“Chocolate milkshake for me,” Lee asks as she comes up and hugs me. “Hey, Mags. Sorry for the short notice and all.”
I hug her back and grin as she’s claimed by Colt when she stands back. “Fine by me, sweetheart.”
“Beers for Cora and Dee, an acai smoothie for Star, and just an OJ for me, Mom. I’m workin’ tonight at the hospital,” Charlie adds, taking Lee’s place beside me and wrapping an arm around my waist. “Sorry for not warnin’ you. This is kind of an impromptu ranch celebration.”
I quickly create a tab for the group and watch all but Char file into the booth. Turning her way, I look for any clue as to what’s going on. “You want to tell me what y’all are celebratin’ then?”
She looks past my shoulder to the table. "It's better if you hear it straight from the source. Let me help you get the drinks and then you can come and find out.”
As we make our way to the table, the chatter and laughter of the Bull Mountain Ranch crew fill the air. Their warm camaraderieand easy banter are infectious, and I smile at the family we all count ourselves a part of.
I catch Red’s gaze and for the first time since they all arrived, I spot some unease in his eyes. Of course, Red being Red, he quickly schools it and paints a grin on his face. But I know what I saw, which just has me evenmorecurious as to what tonight’s celebration is all about.
After Charlie and I have handed out the drinks I pull out my order pad from my apron. “Before y’all get too rowdy, tell me what meals you’d like so I can get Tony to make a start on them. Yeah?”
“How ‘bout we let the soon-to-be-adult choose first?” Toby says, nudging Wy with his elbow.
I catch a similar look in Wy’s eyes as I saw on Red’s face which has me on the edge of worry. Something’s wrong… or maybe not wrong, but definitely changing… then it hits me.
“Wait…” I say, pointing my finger at Wy. “You just went and got yourself that damn crab fishin’ job you applied for, didn’t ya?”
Wyatt lets out a huge breath and nods, a beaming grin transforming his face. “Yeah, Mags. They want me there in two weeks.”
Cheers erupt around the table from everyone and out of instinct my eyes seek out my best friend. Amidst the joyful chaos, Red's gaze is filled with a mix of pride and melancholy. Wyatt announced a good year and a half ago that getting a crab fishing post was on his bucket list, so this isn’t a surprise. It’s just that a part of me had hoped someone would’ve been able to change his mind to something less… terrifyingly real.
And that’s exactly what I can read in Red’s expression. He’s proud of his son for achieving his dreams, but that doesn’t mean that seeing it become a reality hasn’t stirred up conflicting emotions in him. Having already been through the loss of Anna, he’s now facing the reality of watching his only remaining piece of her go out into the world to start living his life.
I know exactly how that feels because fifteen years ago, I did the same when Charlie left for college.
"OK. OK. Settle down, boys. How about I order the usual for everyone and then order another round of drinks for y'all to celebrate Wy's news? Deal?"
Toby salutes me, making Dee giggle at his side. Austin nods. Charlie grins. Colt and Lee are mooning at each other like they’re in their own little loved-up world whereas Rhett and Cora smile. Wyatt shoots me a grateful look. “Sounds good, Mags. Thanks. I’m goin’ to miss Friday night dinners here. That’s for sure.”Hit me where it hurts, kid.
A lump forms in my throat that I quickly swallow down. Wyatt is family to me, just like the rest of them.Just like Red.
Wy and Red are special though. They’re my last remaining connection to Anna. She binds the three of us. Not for the first time, I wonder what will happen when Wy leaves Bull Mountain and our little town of Spring Haven. Will Red stay on the ranch? Will he startlivinghis life? Maybe start dating? Will he hear the mountain's call?
Thankfully I stop myself from showing how Ireallyfeel about that thought. God!I’m losing Wy, I’m not sure I could bear losing my best friend too.
Plastering a smile on my face, I shoot Wyatt a wink. “Guess you should make sure you get your fill before you leave then.”
"Oh yeah. Thanks, Mags," he says, reaching out to rest his hand on my arm, his familiar forest-green eyes locking with mine.
“Charmer,” I say.
“Always. Learned it from the best. Right, Dad?” Wy turns to Red whose gaze switches between the two of us.
To his credit, Red just chuckles and ruffles his son's hair. I take that as my cue to leave. "Y'all food will be ready soon."
I walk away wondering why there's a suddenly this weird feeling in my belly. It’s not a bad one, just new. I make a mental note to seek out Landry's wife, Starchild, for a tarot reading sometime soon. Maybe she'll be able to help me work it all out. Until then, I have orders to put in and hungry people to feed.
When plate after plate of my World-Famous Corned Beef Hash have been demolished by the crew, I catch Red slipping out the back door of the diner. Curious, I follow him outside.
When I get there, I find him leaning up against the back fence, looking up at the star-studded sky.
I stop next to him, copying his stance before nudging him with my elbow. “Fancy findin’ you out here.”
A small grin curves the corner of his mouth. “Knew you’d come lookin’ eventually. You always seem to know where I am.”
