The Cowboy's Family Christmas. Carolyne Aarsen

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СКАЧАТЬ rolled his coffee cup back and forth between his hands, looking everywhere but at his cousin Cord and his Uncle Boyce sitting across from him at the Brand and Grill. “I can’t do this job.”

      The muted hum of conversation and the occasional order called out by Adana, one of the waitresses, filled the silence that followed his pronouncement.

      Cord Walsh lifted one hand, his green-grey eyes narrowed. “You said you were willing,” he said. “We could have gotten someone else, but you said you could do this. We don’t have much time to get this done.”

      “I know that, but I also know what I can and can’t do.”

      “Did your other job get moved up?” Boyce asked, swiping his plate with the last bite of toast. “That why you changed your mind?”

      “No. It still doesn’t start for a couple of weeks but...” He hesitated, wondering what to say without sounding like some heartsick loser. “I don’t think coming back was a good idea.” He pushed his coffee cup away from him and sat back, as well. He didn’t want to say any more than that in front of his uncle, George’s brother.

      Boyce was busy taking one last swig of his coffee. But Cord held his gaze for an extra beat as if delving into Reuben’s thoughts.

      If anyone knew Reuben’s history, it was his cousin. Cord knew most of Reuben’s secrets. Most, not all. The only other cousin who understood where Reuben was coming from was Noah. He also had to deal with a father who was never satisfied.

      “Okay, then,” Cord said with an air of resignation, glancing at his father. “I’m guessing we can’t change your mind with our Walsh charm or appeal to your Walsh heritage.”

      Reuben chuckled. “Probably not. I’m immune to those tactics.” Then he reached into the pocket of his denim jacket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He pushed it across the table to Cord. “Here are the names of a couple of other guys you could get. They haven’t made any firm commitments and they won’t be available for a month or so. But they’re good too.” After his disastrous visit to his father’s ranch, Reuben had made a few calls from the motel to some other engineers he knew. He got a couple of vague commitments from some old classmates. It was the best he could do under the circumstances.

      “So tell us about this job you’re starting,” Boyce said, looking up as Cord pocketed the note. Clearly his uncle wasn’t going to try to convince Reuben to stay. “I haven’t heard anything about it from George.”

      Reuben wasn’t surprised. He knew George didn’t talk often about him. “It’s a good position with a prestigious international engineering firm. I’d be my own boss, which is what I’ve been looking for since I graduated,” Reuben said, thankful for his uncle’s switch in topic. He didn’t want to expound on the real reasons he was leaving. Leanne and Austin, the visible reminder of her betrayal of Reuben. “I’ll be making good money and I’ll be traveling around the world doing some big jobs. What’s not to like?”

      “And there’s no one in your life right now who would object to all the moving around?” Boyce asked.

      Reuben shook his head. “Nope. Haven’t met anyone who created any sparks.”

      “I get where you’re coming from,” Cord said. “I think Ella and I had sparks the first time we met.”

      “Didn’t help that Adana had just quit as your nanny and you were ticked off,” Boyce said with a laugh.

      “There was more than that going on.” Cord grinned and then his phone dinged. He glanced at it, then back at Reuben. “I gotta deal with this. Are you leaving today?”

      Reuben nodded. The sooner the better.

      “Then I’ll say goodbye.”

      “I’m heading out too,” Boyce said, “Though I wouldn’t mind sticking around and talking more, I sense you want to get a move on.” He gave Reuben a rueful smile, which, more than anything either of them had said, made Reuben second-guess his decision.

      But then he thought of Leanne’s anger and his father’s lack of affection, and he knew he wasn’t ready to put himself in that vulnerable position.

      “Much as I’d like to connect with some of the other cousins, I feel I should get going.”

      Cord got up the same time Reuben did and pulled him close in a quick, man hug then stepped back, holding his gaze. “You stay safe and don’t be a stranger.”

      “I won’t,” he said.

      Then Boyce dropped some bills on the table to pay for breakfast, got up and gave him a tighter hug than Cord had. “I’ve been praying for you,” he said as he pulled back. “You and your father.”

      Reuben felt a twinge of guilt at the sentiment. After Dirk’s funeral and Leanne’s betrayal, he had kept his distance from God. Only in the past few months had he realized how much he missed his faith and started attending church again.

      “Thanks. I probably need it,” he said, keeping his tone light.

      “You’ll be back for my wedding, won’t you?” Cord asked as they made their way out of the restaurant.

      “I hope so. I’ll have to see what my new work schedule is. I’ll be needing to impress some big investors.”

      “This job sounds serious,” Boyce said as he slowly made his way down the few steps out of the café. “And important.”

      “I’ve got a lot riding on it and the pay is amazing.” This job was his chance to prove to himself that he had value. Worth.

      “Well, you know, it’s a cliché but money isn’t everything,” Boyce said.

      “No, but it’s a fairly universal measuring stick. One that your brother, George, understands.”

      Cord gave him a curious look but Reuben wasn’t delving deeper into the past. He had a promising future ahead of him and in spite of feeling bad that he had let his cousin and his uncle down, he had to move on. Staying in Cedar Ridge wasn’t an option.

      “Well, you take care. Stay in touch and don’t be such a stranger.”

      Reuben nodded as he buttoned his denim jacket closed. The wind still held a chill. It was cooler than yesterday and as he walked down the street to his truck, he shivered as he thought of California, where he would be headquartered.

      It would be warm there. No snow and no winter. Just sun and warmth and work.

      Boyce and Cord said goodbye and left.

      Reuben watched them leave and felt a twinge of melancholy when they both laughed at something Cord had said. How often had he longed for a relationship like his cousin and uncle shared?

      He shook off the feelings, walked to his truck, drove down Main Street, then headed to the highway out of town.

      But as he drove away from Cedar Ridge, he tried not to think that he might not be back for a very, very long time.

      His father’s ranch was on his way out of town, and as he came nearer he was tempted to keep going. Drive on into his future and leave the past behind. СКАЧАТЬ