Page 116 of The Wayward Son

“I will.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Sawyer, J.T., and Jake left the barn on horseback as the sun was coming up. It was a beautiful spring morning with a slight chill in the air. It’d warm up soon enough once the sun was higher in the sky. But this early in the spring, it shouldn’t get too warm. The four other men coming with them would meet them at the lower pasture.

Even though Sawyer complained about the cows, he enjoyed moving the herd in the spring and fall, and he’d been home every year for it. It wasn’t about the cows though, it was about being in the country on a horse. As much as he tried to deny it for a few years, he was his father’s son. He belonged on the back of a horse chasing the damn cows.

When the sun was right above them, and it was almost time to stop and have some lunch, J.T. rode over to Sawyer, who’d been staying mainly to himself once they reached the herd and had started moving them.

“What’s with you today?”

Sawyer looked at him. “Nothing. Just enjoying the ride.”

“You’re not wishing you were somewhere else? Like in a ring punching some guy?”

“No. I’m happy with my decision. No regrets.”

“Good. So what’s going on, then?”

Sawyer laughed. “Nothing is going on, man.”

J.T. was quiet for a moment. “I may not have a lot of experience in this department. But it seems you’re mooning.”

“Mooning?”

“You miss her, don’t you?”

As far as he knew, he’d done nothing to lead J.T. to that conclusion. “Who?”

“I’m not an idiot, man. What happened in Missoula? Something changed between you two.”

Sawyer sighed and stayed silent. He needed a moment to figure out how to respond. He never could lie to J.T.

“I can’t talk about it.”

“It’s me, kid. Of course you can. And if ever I saw a man who needed to talk something out, it’s you.”

Jake rode up beside them. “I don’t know what you two boys are talking about, but three cows just took off over the ridge while you weren’t paying attention.”

J.T. nodded. “We’re on it, Dad.”

They both nudged their horses into a lope and headed for the ridge. They spotted the cows going down the other side of it. They circled around and cut them off, then turned them and pushed them back over the ridge. When they returned them to the herd, they fell into a walk once more, flanking one side of the cows.

“So, come on. What’s going on?”

“You’re right, I miss her.”

J.T. nodded. “You miss your friend or…”

“She’s more than that. A lot more.”

“Hmm. I kind of got that feeling. Why are you hiding it? The whole family will get behind that. We all love Jade. She’s like family.”

“She wants to, um…I think she’s trying to process it all. Deep down, she doesn’t believe she deserves to be happy. Or she’s afraid to be happy. I don’t know. Her damn father did such a number on her.”

“Yeah. That’s tough. But she trusts you. I know that. You’re the only person she’s ever trusted.”

---