Page 20 of The Wayward Son

“How’d he die, Jade?”

She raised her hands. “It wasn’t me, I swear, I was in Spokane.” She sighed. “Heart attack. I guess that’s what all that drinking will do for you. He was barely fifty.”

“I don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but I say good riddance. The man was a bastard through and through.”

Jade nodded. “That he was. Now let’s change the subject.”

“Do you want to take a walk?”

“Aren’t you exhausted from your day?”

“Yeah. But I’m wound up. Besides, I need to walk this food off before I go to bed.”

She smiled. “A walk sounds great. Are we going to the corner store?”

“No. Let’s go in the other direction. The river is really pretty at night.”

“And safe?”

Sawyer shook his head. “Jade?”

She patted his chest. “I forgot I’ll be with Hercules. No one would dare mess with us.”

“Damn right.”

The road in front of the apartments crossed over the Clark Fork. The bridge was a metal-framed structure with a protected walkway on both sides. They took their time walking the half-mile to the bridge. It was a clear night, which made it cold, and Jade tucked her arm through Sawyer’s, then put her hand in her pocket.

“Man it’s cold.”

“Do you want to go back?”

“No. It feels good.” She looked at the stars. “Such a clear night.”

“It’s beautiful all right.”

They continued to the bridge, then took the walkway to the middle of the river. They stopped and looked at the rushing water reflected in the moonlight.

Jade laughed. “Seth can have his stupid trip to Vegas. There can’t be anything there prettier than this.”

“Yeah. And it doesn’t cost any money to look at it.”

“Have you ever been to Vegas?”

“Almost. I was invited to an amateur boxing tournament a few years ago.”

“You didn’t go?”

“No. It was too far away. It’s hard enough being this far away from the ranch.”

“I thought you like being away.”

“No. I’m just here because I have to be.”

She turned to face him. “And here I thought you were the wayward son.”

“Nope. My heart lies at the Three Oaks.”

“I thought you weren’t that fond of ranching.”

---