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“What’s that supposed to mean, Dad?”
“I think you know what obstinate means, Chet. And if you don’t, go look it up in the dictionary.”
I chuckled. “Why does this remind me of when I was in elementary school and every time you said a word I didn’t know, you told me to look it up in the dictionary?”
“Because that’s what helped you win the spelling bee.”
“I didn’t win, Dad. I came in third place.”
“Third place is better than last place.”
“True,” I said. “Okay, I messed up. I get it. And I do understand where you’re coming from. I overstepped and I shouldn’t have. And I’m trying to make it better, but Arya’s so upset with me I just don’t really know what to do.”
“You’re going out to the log cabin tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah. I got to fix the roof. And Beau was saying he’d like me to see if I could renovate the kitchen.” I rolled my eyes. “Good thing there’s one brother who can actually do construction from the ground up.”
“Well, he’s not asking you to do construction from the ground up though, is he?”
“No, but…” I smiled. “I know. I’m just being a grouch. But yeah, I’m going out to the log cabin tomorrow. Why?”
“Maybe invite Arya to go with you.”
“What do you mean? Why would I invite her to go with me?”
“Maybe so you can talk it out.”
“Talk what out? She doesn’t want to talk to me.”
“Oh my God, son. Are you really that dense? On the way to the cabin, take her down by the creek and then maybe have a little picnic and apologize to her, this time more sincerely than I bet you apologized the first time.”
“Yes, Dad.”
“I mean, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to. But I’m thinking you don’t want Arya to be upset with you anymore, right?”
“No, I don’t want her to be upset with me. How do you know?”
“Because I know anytime your mom is upset with me, I do everything I can to get her talking to me again. That’s the way it is when we care about the women in our lives.”
“She’s not exactly the woman in my life, Dad. She’s—”
“I know, I know,” he smirked, “she’s your friend.”
“Dad, please don’t go getting any ideas, and please don’t go telling Mom anything. I don’t want her to think that Arya and I are going to get together and I’m going to be the fourth son that’s getting matched up. You know that is not about to happen.”
“I know, son.” He looked thoughtful. “Why on earth would Arya choose to be with someone like you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, offended. “Why wouldn’t she be with someone like me? Why wouldn’t—”
“What do you care if you don’t want to be with her?”
“I don’t want to be with her like that, but that doesn’t mean that she should just jump into the bed with the first cowboy she meets.”
“Did I say that she was going to do that?”
“No, but that’s what you were pretty much saying.”
“No,” Dad shook his head, “I don’t think I said anything of the sort. But hey, I think dinner’s about ready, so we should go to the kitchen and see if your mom needs any help.”
