Page 76 of Bad Cowboy, Tennessee

Would Montana ever feel the same again?

Everything I’d ever loved was back there. My horses, my land. The dramatic mountains. The way it looked from my living room windows at sunset, right as people were about to start showing up to my house, or the way it looked from the infinity pool at sunrise, when the party was still raging on.

Montana had my mansion, my cars, my memories, but none of them seemed to matter right now.

When I’d left, all I’d wanted was to go back.

Why did it feel so hollow right now?

Dominic discussed a few other things with me, talking finance, updating me on my mom’s issues, and talking about yet another agribusiness venture my brother and sister were getting involved with. Everything seemed to be carrying on as usual back home without me.

Like I was a ghost.

Maybe as if my family felt like I’d never been there at all.

“I’ll let you know how the DUI shakes out,” Dom said. “Ah… how’s Lily?”

“She’s fine. I still hate that she had to deal with any part of this, but… she’s fine.”

That was a layer of guilt I still hadn’t been able to peel away from my heart.

Talking to Dom about Lily would probably always be painful, because Brody had shown all of us his true colors.

On that day.

That day I will never fucking talk about, for the rest of my life.

But at least I knew the worst of it was over, now.

Max appeared in my peripheral vision, coming into the kitchen and starting to make yet another abominable sort of protein drink.

“And how areyoudoing, D?” Dom asked me.

“I’ve got to go,” I told him.

“Damn. Thought you’d scream with joy when I told you the news.”

“It’s very good news.”

“Is everything okay with you?”

“Don’t worry about me.”

Dominic sighed. “Fine. But you owe me a longer call later. Talk to you soon.”

We hung up and I slipped my phone away, the news swirling around in my mind.

I watched in silence as Max blended up another drink, this one vaguely brown instead of green.

“Isn’t one protein shake enough for one day?” I asked him. “Swallow my cum if you need more protein that badly.”

“This one’s not protein, it’s electrolytes, antioxidants, and adaptogens.”

I groaned. “Whatever the fuckadaptogensare, I promise you’ll get some if you suck me dry?—”

“What was that about on the phone?” he interjected, turning toward me and holding his bottle up to take a sip.

The grey light from the kitchen window came in along the side of his face. I was surprised to see a slight bit of genuine concern in his eyes.

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