I might even start cutting out the pieces for the brush guard I want to put on my truck.
Chapter 32
Val
There’s just enough freshsnow to show a single set of tire tracks leading into Mom’s driveway.
Did Scotty come by and leave? I bet he went to Sawyer’s.
A pang goes through my chest.
Sawyer still hasn’t replied. Or answered when I tried to call.
There’s a part of me that wonders if I should just walk away.
“Hey, Mom.” I push in without knocking to find her sitting in her recliner. I lean over and dutifully kiss the top of her head. “No big party?”
She huffs. “Hardly. Did you close up early?” Glancing first at the old Felix the Cat clock on the wall, she turns and raises her brows.
“I’m closed every Thanksgiving. Christmas, too. Remember?” I know she’s pushing sixty, but her memory has usually been pretty good.
Setting the temp on the stove, I pull out the one pan meal I brought.
Next is the extras I prepped to freeze for her. She has a hard time wanting to cook a meal for herself most of the time, so I try to bring her—
What the hell?
“Mom? Where’d all this meat come from?” I grab one of the white paper wrappers and turn it to seeBlack Gulch Ranch sirloin steakwritten across the side.
The next one looks like ribeyes.
Sawyer. I should have known.
“My ‘son number two’ stopped by a little while ago. You probably passed each other in the driveway.” She turns to look out the window.
If I had, I would have blocked him in until I could talk to him.
I try to force as much neutral into my tone as possible. “What was he up to? I haven’t seen him in ages.”
It feels like a lifetime and it’s only been a few days.
“Oh, that poor boy is lovesick,” she sighs. “Whoever that silly girl is that dumped him really screwed up.”
That knocks the wind out of me. “What do you mean?” I barely choke.
“Kids these days.” Mom waves her hand and scoffs. “I bet she didn’t appreciate what a good person he is. Everyone is so worried about whatever the next best thing is, they don’t see what’s really important until it’s too late.” She folds her quilt onto the arm of her chair and joins me near the counter.
“Don’t mind me. I don’t have much drama here. I just love that boy like a son, so it’s hard to see him upset.” She lifts the foilfrom the pan and tents it over the food. “I’m glad you were able to make it tonight.”
The thought of him being miserable, yet refusing to talk to me, makes me both cranky and resolute.
“Mom, I’m really sorry. I have to go.” I grab my coat from the back of the chair and rush towards the door.
“Valerie? What is going on?” She stands frozen, confusion knotting her brow.
“I’m the stupid girl, Mom,” I say grimly, then step outside.
There’s only one set of tracks in the snow leading down the lane into Black Gulch.
