Page 23 of Hard Rain Coming

He snuck a look toward his daughter, but she was busy talking to the animal-shaped marshmallows in her cereal.

“You’re going somewhere.”

She nodded.

His disappointment was obvious, and for whatever reason, that made her heart happy. “Not for long,” she replied.

Her brother let that settle.

“I’ve got some things to take care of, but I plan on being back next weekend for the annual barn dance.” Her forehead screwed up. “That’s still a thing, right?” It was a tradition passed down for generations, a celebration to bring together the Bridgestones and all the souls who worked the ranch alongside them.

He nodded. “First Saturday of every November.”

She nodded, maybe to convince herself that what she was planning was a good idea. “I’ll be back by then.”

“Where you headed?”

She thought of Jack, and along with that thought came a wave of guilt.

“Alaska. Work stuff.”

“You flying out of Bozeman?”

She nodded.

“If the timing works out, I can take you to the airport after I drop off Nora at school.”

“Won’t that take a good chunk out of your day?”

“Some.” He winked. “I don’t mind.”

“I appreciate it.” She paused for a moment and considered her next ask.

“What?”

“I can’t take Lily with me, so I’m hoping you won’t mind keeping an eye on her.”

“That dog only likes a handful of humans on this planet, and I’m not one of them. You know that, right?”

“It’s not that she doesn’t like you. She finds it hard to trust. She’s been through a lot.”

Benton finished his coffee and rinsed his mug in the sink. “I’ll make sure she gets outside so we don’t have any messes in the house, and if I can’t make it happen, someone will. Ryland is hit or miss, but he can help out, and so can Nora.”

Her youngest brother had been spending a lot of time up at the Founder’s Cabin with their father. He’d graduated high school, but was taking a gap year before college. She wasn’t sure if he had a job, and between his buddies and girls, he was a hard kid to tie down. In fact, in well over a month, Vivian could count on one hand the times she’d seen or had a conversation with him. Not entirely his fault, but still, the youngest Bridgestone seemed to be away from the ranch more than on it these days.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Benton said with a wry grin. “It’s what family does.”

“One more question.” Vivian eyed her brother, toying with an idea that had come to her the day before.

“Shoot.”

“If Dallas has moved to his own place, who’s staying in the foreman’s cabin?”

“No one.”

“I see lights on occasionally.”

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