Page 59 of The Lucky Heart (Jamison Valley 3)
“If you’re going to help me out here, you’re going to need those.”
“You can count on it.”
He leaned his head against the back of the couch and scrubbed his hands over his face. “Sorry about earlier. It’s just . . . frustrating.”
“Talk to me, Goose.”
“Goose?” he asked. “Christ, I forgot that you’re obsessed with Top Gun.”
“It has, possibly, some of the best one-liners in the history of all movies.” That, and the volleyball scene where all of the men were sweaty and shirtless was the foundation for many of my fantasies as a young adult. Until they’d all been replaced with fantasies about Silas. Not that I’d share that little tidbit.
“You do realize that the depiction of fighter pilots in that movie was incredibly inaccurate.”
“Details,” I said. “Now quit stalling. What’s going on?”
“Just like I told you the other day, we’re stuck in the same old fight. I want to do things one way. He wants to do it another. He wants to retire but he won’t let me make any fucking decisions.”
“What did you guys fight about tonight?”
“Well, last year he bought a section of land next to the forest service. I wanted to use it to background yearlings in the summer but he’s hell-bent on trying to plant alfalfa. What he isn’t seeing or he’s just ignoring is that we’re getting really low yields, so we still end up buying hay. We’d be money ahead to have steers up there grazing and then sell them at heavier weights in the fall.”
I stared at him, dumbfounded, having no clue what he’d just said. “So, uh, I want you to know that I’m more than willing to listen. However, if you expect me to offer advice or even comprehend what you’re saying, you have to speak my language. English. I speak English.”
He relaxed and laughed, giving me that smile I loved so much. “I’ll try to remember that you haven’t taken Ranching 101.”
“Appreciated.”
“Any sage advice?”
“No, but I can lend a sympathetic ear.”
“Thanks. The only other person that gets it is Mom but I don’t want to put her in the middle all the time. So, that leaves me to dwell on it alone. I appreciate you listening again.”
“Anytime.” He’d often been my sounding board and it felt good to return the favor. Plus, I felt a little twinge of pride that he’d chosen to confide in me instead of his other friends, including Maisy.
“What’s going on with you?” he asked. “How’s work?”
“Right, um, work. I forgot to tell you, but I sort of quit my job this week.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. If I run out of money and am forced onto the street, can I sleep in the barn with your horses?” His eyes widened and the vein in his temple started pulsing. “Kidding! Don’t have an aneurism over there.”
“Are you okay on money?” His tone was so full of concern I thought for sure he was about to reach for his wallet.
“Yes, I’m fine.” I patted his shoulder. “Though I’ll have to delay buying that private island I had my eye on.”
He smiled, relaxing and sipping his drink. “What happened? Why’d you quit?”
“I was burnt out. I’m ready for something new.”
“Like what?”
“That’s the million-dollar question. I’ve been doing some soul-searching this week. Thinking about things I liked and didn’t about my job, then narrowing down my options. I love the idea of being my own boss but starting my own business seems daunting. I don’t know if I want to run something completely on my own.”
“Understandable. What’s on your short list of possibilities?” He turned sideways in the couch and threw an arm across the back.
“I’ve actually been thinking about becoming a real estate agent.”
