in time for the cattle drive. If you need another week, you’ll miss it.”
“I have never missed a cattle drive,” Liam growled.
His father smirked. “I know.”
Liam sat forward. “Dad, I don’t want—”
“Tough shit. You will start today.”
“Today?”
“Since you slept in, you can enjoy the rest of the day.”
“I slept in because no one got me up,” Liam snapped.
“Since when did you need someone to wake you? The festival is this weekend in town. Go have some fun for once in your life.”
“Yes, sir.” He stood and walked toward the door. “I have fun,” he muttered.
“I heard that, and if you can tell me when you last had fun, I won’t make you take a vacation.”
Liam said nothing as he opened the door, left the room, and pulled the door closed. He gritted his teeth when he heard his father laugh.
“I didn’t think so,” he called through the door.
Liam entered the kitchen to see his mother sitting at the bar with a cup of coffee. She looked at him and raised her eyebrows.
“Did you know he was going to do this?”
“Yes. I agreed with him.”
“Mom, I don’t need time off.”
“You do. You’ve been in a slump. Is it because of Monica? Do you want her back?”
“No. It’s not so much her as any woman. I can’t find one who would stand beside me and love this ranch as much as I do.”
“You’ll find her. Monica wasn’t the one.”
“How did you do it?”
She shrugged. “I fell in love with your father and wanted to be wherever he was. This ranch has been in his family for generations. I couldn’t tell him to give that up, even if I wanted to. I love this ranch as much as he does, though I think you love it even more. You will find someone.”
“I suppose. I’m going to go into town and have breakfast at the diner. Since I’m…onvacation,” he practically spat the words.
He watched his mother put her hand over her mouth, and he knew it was so he wouldn’t see her grin. When he narrowed his eyes at her, she laughed.
“Have a wonderful vacation, honey.”
“Whatever. I’m going to quit staying here when I’m tired.” He walked out the door, slamming it behind him. He clenched his fists when he heard his mother laughing.
He trotted down the steps, strode to the barn, entered, clenched his jaw, and practically marched through it and out the other end to his truck. He was furious about this.
After climbing into his vehicle, he fired it up, put it in gear, and pressed the gas, throwing gravel and dust around the truck.
When he reached town, he parked in the church parking lot since Main Street was closed, then walked to the diner.
He opened the door, making the bell jingle, and a few people waved or called out to him. He saw Siobhan at the counter and took the stool beside her. He saw Lydia and Colson Griffin on the other side and nodded at them.
