“I guess it could be awkward to work a birthday into conversation.”
“Why? Just say, ‘So, when’s your birthday?’”
“Why didn’t you ask her? Why is it up to her to bring it up?”
“I—it’s not. I didn’t think of it.”
“We should have a family dinner for her birthday,” Mom suggests. “Next weekend, after she gets back.”
I reach for a scone and crack it open, spread copious amounts of butter on it, and shove it into my mouth.
“You’re such a gentleman,” Mom says with complete sarcasm.
“I know,” I say around the food. “Good.”
I spread jam over the butter on the other half.
“I’ll be back later to help Dad and Louie with some stuff in the barn. We need to repair a couple of the stalls after that stallion kicked the hell out of them a few weeks ago.”
“No work today?”
“Later,” I confirm. “I have to go up and clean some trails, make sure people are staying where they’re supposed to. And there’s a pair of eagles that I’ve been watching. They’re mated and have built a nest.”
“That’s exciting,” she says. “Be careful up there. I hate that you don’t have cell service at work.”
“I like it quiet.” I shrug and take one more scone for the road. “Is Cap okay with you?”
I break off a piece of my scone and give it to the dog, who wags his tail with enthusiasm.
“Of course. Oh, and will you please give me Remi’s number? I’d like to invite her out to lunch.”
“Sure.” I text her the number and then kiss her on the cheek. “I have to run. I’m meeting Gage for breakfast.”
“You just had breakfast.”
I just smile at her and head out.
I always feel better after chatting with my mom.
“Jesus it’s early,” Gage mutters as he slides into the booth across from me and gratefully accepts a mug of coffee from the waitress at Ed’s.
“Dude, you were in the Army. You’re used to getting up at the ass crack of dawn.”
His smile is slow. “Not after the night I just had.”
“So, things are going well with Tate, then?”
“You could say that.” He clinks his mug to mine. “Cheers.”
“How’re your sister and Sam doing?”
“It’s been a hell of a year,” Gage says, shaking his head. Sam’s sister, Monica, and her husband were killed last year, leaving two kids behind. Sam and Tash took custody of the kids and fell in love in the process. “But they’re figuring it all out. Married life agrees with them. And the kids are doing much better.”
“Hard to believe it’s been more than a year,” I reply softly.
“Life moves on,” Gage agrees. “What’s up with you? Why are we here so fucking early?”
“Because I have to work today. Remi’s out of town, so I thought we could catch up.”
I fill him in on Remi’s opportunity in Moab.
“She’s kind of badass, man,” he says when our breakfasts are delivered. “I’ve seen snippets of her challenges on TV. She’s strong.”
“She’s totally badass.” I nod, proud of her. “You should have seen her up in the park when she was stuck in that storm. I wanted to throttle her, but also, she held her own. If I hadn’t gone up to check on her, it could have ended badly, but only because she’s not familiar with the area. When I showed her the way to the shelter, she kept up with me, and she didn’t just huddle in a corner once we got inside. She busted ass to help me with the fire and all of the blankets and stuff. She’s no coward.”
“Strong women are hot,” he replies. “I can’t tell you how many times I thought for sure Tate would just throw in the towel and tell me to go fuck myself. I would if it was me. But she never has. She grits her teeth and gets the job done. Even when I know for sure she’s in pain.”
“Is she starting to feel better?”
“Yes, she’s making huge gains now. In the beginning, we celebrated the small things, like when she could just lift her left foot off the ground. Or feed herself with her left hand. Now, she barely has a limp. She uses the cane for balance, but I have a hunch she won’t even need that by the end of the year.”
“That’s amazing. You both worked your asses off.”
“She did all the work, I just badgered her into it.”
“And yet, she lets you see her naked. I’d tell you to go jump off a bridge.”
He laughs and then glances toward the door, raising an eyebrow. “Uh, Seth?”
“Yeah?” I follow his gaze and frown when I see Remi walk in. She makes her way to the counter and sits on a stool. “What the hell? Rem?”
She looks around, and then her eyes light up when she sees us. She hurries over and slips into the booth next to me, frames my face in her hands, and plants a kiss on me.