Page 17 of Legacy of Lies
Sara crossed her arms. “What if he brought a lot of the problems down on his own shoulders?”
Damn Izzy’s accepting attitude. “What? Just by being ... the way he is? Could be. But really, we don’t know the whole story about everything that happened and why she left.”
Just like the people in town didn’t know all of Sara’s story, yet judged her. Suddenly, the drink soured against the shame coating her tongue. She had judged him without trial. Hypocritical much?
She swallowed. “Right about now, I’m mostly worried about Zach.” Weak recovery.
“Maybe there will be a chance to meet again and help his son out?”
“Hopefully not until next spring. I can’t take another parent-teacher conference like that one.”
Izzy paused, then her blue eyes shone. “Hey, remember when we were in high school and we went to the rodeo finals to watch him? Man, I’d love for a cowboy like that to rope me any day. He could keep me tied up for more than the mandatory five seconds!”
Sara snorted, the drink burning her nostrils.
The effervescent sound of Izzy’s laugh drew even more male attention. Cowboy hats rotated in her direction.
Of course the men would want to look at Izzy. Not Izzy’s fault, either.
“Five seconds. That’s hilarious.” Sara laughed.
She whispered, “Wonder if all that pounding in the saddle messes up, you know, a guy’s other parts?”
Sara nearly spit out her drink and had to cough to clear her throat. “You’re impossible.”
“And that’s why you love me!” They leaned their heads together until Izzy’s face relaxed. “Did Garrison mention how his brother was doing?”
“Kerr?”
Izzy’s cheeks turned pink. Ten dollars said the blush had nothing to do with the alcohol. “You know, after the military and injury and all, how he’s getting along.”
“If I didn’t know better—”
“You don’t know better. Just curious to see if he’s doing okay after he got hurt, that’s all.” She took another swig. The laughter in her voice flattened into something like resignation. “Never mind.”
“Izzy—”
Pressing her perfect, pink lips together, she gripped the neck of the bottle, her knuckles turning white. Izzy stared at the brown glass. “Man, I don’t want to go back home tonight.”
“So move out. You can stay with me or get a rental in town.”
She blew out a deep breath. “Can’t right now. They’re all guilt-tripping me. Mom, my brothers. They say I can’t leave now; Mom needs me there. What with the drilling—”
“What drilling?”
“Part of that stupid plan I mentioned. Idiot brothers. Got a wild hair that there’s riches in them thar hills.”
“Just like that?”
“I don’t know, exactly, but Hank’s got them all fixated on finding something. Invested all their savings to put in some equipment near the foot of the mountains.”
“Why?”
“Why do men do anything? Probably because it’s there and they’ve dreamed up a plan. God only knows.” She waved her hand. “Enough about my stupid family. Back to rodeo boy.”
“Izzy, he’s a parent of one of my students. I was having a professional conference with him.”
“Throw me a bone here. Make something up. I need to live vicariously.”
