Page 22 of Brett and Rowdy
Rowdy just chuckled. “Lord, those girls aren’t very delicate, are they?”
“Look, you’re the one who, I mean…”
Rowdy leaned in, bringing them damn near nose to nose. “Let me be clear with you, Brett. I never cheated, not once. I’ve never cheated on a single person I’ve ever been with, and that’s the truth. And I’ll take that straight to the good Lord himself. I’m not a cheater. And at any rate, the entirety of the time that you and I were in high school together—had you said yes, I’ll come with you. I’d have brought you with me.”
“Then why? Why did you sleep with her? You had to know that I’d find out.”
Rowdy nodded, his expression shuttered and a little sad. “I did, and you make your decisions and you stand by them. I can’ttell you that I think it was a mistake. I also can’t tell you that I regret it for a second. It got me Madison.”
“Do you regret me?” He had to ask.
“No. I regret we couldn’t work it out. I mean, we were kids, and would it have worked? I don’t know. But I tell you what. I sure did enjoy being with you. You’re the best thing that happened to me in this town. Don’t get me wrong—my girl is my miracle, my cowgirl. But when I think back to this town. You’re the one who I see in it.”
“Jesus, Rowdy, did you just say that to me? Seriously?”
Rowdy tilted his head, one way, then another. “Um, was there someone else here to say it to?”
“Have you always been this aggravating?” he asked. “I mean, honestly. Do you do this on purpose?”
Rowdy just sort of blinked at him, toward him, whatever. “Well, it’s possible. I’m not sure what it is exactly I’m doing, but it is totally possible if I am doing it, that it is on purpose, yes.”
“You’re a fucker.”
“I’m not going to argue with you there. What’s your point?”
“What’s my point? I think I’m just…” Well, fuck him. Now he seemed like a dick. “I think I’m just stating the obvious.”
“Oh, well that’s perfectly fair.”
“Seriously? None of this had been fair.” Rowdy was supposed to be miserable, dammit. “You walked out on me.”
“No.” Rowdy did that head tilt thing again like he was crazy. “I told you the truth. I wasn’t staying here. That’s still the truth. We had somewhere to go; I had places to be. I needed to go back. I have a ranch. I had a rodeo career. What did I have here? A piece of shit stepfather who hit me, a mom who was too fucking involved in her new stepdaughters to give a shit about that. And what? I mean, seriously.”
“I was here!”
Rowdy dipped his chin. “All right, you’re here. You’ve got, what, two acres, two and a half?”
It was really more like two and a quarter, but he wasn’t going to admit that.
“Seriously. You’ve got land. Your grandfather had already passed away. Your mom was here. Where is she now? Still living with you?”
He was starting to seriously deflate. “No. She’s staying up near my sister toward Asheville.”
“Well, you know. The people in this town?” Now Rowdy’s lips were tight, the words bit out. “Super kind to outsiders. I would say even honest and uh… not morally bankrupt or anything.”
“That’s not fair. People here were just like people anywhere. Are you trying to tell me that everybody in New Mexico is like a fucking dream?” He wasn’t going to let Rowdy be a dick.
“Nope. For the most part, we’re really poor. There’s lots of crime. We’re not real concerned about what our neighbors are doing because we’re too busy worrying about what our family, who are fucked up, is doing. But the fact is, New Mexico is where I’m from. Now you’re telling me, that you are from here and this is super important to you, and you needed it. Well, dammit. Why is it any different for me? Why is what you need more important than what I need? You didn’t suck it up and say okay, I’ll come with you. I didn’t suck it up and say okay, I’ll stay. So we’re both to blame, or we’re both… whatever. It’s been twenty freaking years man, who the fuck cares? I like you. Always did. Do I think you’re a little bit of an idiot for staying? No, not really. This is your home. But trust me, I’m not an idiot either, and I am where my home is. I don’t know why you’re so mad at me. I have good memories about you. I’m sorry that you can’t say the same about me.”
He was gaping like a damn fish. He knew Rowdy was telling the truth, but did he have to be so cold-blooded about it? “You have a daughter, man. I’m supposed to just ignore that?”
“No. I mean, I assume that would be a dumb move on your part. Although honestly, from what I understand, it’s not like you and Ashley became friends. It’s not like you hung out with my daughter.”
“No, I did not hang out with your daughter. I met her once or twice fishing with Dan, but she was little.” He remembered blonde curls and blue eyes and a loud, happy laugh.
She wasn’t squeamish about the bait or the fish either.
The memories were old as shit, if he was honest.
