The Construction of Cheer - Liz Isaacson Page 0,25

scooped him into his arms.

“You smell like smoke, Uncle Ward.”

“That’s because I’ve been out watching the fire all night.” He set Link back on his feet. “Can I take Benny today?”

“Bishy was gonna take him to the garage, because he’s not…something.”

“I’m not here most of the day,” Bishop said, glancing at Montana. “The guys at the garage like him, and I figured he’d be out of the way there.”

“I’ll take him,” Ward said. “I’m going to shower and sleep as much as I want.” He gave Bishop a weary smile and started for the steps. “Ace and I are okay in Ranger’s rooms until he gets back?”

“Yeah,” Bishop said. “Montana was in there last night, but—”

“I cleaned everything up,” she said quickly, rising. “You won’t even know which bed I slept in.”

Ward nodded at her and then Bishop and left the kitchen. Bishop looked at Cactus, who was just polishing off the last bit of Lincoln’s toast. He looked like he wanted to talk to Bishop, but thankfully, he needed to get Lincoln to school.

“Come on, bud,” he said. “Get your backpack and let’s go. I refuse to let you be late on my watch.”

“Career Day is tomorrow, Uncle Bishop. You can still come, right?”

Bishop put his arm around the boy and looked at Montana, who was scurrying to his side and away from Cactus. “Yes,” he said, though he had no idea what tomorrow would bring. “I can still come. What time?”

“It’s after lunch,” Lincoln said as he stooped to get his backpack from just outside the kitchen. “I got you that paper.”

“Right, the paper,” Bishop said, but he couldn’t recall where he’d put it at the moment. All he could focus on was the blonde at his side. He’d asked her to dinner, but she still hadn’t said yes. Not that she’d had the opportunity to do so.

Don’t ask again, he told himself. She already knows you’re interested. It’s fine.

He went outside with the two of them, Lincoln skipping ahead to go down the steps. “You really could come out this afternoon,” he said. “In fact, it might be good for you to be there when I meet with the exterminator. Then you’ll know what we’re dealing with at the Ranch House too.”

“Four o’clock?”

“I should be back here about two,” he said, pausing at the bottom of the steps. “Get in a couple of good hours of demo.”

“Nothing better than demo,” Montana said, her smile lighting his pulse on fire. “Thanks for letting me stay up here, Bishop.”

“Of course.”

She ducked her head and started toward her truck. Bishop wanted to say something witty and fun, but he held back. He didn’t need to make a fool of himself by asking again.

She’d been flirting with him right in front of Zona, as his sister had so not-casually pointed out while Montana had been on the phone. Bishop had told her if she really cared about him, she’d take Link upstairs for five minutes so Bishop could ask Montana to dinner.

Turned out, Zona did care about him, and she’d done as he’d asked. If only Bishop had known he needed to text the whole blasted family that he needed two minutes alone with a woman.

He wrenched his eyes away from Montana and got in his own truck, settling and buckling his seatbelt. “Ready, bud?”

“Yep,” Lincoln said. “Bishy, could you bring your big hammer tomorrow?”

“Only if you stop calling me Bishy,” he said, cutting the nine-year-old a look out of the corner of his eye.

Bishop had barely pulled up to the assisted living facility where his aunt lived when his mother came out the front door. He grinned, laughed, and swung out of the truck to go hug her.

“Momma,” he said, the only son to call her that. He picked her right up off her feet as she laughed.

“Bense,” she said, reverting to his real childhood nickname. “Put me down, child. I’m far too old for such things.”

He did as she said, grinning at her. “Sorry, Mother.”

She swatted at his bicep, still smiling. “You’re taking me to that place with the good salads, right?”

“Yes, Mother,” he said. “Same as always.” He didn’t particularly enjoy Bella Vita, but his mother loved the garden crunch salad, and he’d do anything to make his mother happy. Anything.

“Maybe they’ll have that brisket again. You liked that.”

“I did like that.” He opened her door and helped her get up. She wasn’t as old at Aunt Dawna, and she had quite a bit of her normal mobility.