Page 19 of An Uphill Battle

Twenty minutes later, I’m out the door and on my way down to the barn, where Dad is waiting. Seeing me approach, he taps his wrist, where a watch would go if he wore one. “Sorry, Dad.Azalea—”

“Say no more, son. I got it. Now, let’s get to work so you can get back to yourlady.”

“She’s not my lady,Dad.”

“Not yet, Drake. Not yet, but y’all are soulmates.” I shoot him a dubious look, but the old man just chuckles. “I’m sure of it,son.”

“How sure?” I ask, cringing at the uncertain, hopeful tone of myvoice.

“Just as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, that girl is meant for you.” As pansy as it sounds, his words make hope spark in my heart like flint tokindling.

“You really think so?” I feel like a kid, asking this shit,but...

“Yeah, son, Ido.”

“We got time for me to ask you a question ortwo?”

Dad rubs his palms together. “Ooh, girltalk!”

“Never mind, ya oldass—”

“I’ll be serious. What’s up,Drake?”

“After you and Mom split, were you scared to take a chance onDidi?”

Dad gives my words consideration before replying. “Sure, son. I was scared, but not for the reasons you think. Things with your mom... they were complicated. We never loved one another, not in the way a man and wife should. We were friends who ended up with a baby. Lord knows, we tried to make it work for you, son, but we just weren’t meant tobe.”

“I already know this story, Dad,” I tell him, nudging his shoulder withmine.

Nudging me back, he tells me, “Shut your trap and let me finish. As you know, I met Didi shortly after you and your mom left for Arkansas. I was instantly taken with her, son, but was scared she wouldn’t be interested in a single dad. But I was more scared not totry.”

Dad’s eyes get all misty, and maybe mine do too. “I remember it like it just happened. She was standing in line in front of me at the sub shop in town, and I remember thinking she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, like an angel, and I just looked at her and thought,I’ve got to know her, so I worked up the nerve and introducedmyself.

“The line was long, and we got to talkin’, and before I knew it, we were seated together, eating our subs and talking about everything, and when I mentioned you, her eyes lit up. After y’all met and got on like y’all did, the rest was history, Drake. I guess what I’m trying to say is, the thought of not taking a chance on her scared me more than taking one. Does that makesense?”

“Yeah, Dad, it does. Now let’s get to work, oldman.”

“Old man, my ass. Hop in the Gator. We got work to do, boy,” Dad shoots back, climbing behind thewheel.

With the pedal pressed damn-near to the floor, we take off from the barn, tearing across the field until we reach the section of fence we’re working on. “Damn, Dad, are you tryin’ to killus?”

“Naw, just making sure we’re both wide awake,” he tells me with a smile as he tosses me my gloves. Silently, we set to work mending the barbed wire, and before I know it, I’m wiping the sweat from my brow and admiring ourwork.

“Anything else you wanna get done today?” I ask as I store our tools in the bed of theGator.

“Plenty, son, but I’ll be working with Brent today. You head onhome.”

“You sure?” I ask, just as Brent Matheson, our extra set of hands, pulls up in his oldtruck.

“One hundred and ten percent. Take the cart. I’ll ride back down with Brent when we’re finished working. Give Azalea a hug for me,yeah?”

“Yeah, Dad, will do.” I nod a hello to Brent as I pass his truck, and then I haul ass back to my wom—I mean,Azalea.

* * *

“Little Bit, you up?”I holler as I kick my muddy boots off by thedoor.

“Mmmhmm,” I hear her call from the living room. Trudging in, I find her curled up on my couch with herKindle.

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