“Have you asked them?”
“I haven’t.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know, to be honest with you. I haven’t told anyone about them until just now. You’re the first.”
Red got up and took his plate into the kitchen. “Ready for seconds?” he asked. “There’s lots more.”
“Sure, it’s really good, Red. I haven’t had chicken and dumplings since I left home for college. Is it homemade?”
“Yes, ma’am. My mama’s recipe. Hits the spot on a cold winter night, like nothin’ else.”
“Mmm. Comfort food.” Bree stood and looked at a photo hanging on the wall of the dining room. “Who’s this?”
“My daughter,” he answered without looking up.
“She…uh…”
“Looks like you, Bree? Yes, I agree.”
“Wow, I mean, there is a resemblance, right?”
“A strong resemblance.”
“Red?” He still hadn’t looked up from what he was doing.
“That morning, when you walked into the ranch dining hall, I could’ve sworn you were her, tellin’ me it was time to come home to Jesus.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Nothin’ to say. Whether you look like her or not, doesn’t matter. You and I had a connection that first day.”
“We did,” she agreed.
“Somethin’ brought you to the ranch. Somethin’ made me offer to take you fishing,” Red looked up at the ceiling. “Not sure what or why. Not likely to get an answer, so I don’t question.”
“I felt that way too. Like I was supposed to meet you.”
“You were.”
“Thank you, Red. You’ve done so much for me.”
“No thanks necessary. I was supposed to meet you, too. This isn’t one-sided.”
“Why do you think? I mean, it seems obvious why I was supposed to meet you. You’ve
helped me more than anyone. But why me, for you?”
Red sat back down at the table. “Not a lot of reason for an old guy like me to get up in the mornin’ if I’m not needed.”
“I don’t know what—”
“Say no more,” he held up his hand. “You’re welcome here any time. Now, what do you say we watch a movie? I have quite a collection. I take ’em from the ranch library, and then I forget to return ’em.”
Bree laughed when Red pointed to his collection of DVDs. There was a stack, up against the wall, almost as tall as she was.
The next morning, Bree took a journal with her when she went downstairs for breakfast. The dates on the title page included Zack’s final year as a cadet at the Air Force Academy. He proposed to her the day he graduated. Bree wasn’t sure she wanted to be alone when she read this one.