Page 12 of Happy Trails & Honey Pots

I recognized him before being introduced. I’d had Braxton do some background checks before arriving in Firefly. Walter Edward James, age eighty-eight. He joined the Army at age eighteen and married his high school sweetheart Clara when she graduated two years later. Clara was a nurse, and Walter worked in construction. They waited to have children until their thirties. Their firstborn was a son named Walter Jr., and four years later, a daughter, Claire. Walter Jr. was killed tragically ina car accident when he was twenty. That same year, Clara was diagnosed with cancer. She passed six months later.

Claire graduated high school and headed off to college. She came home before her freshman year was over, pregnant with Austin. From what Braxton learned and Austin’s squad had told me, she was around the first few years of Austin’s life, but then, when he was three, she moved to Florida. As far as I knew, she hadn’t been in contact with him after that.

“Walter, this is Miles Ford. Mr. Ford, this is AJ’s grandfather, Walter James.” Zoe made the introduction.

“Please, call me Miles,” I said for the second time. I had a feeling Zoe was only calling me by my surname to demonstrate that we werenotfriends, and this was not a friendly visit. It was a way to keep me at arm’s length. Either that or she didn’t hear me the first time, which I doubted. I turned my attention to Mr. James. “Mr. James, it’s so nice to meet you.”

“Oh, well, you too.” Mr. James struggled to stand, and Zoe walked to his side and assisted him. Once he was on his feet, he held out his hand. For a man who’d just had trouble standing, his handshake was firm as a rock. “Call me Walter. Mr. James was my father, and he was a mean S.O.B.”

“Yes, sir.”

“So, I hear you’re gonna be playing the role of my grandson in the picture they’re makin’.”

Beside me, I felt Zoe’s energy shift. Her entire body seized with tension.

“That’s the plan if everything works out.”

“Well, I hope you know what you're doin’. He was a special boy, and it would take someone real special to fill his shoes.”

“I don’t plan on filling his shoes. I don’t think anyone can do that. All I want to do is tell his story. And the best chance I have of doing a good job at that is learning everything I can abouthim. Which is why I’d love to hear anything you would be willing to share.”

“Well, if stories is whatcher after, you came to the right place. I got plenty of ’em. That boy was always getting into mischief. He was only two when?—”

“Why don’t we sit down to eat,” Zoe interjected.

“Well, then take a seat,” Walter motioned to a seat across from AJ.

The tiny hairs on my arms stood on end as I lowered down beside Zoe at the dinner table. My heart was racing, and beads of sweat were forming at the base of my neck. Just being near her was causing me to have a physical reaction. This woman was affecting me in ways that were not appropriate, considering the circumstances.

I tried to get myself under control as I glanced around the table. Walter and Zoe were opposite each other, and so were AJ and me.

“That was my dad’s chair.” AJ pointed out excitedly.

My eyes shot to Zoe, and I automatically started to stand, feeling like I’d done something wrong. “I’m sorry?—”

“It’s fine.” She assured me. “Sit. Eat.”

“Zoe made my favorite.” Walter held up his half-eaten piece of chicken. “Fried chicken, green beans, and her famous macaroni and cheese.”

“It’s not famous,” Zoe quickly corrected.

“Yes, it is!” AJ argued.

“It’s not,” Zoe stated firmly.

“You won awards,” AJ contended. “That makes it famous.”

“It was just the county fair,” Zoe explained with a heavy sigh.

“She won the blue ribbon four years in a row.” Walter beamed with pride.

“Well, I can’t wait to try it.” I scooped a heaping serving onto my plate, along with chicken and green beans.

Zoe stood, and I did as well, out of habit.

“I was just…” Zoe shook her head slightly. “What do you want to drink?”

“Water’s fine.”

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