Page 18 of The Hardest Part

“But that’s what I wanna do,” he insisted, dark eyes locking with cornflower blue. “Told you, Mama, I’m gonna train horses with Tanner.”

He had a way with them. Even Tanner said so. They had big plans to expand the equine side of things at the ranch, breeding the finest Friesians, Shires, and American Quarters in all of Wyoming.

Scratch that. In the entire U. S. of A!

“Youare the son of a physician.” His mother reminded him, tapping her pointer finger on the new Restoration Hardware dining table as if he’d somehow forgotten.

“And a painter.” Justin pursed his lips with another shimmy of his head. “More polenta, dear?”

But Carrie ignored his offer. “Your brother threw away med school for…”

Maybe Jake didn’t want to be a doctor, Mother. Ever think of that?

His brother did well serving Brookside. He had a seat on the town council, took on the historical preservation project, and often presented lectures at the school. Jake had a 4.0 GPA in college, for chrissakes. Graduatedsumma cum laudethis pastMay with a major in history and a minor in political science from the University of Wyoming in Laramie. Of course, he helped at the ranch some, too—especially during calving season in spring and with the cattle roundups in fall, same as most every man in Brookside did.

“And you…” Carrie turned her attention back to him. “…you want to waste your talent mucking stalls?”

Justin’s steel-blue eyes narrowed. Pressing his lips into a thin, tight line, he shot his husband a look.

“Carrie.” Drawing his wife closer to his side, Victor kissed her brow. “All we’ve ever wanted is for our boys to be happy. Just look at them, honey, they are.”

“I know, but…” She pawed at his chest, all but melting into him.

“No buts, sweetheart.” He traced her lips with his finger to quiet her. “Billy and Jake are fine, exemplary young men. We’ve raised them well. Now, let them be.”

Then, holding her face in his hands, Victor kissed his wife. When he released her, Carrie nodded. Blush staining her cheeks, she bit into her lip.

“I’m sorry, boys. I don’t want you to think for even one minute that I’m not proud of you both, because I very much am.” Then she gazed at her husband. “It’s just that I always hoped at least one of them would follow in your footsteps, Vic.”

“Medicine is a calling, Carrie, honey.” His fingers swept through her long, blonde hair. “And not everyone is called to it.”

“Well, I hope someone gets the calling soon, so you can retire, old man.”

“I’m not old yet, woman.” Sitting back in his chair with a chuckle, he winked. “Give it another twenty years.”

Victor Gantry was forty-seven. Billy wouldn’t call that ‘old’ exactly, but he understood what his mom was after. More time with him. She waited for his dad to finish with undergrad, andfor Justin to come of age before they got married. Then there was med school. After that, his internship and residency kept him away. And all the while, she was at home with her brother and a baby. It’s no wonder Billy didn’t come along until six years later.

A doctor’s life is not his own.

Patients come first.

Victor missed out on a lot.

Billy could count on one hand the number of times his dad made it through Christmas dinner or a birthday party without the phone ringing or someone knocking at the door.

“You’ll always be young to me, my love.” Justin blew Victor a kiss, then, looking back at Billy and Jake, he returned to the matter at hand. “Anywho, this house is going to be just marvelous.”

Swallowing his chicken, Billy smiled so big his cheeks hurt. “I wish it was spring already. Can’t wait to get started, ya know?”

“It’ll come,” Justin said with a gentle squeeze to his shoulder. “So don’t go wishing your life away, son, because trust me, time moves quickly enough.”

Not to him. Wishing and waiting was all Billy ever did. For graduation, the wedding, and everything that would come after. He was more than ready to leave his youth behind, and for his future to begin.

“You boys taking Emily to the bonfire tonight?” Carrie asked, spooning some polenta onto her plate.

I guess she wanted more, after all.

“We are.” With a single nod, Jake poured some wine into a glass.

---