Page 34 of Whirlwind

“She must have flipped out seeing you out of the blue.”

“She said, she wants to kick Mae’s tiny ass.”

“That’s our girl.”

“Lemme talk to him,” came a deep voice in the background. Finger’s scarred face filled my screen. “Beck, who busted your face?” His voice sounded more rough and ragged than usual. “Do I need to make some calls?”

I laughed. “Hey, Finger. No, you don’t need to make any calls.”

“You sure?”

“I’m positive. It was friendly fire, but don’t tell anyone. It’s doing good things for my reputation.”

“Fuck what the idiots out there think. You doing okay, man?”

“I am.”

“Beck—” Mom pressed against Finger. “We’re leaving Costa Rica in three days. I’ll call you when we get home.”

“Is it totally amazing down there?”

“So totally amazing.” The satisfaction in her voice, the huge grin on her face, warmed my chest.

Finger slid an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “It’s beautiful here. So worth the trip.”

“I’m going to Nashville in a couple of weeks to work on a soundtrack.”

“Take a vacation! Go disappear.” Mom blew out a huff of air.

“I will. I promise.” A text came. My car was here. “Got to go, you guys. My car’s here for the airport.”

“Ok. Love you, honey.”

“Love you too.”

“Take care, Beck.”

“Bye, Finger.”

I clicked off and tucked my phone in my pocket and grabbed my suitcase in the entryway. My gaze went to the wood bench, and my tongue swiped my lips. “Snap out of it.”

But I didn’t want to. I really didn’t.

15

Violet

“Hey, Grandpa.”

“Hey yourself, baby girl. Good to see you.”

I got down off my horse at the pen, secured the reins, and gave Gramps a big hug. “How’s it going?” We both leaned against the fence as the calves were separated from their mammas to get sprayed for pests.

“It’d go a sight better if you were helping out here today. But you’re a city girl now, huh? You like sitting behind a desk, like your Daddy in your nice clothes, instead of out here in the sun and the mud.”

I frowned at him. “I may not come out here as much as I used to, but you know that’s not true.”

“I’m just teasing you. Only a few years ago, you were just a little thing, and I couldn’t pull you down off that saddle. Your brother and sister, not so much.”

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