Page 73 of A Lot Like Forever
“You going to have the service at home?” Sam asked, passing Nate his coffee that had been resting beside the chair he’d risen from.
Nate smiled his thanks and took the paper cup. Sam had obviously only just made it, it was full to the top, and they both drank it the same. Strong and sweet. “We’re going to bring him home as soon as we can, get him back to the ranch where he belongs, and we’ll have the service within a few days.”
Sam’s expression was sad, his eyes damp like he was ready to shed his tears for the man who’d always welcomed him onto the ranch when he and Nate were kids.
“Clay was a goddamn legend, Nate,” Sam finally said, folding his arms across his chest and shaking his head. “He made me feel like one of you boys when I was staying over, gave me my first paying job.” Sam rubbed his knuckles into his eyes before continuing. “I came to see him a few days ago, just to see how he was. I used to call most weeks. And you know what hit me?”
Nate raised an eyebrow, draining the coffee as he watched Sam. He hadn’t even known how often his friend had been to visit.
“How damn similar the two of you are. Were.” He laughed. “You’re a chip off the old block, Nate. He was so proud of you, and it’s because you’re the spitting image of him.”
Sam’s words hit Nate hard, made the bite of emotion snap at his throat again, almost took control of him, but he squared his shoulders and forced it back down.
“Thanks, Sam, it means a lot. He was always telling everyone that he knew the finest horseman in Texas, so don’t forget how much he thought of you, too.”
They both stood a bit longer, Nate feeling so tired his eyeballs seemed to be aching.
“Hey, you ready to go?”
Ryder’s hand on his shoulder jolted him back to the present, his voice deeper than usual, more raspy.
“Yeah, I’m ready.”
Sam took the cup from him and threw it in the trash. “I’ll see you at the service.”
Chloe pushed between Nate and Ryder, looping a hand through his arm and then her husband’s, keeping them both close.
“You guys remember how impressed he was with me that I could beat the pants off all of you at poker?”
That made Nate laugh. “Yeah. I don’t know if he was disgusted by us, in complete awe of you, or both.”
“Definitely in awe of me,” she said with a giggle before resting her head against Nate for a moment as they walked. “You want to come stay with us? I hate the idea of you being alone in the big house.”
He chuckled, glancing down at her. As far as sisters-in-law went, he’d hit the jackpot with his two. “We need to stop calling it the big house. It’s not like you two have small digs.”
“What’s so funny?”
Nate smiled at Chase as he joined them with Hope, one arm wrapped tight around her man.
“Nothing. Come on; let’s get out of here.”
Nate walked with them out into the lot, the outside temperature cooler than it had been when they’d arrived. It was cold now, the sky almost black.
“I’m gonna miss him,” Nate said, to himself but to his brothers, too. “There’s not a day that’ll go by that I won’t miss him.”
Ryder and Chase both nodded, standing nearby.
“Now let’s head home and crack a bottle of his favorite whiskey,” Nate announced. “Gone but not forgotten, right?”
“Yep, here’s to Wild Turkey, straight up over ice,” Ryder agreed.
Chase smiled. “Hey, we might not have Granddad, but we have you, Nate. One look into your eyes, or the way you hold yourself when you’re doing business, and it’s like he’s with us anyway.”
Nate cleared his throat, wishing to hell everyone wasn’t suddenly telling him how like his grandfather he was. Maybe he was; maybe he wasn’t--either way, he just wanted to get home and drink enough to dull the pain a little. If that was even possible.
