Page 283 of The Texas Sterling Collection
“No, you've done everything right on the ranch, but something else is bothering you.”
Felix shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
Grover tugged the reins, and Patches stopped. “No, it’s not nothing. You and Joey became as close as any two people I’ve ever met, and suddenly, you stopped talking. Did your father’s letter bother you so much that you decided you don’t like it here?”
Felix gasped as he tugged Sparkle to a stop. Was Pa Sterling sending him home?
“Son, if you aren’t happy here, you don’t have to stay.”
Felix stammered. “Please don’t send me back to Blackfield, Pa Sterling. I am thrilled about learning to ranch, and I hope it makes my father like me a bit more. Besides, Father asked you to help me become a man. I haven’t finished yet.”
“Felix,” Grover chuckled. “I’m not asking you to leave. You're becoming an amazing rancher. I never saw a guy take to it as fast as you. But it doesn’t explain why you're not happy. Did Joey say something to upset you?”
Felix shrugged.
“Uh-huh. What did Joey say?”
Felix shrugged again.
Grover led Patches close to Sparkle and placed a hand on Felix’s shoulder. “What did Joey say to upset you?”
Felix shrugged a third time, hard to do with a firm hand on a guy’s shoulder.
“Tell me, Felix.”
“I can’t,” Felix whispered.
“Why not?”
Felix risked a glance at Grover, eyes brimming. “Because you will hate me like my father hates me.”
“What makes you think your father hates you?”
“He doesn’t treat me like you do. You treat me like I matter. He treats me like he owns me.”
Grover shook his head. One of the dangers of Felix coming to the ranch for the summer was his discovery of a real family. “Your father doesn’t hate you, Felix. His approach to family is just different.”
Felix shrugged yet again. “I guess.”
“What makes you think I would hate you?”
Tears fell from Felix’s cheeks. “Because of me, Joey changed.”
“What do you mean, Joey changed? He seemed happier up until two weeks ago when you stopped talking to each other. Aside from the depressed two young men you both became, how did Joey change?”
“He said he loved me,” Felix whispered, fearing an angry Grover.
Grover sighed. “Does all this have something to do with thelittle fillyconversation you mentioned at lunch?”
Felix cleared his throat, unsure how to say what he needed. But he wanted to be honest with Pa Sterling. “Yes. On the ride back from the Bowden’s, Joey and me talked about our friendship and how close we were. Then Joey said that a year from now, he'll go to college, and I'll work in my father’s store, and we'll both find a little filly to settle down with and have a family.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
Felix fisted the moisture from his cheeks with his free hand. He could never have a conversation like this with his father. But Pa Sterling would never do anything to hurt him. “I think it hit me wrong. I like Joey and want to stay friends with him. But he sounded like we wouldn’t stay in touch after this summer, and it made me sad and hurt.”
“There is nothing wrong with being sad, Felix, and I’m sorry if what Joey said hurt you. What else did Joey say to make you think he didn’t want to be your friend after this summer?”
Felix shrugged again. “Just the way Joey said it.”
