I laugh and get up, glancing back at Daddy’s chair.“Okay, Mama.I hear you.”
“I love you, West.”
“Love you too, Mama.”I lean down and hug her tightly because I don’t know how long it’ll be before I get the chance to again, and then I head out to my truck and drive across the dirt road leading home.I wind the windows down, and breathe in the scent of the evening dew on the dry meadow.
When I reach my house, I shut off the engine and listen to the shrill cry of cicadas in the long grass and a lonely coyote cry in the quiet night.This ranch is in my blood, its dirt runs through my veins, and my roots are buried deep within its soil.I don’t know who I am without them.Now I’m leaving, I think I finally understand it.I finally realize what my family has fought for all these years and I’m giving that up, but the alternative is losing the one thing that keeps my heart pumping, and what good are roots if the soil is too dry to feed them?
I pull out my phone and shoot a text to Daisy-Mae.“We need to talk.”
She doesn’t answer back.I debate just driving to Dallas right now, but I’m so wound up, I probably wouldn’t even make it halfway across Texas without crashing my truck.
Chapter Forty-two
West
Igrab a granola bar, switch off the lights, and head out.It’s still dark out, so I turn on the flashlight on my phone and walk over to the barn to say goodbye to Ham.He bellows when he sees me and bounces over to the gate in his stall.
“Hey, buddy.”I scratch behind his ears.“How you doing?”
He tilts his head, as if he’s trying to get me to scratch under his chin.“Colt’s gonna be by soon to pick you up.You’re gonna go live in their yard for a little while, at least until I figure out how to get you to Dallas and where to put you once you’re there.”
He headbutts his stall, wanting out, but it’ll be easier for Colt if he’s already wrangled.I grab the feed bucket and fill it up, I’m just pouring him an extra large helping of breakfast when Colt’s truck and trailer pull into the drive.Two doors slam, and I cringe.This asshole can’t keep anything to himself.
“West!”My sister shrieks.“You better get the hell out here and talk to me right now.”
“Well, shit.See you soon, buddy.”I give Ham a final scratch around the ears before turning to face the firing squad.
“Little early for wailing like a banshee, isn’t it, Lemon?”I say with a grin.Colt’s eyes are wide and he’s making the signal for “quit freaking talking, man” by making a “cut” motion across his neck.
“What’s this about you leaving and not telling me?I had to nipple cripple it out of Colt this morning.”
“It’s true,” he says shamefaced.“She did.”
“I gotta go get my heart back.”
“I know, dumbass.What I’m pissed about is that you didn’t bother to tell us, or at least run your idiot plan by me so I can tell you if it’s worthy of winning her back.”
