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“You wanna talk about it?”
“Not today.”
Renie walked in with Billy behind her, carrying the rest of the pies. “Where are these supposed to go, Miss Dottie?” Renie asked.
“Down to the bunkhouse. We’ve got a crew with us this year. We’ll eat in the main dining hall down there.”
“Hey, Livvie, you comin’?” Billy asked.
“I’ll be right there.”
“You’re missin’ him, aren’t you?”
“More than anything.”
“Then do something about it, Olivia.”
“What, Dottie? I don’t know what to do.”
“Of course you do, sweetheart.”
Bill finished carving the last turkey when the door to the dining hall opened and Paige and Mark came in with their youngest daughter. Renie and Blythe hadn’t seen each other in months, and it had been weeks since Liv had seen Paige, who walked up and put her arms around Liv.
“I figured Thanksgiving was as good a day as any for us to make up.”
“There isn’t any making up to do.” Liv hugged her back. “I’m sorry, Paige. I hope you can forgive me.”
“I forgave you before I walked out that day. You needed space, but I kept tabs. If you needed me, Mark would have said so, and I would have come.”
“Mark is such a good man.”
“The best. No one else would’ve put up with you and me combined all these years.”
The dining hall soon filled with ranch hands and wranglers. “Gotta love cowboys,” Liv heard Renie say.
“Yep, you do,” said Billy. “How about you and Blythe sit with me today, Renie?”
“You’re not flirtin’ with my daughter are you, Billy Patterson?” Liv asked.
“Is this really the first time you noticed it?”
“What are you talking about, Paige?”
“Never mind.” Paige winked at Dottie. “Must be my imagination.”
“Whatcha’ doing, Dad?” Luke asked.
“Hey, buddy. Nothin’ much. What are you up to?”
“I been watchin’ you.”
“Oh, yeah? And what have you seen?”
“You’re sad.”
He hugged his son to him.
“It’s easy to see when someone is sad if you love ’em, Daddy.”
