“Oh, I know. Even though you are a terrible patient and grumpy to boot. Is this what you’re going to be like when you’re old?”
That made a slight quirk lift one side of my mouth. “God willing.”
“I guess it’s good I’m getting a glimpse of it now so I can prepare myself for thirty years in the future.”
“I’m not that old. Do you really think that when I’m in my fifties I’m going to be a crotchety old man?”
“If the shoe fits.”
“I’m going to get you for that, Tink.”
“I’d like to see you try. You are slow.”
“I’m injured.”
“Doesn’t matter. That gives me the high ground.”
“Just to wait until I’m able to get my revenge.”
“I look forward to it,” she said, flouncing off, pleased as punch that she’d made me play with her.
A few hours later, I’d managed to shower slowly and carefully with my wife’s help like I was a hundred years old. I dressed in a pair of gym shorts and a Cyclones T-shirt before I hobbled out of the downstairs guest room. I found Becca standing with Clara, a glass of wine in her hand and her baby niece on one hip.
She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Watching her hold that little girl, just as natural as can be, as she smiled and laughed with her older sister sent a hum of possibility through me.
Would it really be so bad if I retired? We could have a couple of kids, build a life here. I could help her with her business if she’d let me. My girl was staunchly independent.
"Savage. How are you doing, man? It’s good to see you,” Mav said as he clapped me on the shoulder. “Can I grab you beer?”
“No thanks. It’s not supposed to drink while I’m on pain meds.”
“Oh, right. Shit. Sorry. I didn’t even think about that. My brother Luke broke his leg after he was thrown from a horse. I should have remembered he couldn’t drink until those pain meds were done.”
“So you really are a full-blooded cowboy?”
I hadn’t really spent much time with my brother-in-law. It felt weird, him being the boss, holding my livelihood in his hands, but I knew the gist of his family. A lot of men claimed to be cowboys, wore the hats and boots and big belt buckles, but hadn’t ever ridden a horse. Hell, some even owned ranches they never stepped foot on. But Maverick wasn’t one of them.
“Yep, I really am one-hundred percent Grade A certified.”
“What’s that like?”
“What’s what like?”
“Being a cowboy. I’ve only ever seen it in TV and movies.”
“I guess you didn’t get a good look at the ranch when y’all came over for the after-game party, did you? Sunrise is a pretty special place. There’s a lot of us, and we’ve sort of built a community. Small towns are like that.”
That made me think of Scotland and all the people back home who celebrated my wedding to Becca. There was so much joy.
“You should come out sometime when we’re not with the team. Bring Becca. You guys can stay at the ranch and ride whenever you want. Watch the sunsets. That’s my favorite part.”
“The sunsets?”
“Yeah. Nothing like a Montana sunset.”
I smiled, thinking of the one sunset I saw at Wilde Horse Ranch. All I’d been focused on was missing Becca at the time. “I’ll see if I can steal her away for a weekend once I’m back on my feet.”
“Yeah, how’s that going? You’re standing, so that’s better than I thought it would be.”