Page 9 of Brett and Rowdy (Gomillion High Reunion #5)

Rowdy tilted his head, one way, then another. “Um, was there someone else here to say it to?”

“Have you always been this aggravating?” he asked. “I mean, honestly. Do you do this on purpose?”

Rowdy just sort of blinked at him, toward him, whatever. “Well, it’s possible. I’m not sure what it is exactly I’m doing, but it is totally possible if I am doing it, that it is on purpose, yes.”

“You’re a fucker.”

“I’m not going to argue with you there. What’s your point?”

“What’s my point? I think I’m just…” Well, fuck him. Now he seemed like a dick. “I think I’m just stating the obvious.”

“Oh, well that’s perfectly fair.”

“Seriously? None of this had been fair.” Rowdy was supposed to be miserable, dammit. “You walked out on me.”

“No.” Rowdy did that head tilt thing again like he was crazy.

“I told you the truth. I wasn’t staying here.

That’s still the truth. We had somewhere to go; I had places to be.

I needed to go back. I have a ranch. I had a rodeo career.

What did I have here? A piece of shit stepfather who hit me, a mom who was too fucking involved in her new stepdaughters to give a shit about that. And what? I mean, seriously.”

“I was here!”

Rowdy dipped his chin. “All right, you’re here. You’ve got, what, two acres, two and a half?”

It was really more like two and a quarter, but he wasn’t going to admit that.

“Seriously. You’ve got land. Your grandfather had already passed away. Your mom was here. Where is she now? Still living with you?”

He was starting to seriously deflate. “No. She’s staying up near my sister toward Asheville.”

“Well, you know. The people in this town?” Now Rowdy’s lips were tight, the words bit out. “Super kind to outsiders. I would say even honest and uh… not morally bankrupt or anything.”

“That’s not fair. People here were just like people anywhere. Are you trying to tell me that everybody in New Mexico is like a fucking dream?” He wasn’t going to let Rowdy be a dick.

“Nope. For the most part, we’re really poor.

There’s lots of crime. We’re not real concerned about what our neighbors are doing because we’re too busy worrying about what our family, who are fucked up, is doing.

But the fact is, New Mexico is where I’m from.

Now you’re telling me, that you are from here and this is super important to you, and you needed it.

Well, dammit. Why is it any different for me?

Why is what you need more important than what I need?

You didn’t suck it up and say okay, I’ll come with you.

I didn’t suck it up and say okay, I’ll stay.

So we’re both to blame, or we’re both… whatever.

It’s been twenty freaking years man, who the fuck cares?

I like you. Always did. Do I think you’re a little bit of an idiot for staying?

No, not really. This is your home. But trust me, I’m not an idiot either, and I am where my home is.

I don’t know why you’re so mad at me. I have good memories about you.

I’m sorry that you can’t say the same about me. ”

He was gaping like a damn fish. He knew Rowdy was telling the truth, but did he have to be so cold-blooded about it? “You have a daughter, man. I’m supposed to just ignore that?”

“No. I mean, I assume that would be a dumb move on your part. Although honestly, from what I understand, it’s not like you and Ashley became friends. It’s not like you hung out with my daughter.”

“No, I did not hang out with your daughter. I met her once or twice fishing with Dan, but she was little.” He remembered blonde curls and blue eyes and a loud, happy laugh.

She wasn’t squeamish about the bait or the fish either.

The memories were old as shit, if he was honest.

And he had to admit now he felt a little dumb.

“She’s a sweetheart. I just want you to stop being so agitated.”

“So okay. You know what? Let’s start over. How was your daughter’s graduation? Amazing? Lots of orange?”

“I assume so, yes, but I bet there was more purple. She’s a very purple young lady. She was happy. She’s out with her friends this weekend saying goodbye. We leave next week to head to the ranch.”

“That’s adorable.” He gave up. Why was he mad? Rowdy was right. He had a life—maybe it wasn’t everything he wanted, but it wasn’t bad and it was getting better. “Does she have a steady?”

Rowdy nodded. “She does, back in New Mexico. He’s a bulldogger on the Turquoise Circuit. Nice kid. Good to his horses, good to my girl. Has a reasonable plan for after he retires.”

“Help Madison run your ranch?” He couldn’t help it; he had to tease.

Rowdy chuckled, but he dipped his chin once.

“I imagine that that’s what’s going to end up happening.

Right now, he’s bought a plot of land next door.

Nothing serious—fifty acres. But it’ll work because if they do end up hooking up and starting a family, then we’ll just meld it into the ranch.

If they don’t, then I’ll just buy it from him and he can go do something else. Either way, it’s perfect for me.”

He grinned at Rowdy and shook his head. “I feel like a kid next to you, like a guy without a plan.”

“So tell me about your plan. About your art. I think you said it was in Washington?”

He nodded, then rolled his eyes and spoke up. “Yes. DC, not state. I’ve been building a name. It’s been a lot of work. I have three pieces in Santa Fe, a couple in New York, one in Berlin.”

“No shit? I love Santa Fe. We run out there for lunch sometimes. I’ll have to make Madison show me.”

“Are you really close?” Close enough to visit, maybe?

“No, not super, but enough. You know, sometimes you just have to go to Santa Fe for lunch. Are you dating anybody?”

“No. I’ve had a few on again, off again, but nothing serious.” This wasn’t the kind of town where he felt comfortable being serious.

“Fair enough.”

Well, now he was curious. “What about you?”

Rowdy smiled, and the expression was fond, warm. “I had a long-term guy for a bit, but I think more than anything, I don’t think he could handle the idea that I had family.”

Okay, so that was odd. The blind thing wasn’t a deal breaker, but Madison was? “Well, he knew you had a kid when you started dating, right?”

“He did. He just didn’t realize it was an all summer, every spring break, we’re going to meet for Christmas, or when I have a free weekend and airline miles, best friends with her momma and stepdad type of situation.

Or a, I love that little girl to death, and I live with my dad kind of situation, you know?

The way the house is set up, Dad and I have separate spaces, and so will Madison.

But it doesn’t change the facts, right?”

“Well, I have to tell you that doesn’t make me think poorly of you, I mean?—”

Rowdy waved his hand, dismissing the words.

“It really was no big deal. It was at the time, I’m sure.

I was trying to figure out how I felt, but more than anything, it was really about her.

You know, Madison, I mean, she’d liked him.

We’d been together for six years. So I had this problem where I had this guy who she was thinking of as a stepfather, and suddenly he disappears.

And I’m going, well, fuck. That doesn’t work for me.

I figured I had to wait, you know, until she was ready and grown. ”

It occurred to Brett that they were sitting here in this crowded bar, full of people who they’d gone to school with and all this stuff and yet? It was like they were in their own little world, just having this conversation, like they were totally alone. Rowdy didn’t seem to mind at all.

That never happened. Had never happened since Rowdy left. “Uh. I don’t suppose you want to go somewhere?”

“Where? Because I have to be honest with you, if you’re going to like, drop me off in the middle of nowhere, bald and yowling in agony, I’d rather just pass.”

“I was actually going to suggest going and sitting in my front room, where it’s quiet, and we can have a beer and not have to worry about anything.”

“Brett Kilpatrick, are you trying to hit on me? Are you trying to hook up with me?” Rowdy was laughing at him now, but it wasn’t a bit mean.

“Possibly, but really no. I just—” He really wanted a friend. That was it. He really, really wanted a friend.

Those he had in short supply.