it over.
“I can’t...” The last bit was an indecipherable mumble.
“You can’t what? Dammit, talk man.”
“I can’t read so good.”
“So?” Was it just the day for family drama? “I sucked at history. That’s not a big deal.”
“Yeah, okay. Thanks.” Dirk turned to leave. It was the echo of hopeless resignation on his cousin’s face that led Lars to reach out and stop him.
“Hold on. Rewind here. Just how bad is your reading?”
Dirk tried to shake Lars’s hand off. “Forget I mentioned it. It’s no big deal.”
It was obviously a huge deal and Lars felt like an ass. “If it bothers you, it’s a big deal.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
The very fact that he had said something meant that Lars shouldn’t have blown him off. “It’s definitely a problem, but not one that can’t be overcome.”
“Oh, yeah? I had teachers shoving shit in my face for twelve years and I just don’t get it. Sometimes the words get all tangled.”
“That sucks. But something can be done about it. You’re obviously not stupid. How do you do your job with Liam? Don’t you have to keep supply lists and inventories and stuff?”
“Yeah. I can count.” Lars figured Dirk was entitled to that bit of sarcasm. He shrugged. “I memorize the list and recognize the words from going over them with Liam and Tansy.”
“Do they know?”
“No one knows.” He looked at the ground and then looked up at Lars. The pain in his eyes reminded Lars of a wounded animal. “Look at me. I’m huge. People already think I’m dumb as an ox. What woman wants a dumb man?”
Lars threw a thought out. “Is that why you change jobs and move locations?”
“Pretty much.” Another shrug. “You keep moving and it doesn’t catch up with you. But if you stay in one place too long with the same people, sooner or later someone’s bound to figure it out.”
Lars floundered, totally out of his realm. Jesus, Dirk’s mom had been an English teacher. “Okay, look, we’ll figure this out. I don’t know jack about this, but I know someone who would. Let’s talk to Merrilee.”
“She’s nice. She helped me write the note to Natalie after the reception.”
“Look, Dirk, I can guarantee she can help. How about we go together to see her. Or would you rather talk to her alone?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Dirk’s shrug said otherwise. “You’ve probably got stuff to do.”
Lars said, “Look, my day’s wide open. Let’s give my mom time to get on that plane and then we’ll sit down with Merrilee and put together a plan of attack.”
“Okay.” Some of the tension eased from Dirk’s face. “But we’ll definitely wait until Aunt Jane rolls on out. Your mom is tough.”
“Tell me about it. We can hang out here, until the plane lifts off, and then we’ll track Merrilee down.” Lars figured it had taken a lot of courage for Dirk to bring up the subject to him in the first place—he didn’t want his cousin to back out before they did something about it.
“Sounds good to me. Thanks for taking the time to help me out. You know, I already feel better.”
“No problem. That’s what family is for, right? You’re going to be fine.”
He and Dirk hung out talking about football and dissecting the last Super Bowl and how it could’ve been different. More than a couple of townies stopped by to chat and tell Lars what a great guy Liam was and how awesome Tansy was and what an outstanding couple they were. It made him proud. Liam was a good man and Lars was damn happy his brother had found a good woman to share his life with. Oddly enough, Liam’s marriage gig was beginning to make some kind of sense to him.
Eventually, the little bush plane rose into the sky.
“The coast is clear,” Dirk said.
“Let’s go find Merrilee.”
“We could just do it Monday or wait until we get back from the camp.”
“Well, that’d work, except you’re not coming back to Good Riddance. Nice try, though, D.” Lars stood and held out his hand to pull Dirk to his feet. “Now, get off your ass and let’s go get this thing done.”
Dirk lumbered to his feet and they headed toward the airstrip office.
And speaking of good women...sooner or later he’d get back to Delphi.
13
DIRK SERIOUSLY THOUGHT about bolting. But he and Lars had grown up together and Lars would just drag him back and make him finish this thing. Dirk should’ve kept his mouth shut, except he’d been in a