Wishing for a Cowboy (Wishing River #3) - Victoria James Page 0,83

yourself. I know it may not mean much now, but I’m proud of you, too. Very proud to be your dad,” he said, his voice catching at the end.

He didn’t know if he should have added that last part, if it was even relevant, but when Will broke out into a wide grin, Aiden knew it had been the right thing to do, even if it felt awkward.

“Can I ask you something personal?”

Aiden tensed. “You can ask me anything.”

“What were your parents like?”

He held his gaze and realized that Will would have many more questions like this. Aiden’s parents were Will’s grandparents, and he’d never meet them. The kid had virtually no family because his grandparents on Janie’s side were also gone.

“Sorry I didn’t bring it up sooner,” he said. “My mom died a long time ago…right after I was born. I have a picture of her, though. I can show you when we go inside. She was really sweet, I’ve been told. And my dad… It was his side of the family that opened River’s Saloon, generations ago. He was… He really struggled after she died. I don’t think he ever got over it. I always thought that whatever joy he had was buried along with my mom. He tried his best, though. I had what I needed. I helped him at the bar, you know, that kind of thing. He had some health trouble, so I took over running the place.”

Will kicked his foot in a pile of snow. “Sorry. So…were you guys, like, close?”

Aiden blew out a gust of frosty air. It felt weird to be talking about this. He and his dad had never had a conversation this intimate. But he wanted Will to know what it was like to have a parent who he could go to for anything. “We weren’t close, no. He wasn’t one for change or for talking about goals or…anything really personal. When I was a kid, Logan and I wanted to become vets, and I remember telling my dad that, and he kind of just blew it off. Told me I wasn’t smart enough and that I should just be grateful to inherit River’s one day.”

Will’s mouth dropped open. “What did you do?”

“I believed him. But I also set out to prove him wrong. I wanted the best grades in the class and in the school.”

“Did you get them?”

“Yeah.”

“Then what did he say?”

Aiden paused for a moment. He didn’t need to tell Will all the details. He would someday. Not today. “He said that grades meant nothing and I’d probably cheated off Logan.”

“Wow. That sucks.”

Aiden let out a short laugh. “It did.”

“Weren’t you mad? Your best friend got to be a vet and you didn’t?”

“Yeah. I was pissed off for a long time, and I let that anger justify doing a lot of stupid things when I was in my late teens and early twenties. But I’m happy now. I made that bar the most popular place in town, and I’m starting this ranch for rescued horses. Then you and Janie walked through my door and made me the happiest I have ever been in my entire life.”

Will’s face turned red. “Really?”

“Definitely. I just want you to know, too, that I think you can do anything you want. Anything you put your mind to. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you, and I’ll be there to help you. Whatever you need, I will always have your back. You can always come to me, even when you screw up, and I will always pick you up.”

Will’s chin wobbled. “We’re going back to Chicago next week, though.”

Aiden felt those words pierce his heart. He knew this was coming. He was going to somehow have to say goodbye to them both. Maybe he’d been completely delusional in thinking that maybe, maybe they would want to stay here with him and build a life like a real family. “Right. But I’m only a phone call away. Anytime. And then you can spend the summer here.”

“Okay.” Will turned to the door.

“Wait, one more thing—”

There was something in his eyes that made Aiden call out to him, realizing that this might be the last time they had a deep conversation like this. He needed him to know this before he left.

“I did get some old pictures and stuff if you want to look at them one day. And…there was a quilt my mom made for me before she died. I can’t say that I’m the