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My dad turned and yanked his chair back, then sat silently. He scooted his legs under the table, looking defeated, which was something I’d rarely witnessed.

“I’ll still be close. Wisper’s only an hour’s drive away. If you need me, I’llalwaysbe here for you. I love you both, but I gotta do this.”

Finally, Dad’s eyes met mine again. “There’s nothin’ I can say, is there?”

“No, sir. My mind’s made up.”

He nodded solemnly and stood again slowly. He pushed in his chair, walked around the table to kiss Mama’s cheek, and then he shoved out the kitchen door.

I watched him go, thinking his exit tonight was no different than any other day. As much as it hurt, it was also what made me know he’d be fine without me. Graves & Sons Cattle would continue. It would always be the Wyoming institution my dad had made it into, just without the “sons.”

Maybe Junior would make a reappearance. He hadn’t been home in a long time. He’d grown up in the business, too, but he’dgiven up our way of life for a chance to do something different and make his own money. But plans change. I was proof of that, so I’d call my oldest brother and see what he was up to. Maybe if he came home, it’d lessen the blow I’d just dealt my dad.

“Ryder,” Mama said softly.

“Look, Mama, I know what you must think but I?—”

“You don’t know a damn thing, son. Sit down and listen up.”

Being treated like a child by my mother made my blood boil, but deeply ingrained manners wouldn’t let me react. “Yes, ma’am,” I said, and I sat. I relaxed my shoulders and waited for the verbal slap I was about to receive.

“I’mproud of you,” she said, and I about fell out of my chair.

“What? You’re?—”

“Proud of you,” she said again. This time she smiled. “Daddy will come around. He may never get on board with your ideas, but he’ll see the hard work you put in with the Lee brothers.”

“How do you know?—”

“I know everything, darlin’. You can’t hide from your mama. And after some time, your daddy will see the benefit of your choice too.”

“Thank you for sayin’ so. I don’t know if you’re right, but I love you.”

I listened to the crickets chirping outside while she studied my face, probably trying to determine how serious I was about this new venture.

Finally she said, “I know you love me, son, and I love you. I hope you’ve thought this plan all the way through. I don’t know if Wisper is where you should go, but a man needs to find his own way whether it works out or not.”

Way to be supportive, Mom.Hadn’t she just said she was proud of me?

“You always were a stubborn thing,” she said. “Always had to do things your way. Remind you of anyone you know?”

Yeah, it sure did.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

AUBREY

“Ma, you gonna eat that?”Benji asked, reaching slowly for the bacon still on my plate after the boys devoured a week’s worth of groceries in one meal. I was still shocked they’d woken up before noon.

“No. Go for it.”

Benji snatched up the bacon I hadn’t been able to stomach and stuffed both pieces in his mouth.

“Hey!” Micah grumbled. “What if I wanted more? You’re so inconsiderate.”

Benji shrugged and snickered. With a mouthful, he said, “You snooze, you lose.”

The house was a cacophony of laughter and arguments again, and funny TV shows the boys wanted me to watch. In fact, they left the TV on every minute of every day, even when they listened to music or watched videos on their phones.