Dad keeps emailing me, asking how it’s going, which means he’s either tired of running things by himself or he knows something is up. I sent him a brief response, telling him I'd come into town so we could talk on the phone this weekend.
The pressure to be there helping Dad with the company weighs more heavily on me every day, but I’m not going anywhere yet. I’ve been here longer than I planned already, and Dad’s going to be looking for answers soon—about the ranch, about why I’m not home, and about how I plan to fix the mess I’ve made by agreeing to be here when I should be in the city.
I’ll find a time to get to town and call Dad, but right now I’m fixing a fence that one of the bulls tried to tear down to sneak into greener pastures. Pastures where the cows are ready to breed again. I pound the new post into the ground and eye the guilty culprit.
“Too bad, buddy. You won’t be getting any until spring.” He gives me an unimpressed stare. “I feel ya, man. I’m not getting any around here either, but if you don’t quit chasing tail, Pops will just send you to slaughter, so you gotta think with more than that giant dick you’ve got hanging there.”
Tripp’s booming laugh interrupts my conversation with the bull. “You givin’ yourself a pep talk, bud? I’m sure Pops wouldn’t send you to slaughter for thinkin’ with your giant dick. You are his grandson, after all.”
I duck my head, laughing at myself now. “I was talking to Houdini over there.”
Tripp settles his hands on his hips and cocks his head to the side. “Only been here a week and you’re already talking to the animals, huh?”
“They’re nicer to talk to than your ass,” I mutter.
“Well then, maybe I’ll leave instead of helping you finish this fence.” He starts to turn back toward the house.
“No. Wait.” I can’t help but call him back.
He smiles, shaking his head. “You’re lucky I’m a nice guy or I’d make you get down on your knees and kiss my boots first.”
“Fuck off,” I laugh. “I already feel like an idiot.”
“We all talk to the animals from time to time. Especially when we’re feelin’ lonely.”
His eyes crinkle at the corners in amusement, but curiosity lurks there, too. We were close enough back in the day that I understand his statement as the invitation to conversation that he means it to be and not a conclusion he’s jumped to.
I’d like to argue, but I can’t quite make myself lie to Tripp like that. Instead, I let the words die on my tongue and get back to working on the fence.
“Pops told me you’re staying.”He nudges me with the toe of his boot.
I glare up at him where he’s standing with his hands on his hips, delight written all over his face. “Only until Thanksgiving. It was part of the ultimatum. I stay. He sells the ranch.”
“And you agreed to it that easily, huh?”
I scrub a dirt-covered hand over my face. “It was the simplest way to get the ranch up for sale. I’m still hoping he’ll agree to sell it sooner, though. Two months is a long time to be gone.”
Tripp puts the new fence post into the second hole I dug. “Good luck with that,” he says doubtfully.
I give a weak chuckle. Being here around old friends and Pops has made me realize how lonesome I've been lately. I have family and friends in the city, but for whatever reason, it doesn’t quite feel the same as it does here.I was feeling lonely long before the breakup with Hannah. I'dbeen trudging through life, unable to find the joy in it I once had. Each day blurred into the next, devoid of any passion or excitement.
But this place is a bit of balm to my broken spirit. And I’m beginning to wonder if my dad knew that when he sent me out here.
I’m on my way back to town for the first time in over a week. I’d planned on spending my Saturday morning at the coffee shop, where I have service and can connect to their Wi-Fi for free, but instead, I’d woken up to a note from Pops telling me he was taking the day off to spend some time at a friend’s house.
He deserved a break. I was happy he was finally taking one after everything his body had been through the last couple of months.
I did all the morning chores and then hopped in the old blue Chevy to make the trip into town. My phone rings in my pocket, and I turn down the radio before swiping my thumb across the screen.
“Hello?”
“Good morning, honey. How are things?” Mom asks in my ear.
“It’s almost noon. I’d hardly call it morning.”
“Well, maybe not if you’re on ranch time, I suppose,” she considers. “Your father’s been trying to get a hold of you all week. He said you haven’t been responding to his messages or his emails.”
I sigh. I thought I’d be able to keep up with work, but everything has been pushed to the wayside since I set foot on the ranch. I should be anxious about the accounting firm, but I haven’t been able to drum up enough motivation to go back into town since going to Herds.
