church again.
“No. He’s been clear that he doesn’t want that responsibility. Right now, he’s focusing on his children. I believe he was making custom cabinets in the wood shop on their farm. I think that’s the best thing he can do right now—just destress and heal. There were a lot of high-stress days in St. Louis.”
Reid knew exactly what he was talking about from the time his boys had spent in the NICU when they were born. He knew exactly how stressful that was. And expensive.
He looked down at his phone.
I’ve definitely heard them mentioning the shed several times. We should check it out, if not tonight, soon. Is it unlocked?
It should be. And the key is hanging behind the door in the kitchen. On that rack. It has a little tractor attached to it.
He was pretty slow at texting, because he didn’t do it much. Back when he and Emerson were dating, they emailed some, but they didn’t have phones to do it on. It was a matter of getting on the computer and checking their email.
Definitely the new technology changed the dating scene.
Not that he’d done any dating. He was still married. Didn’t want to be married to anyone else.
But he could get into this whole texting thing. He liked being connected with Emerson, even while his buddies were sitting beside him.
“So, Andrew, it’s a bet. Marry by Christmas, or you adopt a dog.” Preston’s voice made Reid look up.
“Preston, if you’re gonna do that with Andrew, you ought to do it for yourself too. Same thing for you. Marry by Christmas, or you adopt two dogs.”
“I’m a cat person myself,” Preston said with a cocky grin and a sticky roll in one hand. “Although, I would give cats up forever for sticky rolls.” He grinned again before he took a bite, taking half the sticky bun.
“Okay, so you either get a wife and sticky rolls by Christmas, or you adopt two cats.” Deacon had his chin lifted in challenge, although there was a lingering sadness in his eyes, maybe because of thinking of Pastor Wyatt who Deacon considered a good friend.
“I guess I might as well plan on adopting cats, because there aren’t any women in Cowboy Crossing.”
“Maybe you just haven’t looked around enough,” Deacon said.
Andrew licked his fingers and took a drink out of his cup. “I have to agree with Preston. It’s a small town, and we know everyone.”
“Does that mean you’re declining it? Wife by Christmas, or you adopt two dogs.”
“Whoa. I thought it was one,” Andrew said, and he didn’t even wait to swallow; apparently the idea of two dogs was a little overwhelming.
“Two dogs isn’t any different than two boys,” Reid said good-naturedly. Although he really didn’t know what he was talking about since he didn’t have two boys most of the time nor two dogs ever. But his brother Zane did, so he looked over at Zane. “Right?”
Zane grinned and lifted his shoulder. “Boys can drive tractors. Dogs can’t.”
Zane had never been a big talker, but he got a lot said in few words.
“Good point,” Reid said.
“If we were betting people, I’d be taking bets right now, but since we’re not,” Deacon’s eyes gleamed a little, like he was laughing at a personal joke, “we’ll just take down names.” He pulled out his phone and punched in a few buttons.
There were about fifteen guys in the back room, and they were almost evenly split as to whether or not Preston and Andrew would be married by Christmas.
Reid had been on the side of adopting animals, but he decided at the last minute to cast his vote for marriage for both of them. Why not be optimistic? While he was at it, he made a mental note to himself. He needed to do something, even if it was hard, to try to talk Emerson into staying.
Chapter 12
Reid shut his pickup door and watched as Houston and Dallas ran side by side to where their cousins were playing under the big maple tree in the yard. It looked like they were getting ready to start a baseball game.
His brother Clark stood in the midst of them, and his wife, Marlowe, seemed to be directing children to one side or the other.
He grinned as Houston and Dallas wrapped their arms around each other and refused to be separated.
Deacon and Zane were chatting over by the porch, and the women were probably inside, since he didn’t see any out in the yard.
No one other than