They discussed upcoming cattle sales, the start of haying, Carter’s impending art show, the hunting season, military life and horses. Kade was surprised to see two hours had passed.
Cam wandered into the back room to watch the pool games.
“How’s it goin’ with Eliza?”
Kade smiled at Colby. “She’s something else.”
“How’s it goin’ with Skylar?”
“Shitty.”
“That don’t sound too good.” Cord set his forearms on the table. “You wanna tell us what’s up?”
“Look, no offense, guys, but I doubt either of you had to go through any of the junk Sky and I are dealin’ with right now.”
“What kinda junk do you mean?” Colby asked. “Dealin’ with havin’ a baby type stuff?”
“No, figurin’ out relationship stuff.”
“Why the hell would you say we don’t know nothin’ about that?”
Kade scowled at Cord. “Didn’t you tell us that everything between you and AJ is perfect?”
“I meant now. It sure wasn’t always that way, especially not on my end.”
“Get out. AJ’s so sweet sugar wouldn’t melt in her mouth.”
Cord snorted. “That tongue of her can be laced with arsenic, and she ain’t afraid to put me in my place. You weren’t around, but I about did the dumbest thing ever and let AJ get away from me.”
Colby nodded. “Channing disappeared for damn near three months after I got busted up in Cheyenne. I didn’t know if I’d ever see her again or if she’d even want a crippled-up former rodeo star.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. I don’t know why you think we had it easy. Hell, none of us, includin’ Carter had a smooth go of it with our wives. Fact is, I’d say most men are dumbasses when it comes to this sort of relationship junk.”
“That’s encouragin’. Maybe I do need another beer,” Kade muttered.
So, armed with a liquid courage, Kade gave his cousins a run-down on everything that’d happened—from dating Skylar the previous summer, to the recent confrontation at Sky Blue.
Both men were quiet until Kade couldn’t stand it any longer. “What?”
“Let me get this straight. You’ve been crazy about Skylar for over a year, when you found out you knocked her up, you moved in with her to learn how to be a father to Eliza, the sex is off the charts good, and you’ve asked her to marry you numerous times, and you’re lookin’ out for her safety?”
“Yeah.”
“Buddy, I hate to tell you this, but there ain’t a whole lot more you can do,” Cord said.
“Geez. Thanks a fuckin’ lot for that stellar advice.”
“For once I agree with Cord,” Colby added. “It seems you ain’t the one with the problem. Skylar is. And if she can’t see what’s right in front of her face, K, then maybe you oughta give her some distance so she gets a different perspective.”
Kade blinked. “What do you mean? Walk away? Move out?”
“Maybe.”
“No way. I’d miss her and Eliza like crazy, and goddammit they both need me, even if that stubborn woman won’t admit it.”
“I wasn’t ready to admit I needed AJ until she left me,” Cord offered.
“With Channing and me, time away just reinforced the truth that we belonged together.”
“You guys ain’t kiddin’, are you?”
“How many years was AJ right in front of my damn face and I didn’t notice her? And even after I’d fallen for her I didn’t want to admit it to her or anybody else, but mostly to myself how I felt about her. We can be our own worst enemies.”
“I’ll betcha Skylar would figure it out pretty damn quick how she feels about you if you weren’t around. It don’t hafta be permanent, just for a coupla days. Besides, ain’t we startin’ hayin’ the south section tomorrow? You ain’t gonna wanna drive sixty miles at ten o’clock at night after you’ve been on a tractor for sixteen hours, just to turn around eight hours later and do it all again.”
“Colby’s right.” Cord pulled his ringing cell phone from his shirt pocket. “Hey, baby doll.” He grinned. “Really? Don’t move. Ah-ah-ah, no buts. I’m on my way.”
“What’s up?”
Cord stood and threw a twenty on the table. “Gotta go.”
“Right now?”
“When your wife calls and says the kid’s sound asleep and she’s naked in bed, sorry guys, you lose every time. See ya tomorrow and good luck, K.”
“Thanks.”