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Sawyer leaned on the fence. “So why are you so against this? If it’s because of Mom, then that’s bullshit, because she’d be the first one to be happy for Dad.”
“I just don’t see how they can fall into everlasting love in five months.”
“You probably didn’t notice with your daddy blinders on, but I’m pretty sure he was falling in love with her all over again this last month.”
She turned to him. “No way.”
“He was fighting it, for sure. But I saw it. Theway he’d look at her.”
“It’s just so weird. You don’t usually get to experience your parents falling in love. Not new love. It’s not the way it’s supposed to work.”
“Sometimes it does, Little Sis. Dad’s still young. He’s got thirty or forty years ahead of him. Do you really want him to be alone?”
“No. I guess not.”
“So, will you try to get onboard? Or at least act like you are?”
“Yes.”
“Which one of those are you saying yes to?”
“I don’t know yet.”
He pulled her in for a hug, which she at first tried to resist. But then she hugged him back and laid her head on his chest for a moment. “It sucks being an adult sometimes.” She leaned back and smiled at him. “Of course, you’ve yet to experience that.”
He stepped away from her. “Wow. Who’s living on their own in Missoula? And who is back in her old room?”
“She put a hand on his cheek and patted it a little too robustly. “We’re talking emotional maturity here.”
“Hmm. Yet I’m the one out here telling you to cool it andemotionallysupport our father.”
She hugged him again. “I love you. You know that, right?”
“Yes. I do. I love you too, Little Sis.”
“Are you going to call me Little Sis the rest ofour lives?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Maybe I’ll start calling you Big Bro.”
“Fine by me.”
Jake had some business to tend to, but he asked Ember to meet him in town for lunch at one. She readily agreed, saying she’d take Jacob on his walk early. Then J.T. was going to get him up on a horse in the afternoon.
When he got to the coffee shop where they’d agreed to meet, Ember was already there. He removed his hat and sat across from her.
“Sorry. It took longer than I thought.” He looked at his hands. “I probably smell like cows.” He stood back up. “I’ll go wash my hands.” He kissed her. “Will you order me a coffee?”
“Yes, of course.”
He headed for the men’s room and looked in the mirror. “He definitely looked like he’d been hanging around cows all morning. He rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands, then ran his wet fingers through his hair. It would have to do.
He returned to the table and sat down to the hot coffee waiting for him. He took a sip.
Ember smiled at him. “Cows, huh?”
“Yes. Shane Winters is selling off his herd.”
