want you to learn both, huh?”
“Yessir. I got to learn to read and write and do my figures so I can run this ranch with you and send the girls to college.”
Trace blinked. Someone must have said that—maybe not about the girls, but about how they needed to save to send all the kids to school. “You don’t want to go to college?”
“Nope. I want to be a cowboy. School is good, but I’m a rancher.”
Okay then.
“Then we’ll have to help your Daddy Brent to make you the best cowboy ever.” God, Trace hoped that was the right thing to say.
Brent chuckled. “We’ll leave our options open, huh? Bald Harold doesn’t know everything, kiddo.”
“He knows a lot,” Jakob protested.
“Do you know what I wanted to be when I was your age?” Trace asked.
The little boy shook his head.
“I wanted to be a mermaid. More than anything.”
“Really?” Jakob stared at him. “Why?”
“Because they live underwater, and I thought they were pretty.” He hoped that wasn’t too queer for Brent, but it was the truth.
“That’s really cool. Like Ariel in The Little Mermaid.” Jakob yawned, his little jaw all but popping.
“Yep. Just so.” He’d had an amazing Ariel doll when he was a little boy that went into the bathtub with him.
“Neat. Can I go back to bed?” Jakob held up his arms, and Brent rose, lifting him.
“Be right back, huh?” Brent headed out.
Oddly enough, Trace was willing to wait. Brent made him feel like a real person. He loved on Mama Cass and Ringo with his feet, both of the big beasts snoring.
He sipped his wine, letting it relax him. He really liked it, and Brent was good company, and he didn’t think it was only adult time. He was happy here. Crazy happy.
“Hey, sorry about that.” Brent sank back down across from him, shaking his head. “He remembers so much more. It really bothers him sometimes.”
“Sure. That’s understandable, huh? Poor kid. I think he’s handling it well. He loves Hal and Curly.”
“He does. The whole cowboy thing has really given him something to focus on.” Brent shook his head gently. “I know he’ll get used to the idea of college if he wants to go. Hal has just filled his head with the responsibilities of the heir…”
“Well, he’ll figure out that there’s rodeo club, ag degrees. Sorority girls or frat boys…”
“Yeah. Hell, if he went to UT, he’d be home all the time. But that’s a ways off.” Brent shrugged. “Where did you go?”
“UT. I’m a Longhorn, all the way.” He made the Hook ’em sign and winked.
“Uh-huh. I had a feeling.” Brent sipped that wine, which was oddly sexy. “I’ve done a few online classes. At this rate, I’ll finish my degree in ten years.”
“Hey, education is always a good thing, right? Always.” He leaned forward, wanting Brent to see he was serious. “It’s like magic.”
“It is. I’m actually really liking the challenge.” Brent lit up a little, which was so neat to see.
“What are you getting your degree in?”
Brent flushed, his cheeks pinking. “Sustainable farming and animal husbandry.”
He bounced, damn near spilling his wine. “Dude, that’s too cool! Sustainable anything rocks, huh? We have a responsibility to our kids, right? Oh man. That’s great.”
“Thanks. I get a raft of shit from Hal sometimes. He thinks anything that makes work easier is good. Curly, though, when he’s as sharp as he ever was, says the old ways are best, before feedlots and growth hormones and all.”
“We have to split the difference, I think.” He leaned back, turning to face Brent. “I mean, I know I’m a— Is it greenhorn? Is that right?”
“Yeah. Curly says you catch on fast, though, so you can’t be a total newb.”
“Listen to you!” He chuckled. “I was one of those suburban kids whose mom made yogurt and had a two-acre garden, and my grandparents had a little hobby ranch.”
“Ah. Yeah. That was my cousin growing up. The kids’ momma.”
“Well, I think we have to be kind to the earth, make sure things can grow, thrive, but I don’t think we have to wear a horsehair shirt to do that.” Sometimes you had to take a shortcut.
Brent nodded, on the edge of the chair now, elbows on his knees. “See, that’s what I think too. I mean, if I really wanted to do what a lot of sustainable farming folks thought I should, I’d have to give up cattle and horses both. I work hard on my herd, and I really have the luxury because