Page 110 of West Bound

“Sort of. I needed a change of scenery.”

I’m so distracted watching this bizarre game of verbal tennis that I don’t hear the second set of footsteps coming down the steps until they hit the last one.

“Hi, Uncle Levi.” My niece, Fallon, greets me.

“Hey, kid. You pick out a movie?” I smile down at her. She’s fifteen already and talks like she’s going on twenty-one half the time, but to me, she’s still a kid.

“Still deciding. Mom won’t let us watch anything rated R, so it’s narrowed the options.” She huffs as she rounds the corner, but just like her mom, she misses the interloper in the room until she almost runs into him. She gives Bishop a once-over and finds him wanting as he stands next to her mother. It’s unclear whether it’s the distance between them or his general existence that puts her off. “Who are you?”

“Manners!” Aspen chides, immediately straightening her spine and standing a little taller as she shifts on her feet. “He’s a…” Aspen looks at me to fill in the gap, like she doesn’t remember all the time he spent on this ranch.

“Family friend,” I fill in, raising my brow at her like it’s me who needs to be concerned aboutherhealth. Nothing is a challenge for that woman, and right now, she seems to be struggling just to have a normal conversation.

“Sorry. I didn’t expect a stranger in the kitchen.” Fallon side-eyes her mother and Bishop before she steps around them.

“He’s not a stranger. He’s working with us,” I chime in when Aspen doesn’t correct her. My sister and I exchange frowns. I’m still trying to suss out the reason the room’s managed to drop to twenty below, and I’m somehow expected to read her mind in the process.

Bishop holds out his hand in Fallon’s direction. “My friends call me?—”

“Bishop. His name is Bishop.” Aspen cuts him off, and Bishop looks at her with an arched brow.

“Well, you have a good name at least.” Fallon follows up, not noticing or not caring that her mother’s behaving oddly.

“Thanks.” Bishop chuckles. “What’s your name?”

“Fallon.” My niece carries on like nothing is amiss.

Bishop’s eyes drift back to Aspen, but hers stay glued to the candy drawer in front of her like it’s the most interesting thing she’s ever seen.

“So you’re Uncle Levi’s friend?” Fallon asks, glancing between us.

Bishop shifts his focus back to her and clears his throat.

“Yep, and I used to work for your grandad on the ranch.”

“Were you a cowboy or a horseman?” She asks the pointed question, and Aspen’s eyes slowly close in embarrassment, the only sign she’s still listening and not reading every label in the drawer.

“A bit of both.” Bishop winks at her.

“I bet Grandad loved you then.”

“Your grandad was a good man.” Bishop sobers a little.

“I miss him. He used to take me riding when I was little. He had good jokes that made Mom mad and made the best chocolate shakes too.” Fallon’s mood shifts with the memories, and then she looks at her mom. “Oh! Mom. That sounds good. Can we make some? Aunt Hazel still has the milkshake glasses.”

“Let’s stick to ice cream bars and not make a mess of the kitchen right now.”

“Chips?” Fallon pouts.

“That’s fine,” she answers, and I see her eyes drift to Bishop again now that he’s not looking at her.

“Can you bring up the dip?” Fallon asks as she grabs a bag from the counter and then bounces to the fridge to grab a pop before turning on her mom again. “Mom?”

Aspen snaps out of her thoughts and nods, coughing before she speaks again.

“I’ll bring it with me. Take these Sour Patch Kids to Zeph, and tell Dakota I’ve got our drinks coming right up.”

“Got it!” Fallon calls back. “Night, Uncle Levi! Night, Bishop!” Her voice fades as she climbs higher.