Page 35 of A Much Younger Man
“Right. It’s harder for older people to learn things, not because they can’t, but because they’re resistant to the idea that they’re ignorant.”
“Are you calling me ignorant?”
He blanched. “Of course not, I—”
“I’m kidding. Obviously there are things I don’t know.”
“Everyone wants to be an expert on the first try. That’s human nature.”
“And you absolutely can teach the oldest dog new tricks.” I championed all dogs, but seniors had a special place in my heart. “If you can’t, that says a lot more about you than the dog.”
“Exactly.”
“So. Say I’m treat-oriented. What do I get if I do this?”
His eyes widened. “The satisfaction of building a new skill?”
“Nah. There’s got to be something better. Brownies?”
He lifted a brow. “Are you supposed to eat sweets at your age?”
“You little shit.” He fell out laughing over his joke, and Callie ran over to join in the fun. Rico chattered excitedly.
“You have to practice to improve. I’ll know if you’re not doing your part. How about if you work hard, we go out for coffee and pie.”
“Friday night is my pie night.”
“You have a pie night?”
I shrugged like it was no big deal. Likedoesn’t everyone have a pie night?
“All right.” He held out his hand to shake on it. “Friday night we can do a lesson and have pie.”
I shook with him. “You’re on.”
“I expect to hear you play that song.”
“‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’? I think I can handle it.”
“I’ll write something a little more challenging and drop it off at the clinic. You have to like the music you’re learning at least a little. My dad used to give me one classical and one pop piece to learn each week.”
“This is your biological father? You said he passed away?”
“Yeah. He was my first teacher.” Beck’s gaze fell.
“He’d be so proud if he could hear you now.”
“Maybe.” Beck rubbed his hands on his jeans. “Although all things considered, I think he’d be pretty amused that I fucked up my life like this.”
“Don’t say that. You’re only getting started.”
“I think he’d laugh his ass off. I’mstubbornas fuck, just like him. My stepdad got in my face about Callie and I walked away. It’s not that I regret taking care of her, but…you’re probably right. She’s not a baby. She’s a dog, and I could have seen to it that she had a loving family to care for her.”
“I wouldn’t second guess myself now if I were you.” I’d have bet my last dollar that was the first time he’d admitted that to anyone, himself included. “You were in a really bad place at the time. Grieving doesn’t start and stop. It comes at us like big waves. You lost your dad, and then later you lost your half brother. Maybe holding on to Callie was the best way you knew to handle all that emotion.”
A single tear slipped down his cheek. “You’re sure being nice when I know you believe it was a piss-poor decision.”
“It wasn’t my decision to make. I don’t have the right to judge.”
