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“This is really great work,” Brand said from his spot behind the desk. Michael circled around to sit in one of the wooden chairs opposite. “I knew hiring you was a good idea.”
Michael laughed. “Glad it’s all working out, boss. And I wanted to tell you that I can be more flexible with my hours now that Dad’s getting more independent. Doesn’t just have to be nine-to-five, weekdays anymore.”
“Yeah? Josiah okay with that?”
“Sure.” They’d briefly discussed it last week as a trio. Dad still needed help getting in and out of the wheelchair and with preparing his meals, but he didn’t need a babysitter (his word) all the time anymore. “The set hours worked for Josiah when he was living with McBride, but now that he’s away from that and close to the house, he says he can work odd hours and weekends if I need him to.”
“That’s good for him, getting that flexibility back.” Brand picked up a coffee mug, stared into it, then put it back down. “He seemed really happy and relaxed at the picnic Saturday.”
“He was.” Michael didn’t want to lie to his boss/friend, but he also didn’t want to spread Josiah’s personal business all over the place. Not that Brand couldn’t have made his own conclusions about Josiah and McBride’s prior relationship based on the night they’d rescued Josiah’s stuff. “Josiah’s happy living on our property. He can breathe there.”
“Good. He deserves that.”
“Yeah, he does.”
“Can you breathe?”
“What?”
“Just an observation from a friend.” Brand leaned back in his chair, hands resting over his stomach. “You seem happier, too, since Josiah came to live with you.”
“He doesn’t live with me, he’s renting our trailer.”
“Uh-huh. You can tell me to mind my own business, but I think Hugo is rubbing off on me, so I’ll just say this—if something makes you happy, hang on to it. It’s usually worth fighting for.”
Michael quirked an eyebrow. “Hugo’s rubbing off, huh?”
“You know what I mean, and way to deflect my point. I tried to push Hugo away because I was scared of what loving him meant for me and for this business, and we almost lost this amazing thing we have.”
“I’m not pushing Josiah away. He’s doing that.” Michael grunted, not liking the hint of bitterness in his voice. “But I understand why. He’s not ready, and we agreed to be friends. I’ll be his friend.”
“He’s lucky to have you.”
“Well, I am a pretty terrific friend.”
Brand burst out laughing. “And so modest.”
“Of course.” He picked at a tiny rip in his faded, work-roughened jeans. “It’s not fair to Josiah to pursue anything, anyway, not when I don’t know my future plans. I don’t know if I’ll still be here in six months, or if life and opportunity will take me someplace else. I couldn’t start something, and then ask him to come with me.”
“Why not? Couples move for employment all the time. It’s not like Weston is his home, or as if he’s got an office here. In-home nursing is in demand pretty much everywhere.”
“True.” Michael hadn’t even considered the idea of Josiah going with him if Michael left Weston for another big city. Probably not Austin again. Too many negative memories now. “Everything is hypothetical anyway. I could stay. I could go. Nothing will happen until I sell that damned house.”
“You do realize that if I got a vote, I’d vote for you to stay put. You’re not only an asset here at the ranch, but I consider you a friend, Michael. And maybe you took this job because it was the best paying one you could find around here, but you’re good at it. Any ranch in the state would be lucky to have you.”
“Thank you.” For all he’d been a reluctant cowboy, Michael did enjoy his job. “Thank you for taking a chance on a rusty city boy. I do love this job, and part of me wants to stick around Weston, but I am the first to admit I love being my own boss. A lot more than I like being someone else’s employee.”
Brand snorted. “I hear you. For all I grumbled about inheriting the ranch after Colt left, I do love being in charge. It’s stressful, sure, because if something fails, it’s on me. But when something goes right? It’s a special kind of pride over the accomplishment. So, you got any ideas on being your own boss again?”
“Less ideas and more like nebulous musings. Dad obviously doesn’t have the acreage he used to, but we still have a decent bit of land. He had a lot of fun talking to kids about his art this weekend, and I can see him teaching a whole new generation about turning rusty junk into something special. Giving kids a place to get out into the open country and just be kids.”
“I didn’t know you liked kids that much.”
Michael shrugged. “I don’t dislike them. Never imagined being a dad myself. There’s just something real about life out here in our small towns. Austin always felt like an illusion to me. Glass and pavement don’t have anything on dirt and manure.”
“You’d rather have manure than a coffee shop on every other corner?”
“Yes.” The answer came without hesitation. The more time Michael spent here in his old hometown, the more comfortable he was. The more distanced he felt from the city life he’d once valued and fought for. He wanted to stay. But stay and do what?
