She gave me a wink. No matter how many years had flown by, that small gesture brought me back to the day the social worker brought me to her ranch. Daisy, with the big red hair and a smile that could warm the whole state, gave me a wink and told me everything was going to be okay.
“I was just going to give you a ring. Sharon from Social Servicescalled and asked if you would be willing to take a little boy while his foster family goes out of town for the night. It’ll just be this afternoon until tomorrow morning.”
“Yeah, I’ll call her.”
She read my face, per usual. “I know it’s temporary, but one day you’ll give a child a forever home. You’re a special man to want to do that.”
“I learned from the best.”
She laughed. “Damn straight.” A deep breath. “How are you doing?”
“It still sucks, but it is what it is.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I never thought she had the perfect nose. I lied to the girl.”
She was lying to me too. We both knew it. The definition of beautiful was Abby. Golden hair and emerald eyes that stole my heart and a determination to get me out of here, that broke us.
Austin’s black truck pulled up to the barn. He hopped out wearing worn jeans and his favorite AC/DC black T-shirt with that shit-ass grin I’d known since I was ten.
Daisy walked over, her finger pointed at him in accusation. “Good to have you back, but I know you returned last night. I would’ve expected to see you or at least get a phone call, my boy.”
He chuckled as she hugged him. “Sorry, got a little sidetracked.” He waggled his eyebrows at me over her shoulder.
Daisy pulled back and slapped his chest. “What’s her name?”
“I am appalled at this blind accusation.”
“Whatever. But Jax has had a shitty few weeks. Be there for your brother. He needs to express his feelings.” She flashed me a pitying smile.
“Stop it. You know men don’t express their feelings.”
“Dr. Phil says you’ll explode if you don’t express those emotions.” She threw her hands in the air and turned towards her and Jim’s house. “Austin, make him talk to you.”
“Stop!” She couldn’t walk away fast enough at that moment.
Austin yelled. “Yeah! We men don’t need to talk. We grunt and drink beer. We don’t speak about feelings and shit; come on!”
Shaking her head, she turned around to face us with the tightened jaw that portended a stern talking to when we were kids. Of course, we lost it just like when we were teenagers and she’d go nuts after we’d eaten all the snacks within an hour of her trip from the grocery store. Austin and I lucked out, ending up with her.
Daisy was married and wasn’t able to have children, which broke her heart. Her husband, Roy, was killed in a motorcycle accident, leaving her a lost soul. After pulling herself up, she got her foster care license, determined to make a difference while keeping the ranch going.
I was with Daisy for six months when the same social worker rolled up with a crying Austin in the back seat. She called us two peas in a pod as kids and partners in crime as we grew up.
Austin followed me into the barn. “Bro, why didn’t you come to the bar last night?”
“I was tired. Went to bed.”
“You missed it. The volleyball team from the university was there.” He laughed, slapping me on the back. “A real good time. Man, I was only gone for two weeks. What’s Daisy talking about? I can see you need a little Austin magic to change your mojo. Am I right, or am I right?”
Ignoring the mojo bullshit, I grabbed my tools. “Abby and I are done.”
“What? I thought things were going good.”
“We’ve been off for a little bit, but I thought we’d get through it. Then she was offered the news anchor job of her dreams in Minneapolis.”
“That sucks. So it’s just over, no long distance thing?”
“It might’ve been a possibility, but she said I should use my business degree and leave the ranch to start a new life in Minnesota with her. That being here was holding me back. We were at a fork in the road, neither of us budging, and then she just took off.”
