Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 48446 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 242(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48446 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 242(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
“You’re forty. That’s not old.”
“How did you know I was—”
“You had a birthday at the beginning of August.”
I sighed deeply. “I expect you’re the only one anywhere that knew that.”
“Which should really tell you something,” he snapped, “but it won’t.”
“Doc…”
“Just forget it.”
I coughed softly, wanting to restore the ease between us. “Forty is old.”
“It’s not. I’m forty-two, and I don’t consider myself old in the least.”
I laughed. “Well, we ain’t exactly doin’ the same things to our bodies.”
“So you’re really going to quit?”
“Yessir. Rodeo is a young man’s sport, and if I keep at it any longer, I’ma get hurt permanent.”
“Did you… Are you hurt now?”
“No, just bruised up some. But I punctured a lung a while back and—”
He gasped. “Jesus, Weber.”
“I’m all right, darlin’.” I smiled into the phone. “It’s just that I’m forty now, like I said, but I feel like I’m seventy, and I don’t wanna risk gettin’ crippled. I ain’t got no health insurance. If the rancher who saw me get hurt hadn’t paid for me to get fixed up after the bull, I would’ve been a goner. When I was finally better, I promised I’d pay him back, but he said no need, us Texas boys gotta stick together.” After a moment I said, “You don’t meet a lotta men like that.”
“You’re making me crazy. Just sit down and wait for me. I’m bringing the BMW. Watch for it.”
“Do you even know where you’re goin’?”
“Well, yes, Weber. It’s called GPS. Ever hear of it while you’re out there hitching rides on the road?”
I chuckled. “You have a whole idea of what it’s like for me out here, don’t ya.”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“I’ll watch for ya.”
He hung up, and I did too.
After stepping from the phone booth, I walked over to a bench. It was out of the rain, under the overhang, and I took a seat. I pulled the gray straw cowboy hat down low over my eyes and flipped the collar up on my shearling-lined denim jacket. I would definitely need something heavier for Alaska and had been thinking of stopping in Oregon and working for a couple of weeks to pack away at least a thousand dollars in cash for essentials. I needed snow boots, a parka, and gloves. I had to figure out the timing of everything, as I needed to be at Aidan’s brother’s place before Christmas. I had two weeks to get there, and as I thought about it more, I realized I would probably only be able to stay one night with Cyrus, two at the very most. It made no sense to stop, but the desire to see the man’s face had outweighed everything else. If I could, whenever I could, I had to see him. There was never a question.
TWO
The familiar sleek black four-door BMW rolled up, and I waved as he got out of the car. Watching him stride toward me took my breath away. He looked like he belonged in a fashion magazine, he was so perfect. The thick chestnut hair was long on top and cut short on the sides and back. His cashmere-blend wool overcoat accentuated the breadth of his shoulders, and his heavy scarf was wrapped once around his neck and hung over the lapels of the open coat. I liked the sweater and jeans underneath, as well as the polished boots, and really, all in all, he was a vision, while I looked like a homeless guy he was going to give some loose change to. I was embarrassed of how I looked, how I smelled, and I knew in that second that I shouldn’t have called, that I’d made a mistake…
“Web,” he cried out.
…until he called my name. Nothing mattered after that.
I dropped my backpack and lifted my arms for him, waiting, and he rushed forward and lunged at me, hitting my chest hard, face pressed to the side of my neck as he wrapped me up tight.
“Why’re you shaking?” I asked into his hair, squeezing him, loving the feel of the hard body plastered to mine, his lips opening on my throat.
“Because I missed you, idiot.” He clutched at me, lifting his head to meet my gaze. “Can you get in the car so I can kiss you?”
“Why, yessir.”
He stepped back, took off one of his leather gloves, grabbed my hand, and laced his fingers with mine. I had no idea how cold my hands were until he touched me.
At the car, he let go of me, and I tossed my pack in the back seat, then climbed into the passenger seat. It smelled like leather inside and was, of course, immaculate.
“Man, I do love this car. She’s a beauty,” I complimented him as the warm air wrapped around me.
He hit the lock on the door, making escape impossible, and I grinned at him over the transparent action.