Page 104 of Cowboy's Last Stand
On Thursday, Jason reached his breaking point.She hadn’t come to him to talk or for anything else.He hadn’t forced the issue, but he’d made himself available.He’d bought some new clothes to impress her and a six-pack of beer to mellow them both out.The previous evening, he’d folded a load of his laundry and left it behind on purpose in hopes that she’d bring it to him.This morning, he’d found the clothes on the glider.The once-neat stack was knocked sideways as if she’d tossed it out angrily.
He didn’t know how to make things right between them after so many wrong moves.She’d accused him of running away from his problems.He felt like a hamster in a wheel, moving forward but not getting anywhere.
Jason took his laundry upstairs himself.Instead of starting a new project, he dug a pen and notebook out of his backpack.He liked to jot down thoughts on paper, to sketch things he’d seen or imagined.Before he’d arrived in Last Chance, he’d brainstormed ideas for how to approach Natalie about Mike.He tore out those pages and tossed them on the embers in the fireplace.Bleakness settled over him as he watched his good intentions go up in smoke.
The back cover of the notebook had a few phone numbers scrawled on it.He stared at the short list of contacts.His dad, his therapist, his CO, and an old friend.
Jason ruled out calling his dad; he wasn’t in the mood to be criticized.His therapist would get back to him if he left a message, but he didn’t dial her number.He wasn’t ready to talk to his CO about the job offer, either.The only person left was Tyler Zeferino, his surfer buddy from San Diego.
Jason hadn’t spoken to Tyler since he’d reached the midway point of the Continental Divide Trail.Tyler had been supportive of his journey.A former combat veteran who’d turned to military consulting, Tyler had a generous spirit and a laidback attitude.Jason flipped open his phone and scrolled through his recent contacts.He used his phone so infrequently Tyler was near the top.Jason considered his friend’s schedule, which revolved around surfing.Right now, Tyler would be finished with his morning session.Before he could rethink the impulse, Jason called him.
Tyler answered on the second ring.“What’s up.”
“It’s Jason.”
“I know,” Tyler said.“That’s why I answered.”
“What are you doing?”
“Coming in from a sesh.”
“How was it?”
“Perfect.I got barreled in the last set.”
Jason leaned back against the couch, picturing the blue-green waves rolling into San Diego’s Sunset Cliffs.He listened to Tyler wax poetic about the weather and conditions.Surfing had similar qualities to tai chi, as a meditative sport.Jason shared some stories from the trail that only a fellow nature lover would appreciate.
“Are you still hiking?”Tyler asked.
“No.I’m done.”
“So what’s next?”
Jason sighed heavily.He didn’t know where to start.“I got a job offer from Bradley.Training EOD techs.”
“At Camp P?”
“Yeah.”
“Sweet.”
“I haven’t decided to take it.”
“Why not?”
“I might stay here.”
Tyler let out a low whistle.“You might choose Texas over San Diego?I think your brain’s still scrambled.”
“I need your advice.”
“Shoot.”
“You know why I came here.”
“I know why youclaimedyou were going there.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
