“Do you know why she canceled my visit down here?” My only regret was never telling her how much she meant to me in person.
Bert’s smile softened. “When the last PET scan came back, she knew her time was short. She worried that if you saw her in the house, you wouldn’t feel free to make it yours. She wanted it to be a blank slate for you.”
“Yeah, she knew me better than I knew myself.”
My chest heaved with the effort of keeping it together. Crying in the middle of my first potluck? Absolutely not. That wasn’t the impression I wanted to leave people with. I needed them to see me as a serious businessperson. If my crying ended up in someone’s Christmas newsletter, I’d never live it down.
Beside me, Daddy noticed my struggle. His arm banded around my shoulders and tugged me into his side. His hug lingered, steady and solid, and the rest of the room blurred away. Maybe they were still there. I couldn’t tell because all I could feel was the heat of his body and the strength keeping me upright when I wanted to collapse.
Sissy had left me this gift, and I couldn’t screw it up. I could feel the tears pressing, hot and stubborn, just waiting to ruin everything.Please don’t let my eyes leak in front of these people.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Jasper
Daddy
Got plans next weekend?
Jasper
Uhhh, work? Feed goats? Do shit with you?
Daddy
I need to go to Houston for Saddle Up. Wanna go?
Jasper
Yes. Also, what is it?
Daddy
It’s the stock show and rodeo. Riley was supposed to go for our buying cartel, but he broke his ankle.
Jasper
I love how you think I know what any of that means.
Or who Riley is.
Or why you call it a cartel…
Daddy
That’s what they call it. No clue why.
And Riley owns a dude ranch.
Jasper
OOOH, of course, *that* Riley. Silly me.
Daddy
Are you being a smartass?
Jasper
