Shaking them out, I tugged them on and had to hold my breath to do them up. It had been at least ten years since I’d worn them. I was scrawnier at twenty-five than I was now.
I tucked in my checkered shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles. Next, I found the dress shoes I’d bought for the wedding. The ones that went with the tux I’d rented. They were shiny and new, and they hurt my feet.
Uncomfortable, I scanned my outfit with a wrinkle in my nose. This wasn’t me. I looked like one of those city folks who went to their big jobs in the skyscrapers every day.
“It’s just a few hours, then I can come home and be myself again.”
Downstairs, I found Austin in the living room with Dad. My old man was dressed in his nice clothes and waiting in his brown leather recliner. His cane leaned against the side table, always within reach these days. It stung. I hated seeing my old man held back by anything.
The lighting was dim—but it was always like that in the living room, even with all the lamps on. The old farmhouse had small windows and dark paneling for walls. The furniture was dated—stuff Mom and Dad had picked out decades ago that we’d never upgraded. There were better things to spend money on. It was cluttered, small, but homey. The only thing that was missing was Mom and the apple cinnamon scent she’d carried everywhere she went when she was alive.
She would have loved to see Elaina get married.
“This more to your likin’?” I muttered at Austin, who was flipping through an old Reader’s Digest while sitting on the brown floral couch.
His head shot up, and he grinned. “By golly gee, you almost look like a city slicker. Who knew the cowboy cleaned up so nicely?” He tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. “Except the hair. You really could use a haircut.”
I muttered to myself as I fussed with my waves again, missing my hat already.
“What was that?”
“The kid’s calling ya an asshole,” Dad said, grunting as he pulled himself to his feet. “Can’t blame him. There is no reason we should all have to get fancied up for some dinner. All this fuss is ridiculous.” Dad tugged at his collar like it was choking him. “Who’s doing the evening feeding and beddin’ down the team?” Dad leaned on his cane, directing his question at me.
“Baylor should be out there now helping Corgan. I told him to feed Lucas too. Thought we’d be late.”
Dad’s head bobbed as he shifted his gaze to Austin. “Let’s get outta here before my hip screams at me and I change my mind.”
From the hall closet, I grabbed my beat-up brown leather jacket. Once the sun went down, the night would cool right off. Austin glared at my coat, and I jammed a finger in his face. “Not a word.”
He held his hands up and laughed. “I didn’t say anything.”
Outside, I helped Dad down the rickety porch stairs and peered toward the open stable doors in the distance. Baylor, one of my newer hands, was guiding a mare inside. Once Dad was stable on his feet, he hobbled off toward Austin’s Ford Escape while I whistled, loud and sharp, grabbing Baylor’s attention. He knew we were taking off for the night, but it was polite to let him know we were leaving.
The kid, who’d just celebrated his twenty-first birthday, spun and waved. From the darker interior of the stables, my beast of a dog appeared, cocked his head to the side, then ran toward me, tongue lolling. Eight-year-old Logan, my two-hundred-and-ten pound English mastiff barreled across the mucky expanse between the house and stables, eager to say goodbye.
“If he messes up your clothes, it’s your funeral,” Austin warned as the dog got closer, intent on tackling me to the ground like he always did.
“Dammit. Whoa, boy,” I called, holding out my hands. “Settle down.” I gave him my side, and he registered the command.
Instead of jumping up, he circled me twice then plopped on his ass at my feet. His gigantic tail thumped the earth as he panted. Even sitting, his head reached my middle. I gave him a good ear scratch, relishing what I liked to believe was a smile on his face. He was my best and most loyal companion.
“Be a good boy tonight. Help Bay and Corgan out with the horses.