Page 30 of The Lucky Heart (Jamison Valley 3)
I hopped out of the truck and followed him alongside the barn. Its golden wood paneling must have been retouched not too long ago because every few steps, I got a whiff of the drying stain. We rounded the back corner and walked to a green door at the center of the building.
“This is where you live?” I’d assumed he was still living with his parents.
“Yeah. I’ve been slowly fixing it up. It’s not much right now but it will be someday.”
I followed him down a hallway to where the small barn apartment opened up into a wide but short space. Above us was an open wooden platform.
“Are you going to put in stairs?” The only access to the upstairs loft was by the tall blue ladder leaning against the wall.
“Yeah. They’ll go along that back wall of the living room. I’m putting in some windows up there first.”
In the middle of the living room space was a mattress and a pile of blankets sitting on the bare floor. The only furniture in the room was one old couch pointed at a TV, which rested on a stack of wooden crates.
Silas had been right. It wasn’t much but I could definitely see its potential.
“Want something to drink?” he asked.
“Water, please.”
I plopped down onto the couch while he grabbed a couple water bottles from the fridge. Next to me was a stack of scattered papers and brochures.
“What’s all this?” I asked, picking up one of the pamphlets. My eyes zeroed in on the U.S. Army logo.
“Oh, uh, just an idea.” He handed me my water and sat on the opposite end of the couch.
“The army? You’re going into the military?”
“Maybe. I’ve been thinking about it.”
“What about the ranch?” Silas had always planned on running the place and taking over for his parents. If he went into the military, what would happen here?
“Dad and I haven’t been seeing eye to eye lately. It might do me some good to get out of Prescott for a while.”
“You could go to college. You’re so smart it would probably be a breeze.”
“Nah. Sitting in a classroom isn’t for me. I like the idea of serving my country.”
“How long would you be gone?”
“I don’t know. Three or four years.”
That seemed like a lifetime. Where would I be when he came home? What if he didn’t come home at all? The idea of something happening to Silas had my stomach churning.
“Is it dangerous?” I asked.
He took a long drink before answering honestly. “Yeah. It could be but the world is pretty quiet right now. My recruiter said it would be an opportunity for me to see the world. Maybe get stationed in Europe for a year or two.”
So much was changing. I was lost trying to understand it all. I was graduating in a week. Wes was nearly unrecognizable. And now all this?
These last six months, Silas had become my closest friend. He was my confidant and advisor. With him, I didn’t have to pretend to be perfect. I didn’t have to hide when I felt scared or unsure. What would I do if he was halfway across the world? I couldn’t fathom the idea of living in Prescott without him.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
I stared blankly at the TV. “I feel numb.”
“Come sit on the floor.”
“Why?”
