Page 19 of The Only Seconds that Matter
“How many kids does your sister have?”
“Four.”
“She’s got her hands full.”
“Five if you count her boyfriend,” Johnny said with an exaggerated roll of his eyes.“Kayla would date a billy goat if he called her purty enough.”
“Are Taylor and the others from the boyfriend?”
Johnny snorted.“Fuck no.Two are from her ex-husband.The youngest is her current boyfriend’s.”
“So she’s got four kids from three different men.”
“Ain’t none of them worth a damn.The ex and the current boyfriend, I mean.”
“Who is Taylor’s father?”
“That’s complicated,” Johnny said, his stern expression making it quite clear he wouldn’t be getting into it.“But I’m the only man who’s ever given one fuck about Taylor, and Kayla knows it.”
“Sounds like you two aren’t super close.”
Johnny shrugged.“It is what it is.”
Victor had no clue what that was supposed to mean, but he had personal experience with a frosty sibling relationship, so he didn’t need to pry to understand.
Taylor finished playing with the steers and trotted back up the driveway, twin braids flopping as she beamed.“Uncle Johnny, you ever gonna get a cow?”
“I deal with enough cows at the feedlot.I don’t need no cow to look after in my free time.”
“Can I rope some cows for my next lesson?”Taylor asked Victor.
“Sure, but I’ll start you on a plastic cow first.”
“Let’s start headin’ on home,” Johnny said, placing a hand on top of Taylor’s head.“We don’t need to be takin’ up all of Victor’s time.”
Taylor sighed, her smile fading.“Yeah, okay.”
“We’ll be back next week, don’t you worry.”
Taylor whipped around to face Victor, then suddenly hugged him around the waist.Victor didn’t know what to do or say, so he settled for a light hug in return before she pulled back.
“Thank you!”she said, then darted away toward Johnny’s truck.
“She don’t know what personal space is all that much,” Johnny joked.“I’ll see you next week then?”
“Sure, I’ll be here.”
Johnny tipped his hat in acknowledgement and strode off behind Taylor on the way to the truck.
* * *
Victor didn’t see Johnny next week, because when Taylor showed up for her lesson, it was in an SUV Victor didn’t recognize.Taylor jumped out the moment the vehicle came to a stop and gave Victor a huge smile and wave.When the driver’s door opened, out stepped the woman Victor assumed was Taylor’s mother, Kayla.She was tall like Johnny but not quite as thin, carrying most of her weight in her chest and stomach than in her legs, which poked out of her jean shorts like toothpicks.Her dyed blonde hair was in a messy bun at the back of her head, tied just beneath the rim of her camouflage-colored baseball cap.Victor could feel himself tensing upon her approach, as she had the thin-lipped expression of a woman about to ask for the manager.She may not have had Johnny’s cheery nature, his strawberry blond hair or his skinny stature, but she had his bright blue eyes and the thick Oklahoma accent.
“So you’re the guy Tay won’t shut up about,” she said, hand stashed on a hip.She then thrust her hand toward Victor.“I’m Kayla, her mother.”
“Nice to meet you,” Victor replied, shaking her hand.“I’m glad you found the place.”
“Johnny gave me the address.He seems to like you a lot.So does Tay.”Kayla looked past Victor at Taylor, who was already heading up toward the barn.“Hey!Don’t you go runnin’ off like that.Get back here.”
