Chapter Eight
They pulled into the driveway of the hotel, close to the door so Balta could save the foot. There wasn’t a guy coming for the bags—the hotels out here in Montana tended to be simpler, the events more rodeo than most. “I’ll bring the bags in.”
Joa reckoned he’d park along the side.
“I’ll check in, huh?” Balta gave him a tired smile, the lines around his mouth standing out. Balta was always smiling, though, no matter what.
“Sim.” He parked, then called his momma. “Mae!”
“Joaquim!Onde esta?”
“Montana,Mae. At the big rodeo.”
“Sim? You like it?”
He nodded, grinning at himself. “Sim. Sim. It’s windy, though. How’re the dogs? My house?”
“Buon. Papaibought calves for you. For the land.”
His father, his sisters and their husbands were incredibly concerned about his land and the lack of livestock on it.
So far there had been goats.
Chickens.
Buffalo.
Llamas.
Ostriches.
“How are the horses?”
“Peru is having a baby.”
“Sim? I’ll have to come home to see. Have the vet come out for her,sim?”
“Sim, Joaquim.”
His father always wanted to handle the births himself, but Joa knew with the horses it was better to have the vet. Another pick-up pulled up next to his and parked, then Eduardo and Vittorio piling out.
He waved, grinned. “Bom dia. No. No, Mae. Just more bull riders.”
Vittorio ducked his head, but Eduardo waved and called a greeting. Vittorio was always so quiet.
They all headed in,Maestill jabbering in his ear about cats and babies and cell phones and calves. Balta met them in the back hallway, clapping Eduardo on the back when he passed by. The smile was just for Joa, though.
He handed over Balta’s bag. “Mae, I have to go. KissPapaifor me. I’ll be home in two weeks.”
“Te amo.” She rang off with him, and Balta led him to their room.
“How’s your mama, huh?”
“Good. Good. They bought me cattle.”
“A long as it’s not alpaca.” Balta always laughed at hispapai, buying him the weird animals.
“Beefmasters. Although I think there are more buffalo coming.”
