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“Hey, sorry I’m running behind. Should be there in a few,” I said.

“Actually, I was wondering if I could call in a rain check.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “Everything okay?”

“It’s great, but wheat harvest just started, and the Fernandezes asked if I’d be willing to help haul grain on the weekends. Apparently their custom cutters had a truck break down and it’s slowing them down quite a bit. Plus, I could really use the extra cash.”

I frowned. “Dad, is everything okay? I mean, financially.”

“I’m working on it,” he snapped.

My head jerked back by the force of his words. Dad never talked to me like that.

“I’m sorry, I’m just stressed, sad I’m missing you tonight.”

The tightness in my chest eased. “I could come keep you company?”

“We’ll be working late, ‘til midnight or later probably. Plus, Eileen might be jealous if you take her seat at shotgun.”

“You and that dog,” I said with a small smile. “Are you sure you want to work that late?”

“Don’t you worry about me, hon. Part of being an adult is paying bills, yeah?”

“Okay. Let me know if you change your mind. I can bring you some food.”

“No worries,” he said.

I turned my car back off and walked inside. When I opened the door, I heard Cam call, “You’re early! I’m in here!”

Drawing my eyebrows together, I turned the corner to see her in the kitchen wearing nothing but our oven mitts and holding an empty glass pan.

“Oh my god!” I yelled, covering my eyes. “YOU SAID HE LEFT.”

She dropped the pie pan, and it shattered to a million pieces on the tile. “You’re supposed to be at your dad’s!”

I peeked at her through my fingers, seeing her trying to cover up with the mitts.

“Come on, we cook with those!”

“Well I was going to wash them when Cooper and I were done.”

I shook my head, saying, “I’ll give you two the house.”

I turned to walk out of the kitchen, finding Cooper looking from me to Cam to the glass on the floor. He must have come in when I was leaving.

He got a thoughtful look and shrugged. “I can dig it.”

30

RHETT

When I pulledup to practice Tuesday, my sister and niece were already there, sitting on the tailgate of their truck Liv insisted on calling “Bernice.” She named everything, from the bunny that crossed their yard every morning to the freckle on her right shoulder.

I got out and walked over to them. “Why the hell are you two here so early?”

Maya had a big ol’ grin on her face. “We wanted to have cupcakes with you before practice!”

My eyebrow quirked at her giggle. “Why do I feel like you poisoned them?”