“You’ve been so good to me, Coach.”
“Ahh,” he grunts and it makes me smile. “I like to see all my kids doin’ well. I told you that.”
“You’ve just got the biggest heart is all.”
He shrugs. “Wife doesn’t complain.” He winks and I chuckle as I stand.
“Thanks for believing in me when I didn’t quite believe in myself,” I say, clutching the unused notepad to my chest.
He clears his throat as he stands and holds his arms out. “C’mere,” he says gruffly, makingcome hereinto one mangled word. “Proud of you, kid.”
“But you haven’t known me that long,” I whisper.
“Doesn’t matter. You’ve got a fire your ex-husband couldn’t put out,” he says, pushing me back to look me in the eyes, “and it’s only gotten brighter, so you let me be proud until you’re ready to be proud of yourself.”
“You give a hell of a pep talk.”
He laughs and squeezes my arms. “That’s why they pay me the big bucks.” He winks and I smile, nodding as I head back to my desk with my newly realigned world coming into focus.
Holland and Beck.
Mason.
Making new friends.
Taking a breath and not bothering to hold back my smile, I add,get real estate licenseto the list that’s just for me.
10
MASON
ELLISON: I need a favor.
MASON: Ah, what does the lady of the house need today?
ELLISON: That’s cute, I kinda like that.
MASON: thought you would.
ELLISON: but seriously, I need a favor.
MASON: how much trouble is it gonna get me in with your husband?
ELLISON: he’s not my husband yet.
MASON: close enough.
ELLISON: ah, if we were, he would already have seen the bank transaction for this little purchase.
Isnort as I read the message. Undoubtedly, another animal is about to be in Montana’s future.
MASON: What am I an accomplice to buying…
I waitas a picture message loads on my phone. Two large dairy cows stare back at me.
ELLISON: aren’t they cute? The one with the black spots is blind. Her name is Clover and the other one is her companion, Glenda. I rescued them.
MASON: You bought a blind cow?
