Page 95 of An Endless Memory

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “My parents invited him to their place too.”

“That was nice of them. I’m not surprised he turned them down.” He put his fork down and bustled around the kitchen, starting the coffee machine, the older type that made an entire pot.

I was bursting with curiosity, needing to know everything about Eliot. What made him think he had to give everything up and didn’t deserve the same from others? “Why aren’t you surprised?”

“Oh, uh…” He returned to his pie. Mine was still untouched. “What do you know about Barns and Birdie?”

“Birdie was his mom’s name?”

He nodded. “I only knew her from around town. She was gone by the time Cody got to high school. But Roxie, my wife, would chat with her occasionally. And she was always complaining. Barns did this; Barns did that. And I heard talk from other teachers. When the boys would get in trouble, she wasn’t upset with them like you’d think. She was more like insulting.”

“Oh no.”

He bobbed his head. “A gal Roxie’s friends with had Eliot in first grade.” He screwed his face up. “That was shortly before Birdie left. Eliot got into a snowball fight on the playground. What boy doesn’t?” He got quiet. “Roxie’s friend was so upset after she talked to Birdie. ‘Just another disappointment, like the rest of them.’ That’s what his mom said.”

Horror passed through me, curdling in my gut. I would never say that about my kids. “That’s awful.”

“It wasn’t the first or last time this teacher heard things from Birdie about the boys. Horrible things. Can you imagine thinking that about your kids, much less speaking it?” He shrugged. “Now, my daughter’s husband, maybe.”

My laugh broke the heaviness. Eliot was always doing what he thought was the right thing by the people he cared about. He was that little boy trying to please his mom.

Heat prickled the backs of my eyes. Chambers was right. Eliot went out of his way to keep from disappointing his family, even if it meant staying away.

“Birdie always thought she was too good for Buffalo Gully and for the ranch life.” He chuffed. “Too good for Montana. Definitely for being a mom. I can’t believe how well-adjusted all those kids turned out.”

“Eliot’s a decent man.” I took a bite of pie. Sweetness burst over my tongue, but I couldn’t appreciate it. Would Eliot continue to plan for a divorce because he thought it was best for me?

Hadn’t I thought the same? Or was I just another person leaving him to do what he thought was the right thing at the cost of his happiness?

“He’s had a pep in his step since you came into his life.”

I smiled and dug into my dessert, suddenly self-conscious. “I like him.”

“A lot of wives can’t make the same claim.”

We laughed and ate our pie. I heard a vehicle pull up. “That must be Jasper.”

He went to the kitchen window and peered outside. “Looks like he’s taking the kids down to the barns.”

“I’ll never get Cali home.”

I was tempted to run out and greet my kids, but I also wanted them to have the freedom to explore. I’d done that a lot yesterday. Wandering around the ranch brought back memories from Grandma’s place.

The weather was cool, bordering on cold. Jasper and the kids wouldn’t be long. Then it’d be time to go. And I’d be back to wondering when I would see Eliot again.

Eliot

After Lily and the kids left, I ran inside for a bite to eat. A meal would take my mind off how I loved seeing Cali’s awe over the ranch and how much Kellan had grown. Chambers hadn’t left, and while I always appreciated his presence, I was even more grateful for the noise he was making in the kitchen. Then the place wasn’t so quiet.

Chambers was having the last piece of pie. He’d set one out for me by my normal spot at the island. A pile of pie-smeared dishes was next to the sink. Everyone else must’ve gotten a slice.

I slid into my chair. “Tell Roxie thanks.” I cut off a big hunk and stuffed a forkful into my mouth. My bleak long weekend of sandwiches had turned into some damn good food. Instead of me making pancakes, Lily had gotten up and made me breakfast burritos I could take with me to eat.

“You’ll never believe it. I made this one.”

I stopped chewing. Damn. It was good, but I didn’t know Chambers knew how to do anything more than make coffee and eat pie.

He chuckled and licked off his fork. “I have to use a store-bought crust. Can never be patient enough to roll out dough. I’m irate as soon as I get a tear. I want to eat, not patchwork my dough.”

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