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Jane and Bridger had asked him not to say anything about their engagement just yet. Seemed like they wanted a little time to enjoy it on their own. He got that. Word would spread through town in a hot minute. And then there’d be Kellen’s reaction to consider.
The sun had set, but the sky still radiated light, painting the frigid granite peaks a stunning pink.
“Why’s the sky like that?” Kellen asked between bites. “You know, pink?”
He explained the science of alpine glow, or at least tried his best. Paige and the boy’s uncle Jason were way better with the sciency stuff.
Kellen stilled, cocking his head as he listened.
Tai bit back a grin. The boy was definitely an old soul.
Shadows moved in the distance as Bridger and Jane emerged from the tree line at the edge of the property.
Half-eaten ice cream in hand, Kellen jumped up. “I’m gonna tell Jane about the alps glow. She likes that kind of stuff.”
Tai snaked out a hand, grabbing a handful of the boy’s shirt. “Ho there, little man, let’s give them a minute.”
Kellen didn’t resist. “Yeah,” he said. “They look like they need ‘alone time.’”
Tai eyed the boy. “How’d you know about ‘alone time?’”
The boy rolled his eyes. “I’m not a baby.” Eyes on the couple, he cocked his head. “Jane likes him. A lot.”
“The Bridge-man’s pretty crazy about her, too.”
“Think they’ll get married?”
Tai licked his ice cream. “Looks like. You okay with that?”
Kellen studied his own cone. “Do you think Bridger would come to Parents’ Day?”
“No way you’re gonna stop him.”
“Do you think he’d wear a uniform? Something cool, like his flight suit?”
Tai leaned back, savoring a bite of strawberry. “Roger that. He’ll probably make me come with.”
The boy’s eyes danced. “Roger that!” He dug back into his treat with the enthusiasm only a whip-thin boy could bring to the task.
When he came up for air, Kellen wrinkled his nose. “Jane makes me dress up for church. Is Bridger gonna stand for that?”
“Unfortunately.”
The boy sighed loud and long. “Oh, man.”
Tai poked the kid in the ribs with an elbow. “You could probably persuade him to take you to church in the helo though. Just saying.”
Bridger would kill him for making the suggestion. Not that he was worried. For the first time in way too long, he was starting to actually believe life might turn out to be sweet after all.
The feeling was more of a glimmer than a lightning bolt. Just the vibrant edges of dawn sneaking up over a dark, dark, horizon. But he’d take it. Yeah, he would.
He chomped down the last bite of his own cone, licking the drips from his fingers while he studied the majestic outline of the peaks in the distance.
Bridger had swallowed more grief and loss than the rest of them combined, with the exception of Jason. If Bridger could believe in a bright future, no reason for the rest of them to resist.
The Lord willing, maybe he could find his own miracle. His own redemption.
* * *
