Page 77 of When a Cowboy Falls Hard
“Let me.” He held out his hand but she waved it away.
“Thanks. I’ve got it.” Putting the half-eaten bun on a napkin, she stood, walked over to the railing and poured the cold coffee in the flowerbed where iris had just started poking out. “Looking good.”
“I put mulch on them last fall.”
“Noticed that. You take excellent care of this place.” She came back with her mug.
“Because I love living here.” He reached for her mug and poured her a fresh cup from the carafe.
“Alone?”
“You did.” He handed over the coffee and she settled back in the rocker.
“I was technically alone, but you kids were always over here, even spending the night sometimes. I didn’t feel alone.” Picking up the rest of her sticky bun, she took a generous bite.
“Neither do I.” He wasn’t sure that was true. Waking up to find Zinnia gone had been a lonely experience. Coming home to an empty house after the party last night hadn’t felt great, either.
“You never got to meet your Grandpa Bridger.”
“Which makes my point. That had to be tough on you and Dad, just like it was for everyone when Dad passed.”
“It was, but I wouldn’t change anything. Well, maybe I’d be more forceful about changing Joe’s diet. Kat and I both tried, then tried again with Spence. Those two were so alike.”
“And I’m my father’s son. So’s Adam, for that matter.”
“Do you think he made a mistake marrying Tracy?”
“I have to wonder if he’s thought about his odds.”
“I don’t know if he has or not, but I’d say his odds are excellent. He’ll live a long, happy life.”
“Why? He works too hard and takes on too many obligations just like Dad. Heart problems run in the family, at least for the men.”
“What you said is true, but it doesn’t have to be a death sentence. According to his doctor, Joe could have beat the odds by doing two things — eat better and ditch the belief that the fate of the world rests on his shoulders.”
“That sounds familiar. Mom used to say that to Dad. Something like the world won’t end if you don’t do such and such.”
“But he didn’t believe it. Neither did Joe. They bought into the myth they had to do everything, fix everything. Not being able to save your mother was unacceptable to Spence and it was slowly killing him. I could see it.”
“Just a couple days ago Graham told me why he insisted on calling me Montgomery.”
“Spence never told you?”
“Nope.”
“Shame on him. Wish I’d known that. Anyway, he took his cue from his dad and lived his life the same way Joe did. You might see Adam doing the same, but he isn’t.”
“Looks like it to me. He’s got all his responsibilities here and now he’s the mayor, just like Dad was.”
“It’s partly Tracy’s influence that keeps him from over-estimating his importance in the grand scheme of things.”
“Interesting way of putting it. You think Dad did that? Thought he was more important than he was?”
“I know it sounds critical, but basically, yes. Joe did the same. But Tracy grew up with a father who doesn’t buy into the all-powerful savior role. Whenever Adam starts sounding like he’s Atlas holding up the town, she calls him on it. I’ve seen her do it.”
“Huh. I might have heard her do that, too. But does he listen? Dad never did.”
“He does listen. He loved your dad. We all did, but Adam doesn’t want to end up dying in his fifties under the weight of that kind of thinking.”
