“Will, I don’t want to talk about it. Can we just go home? Please.”
I nodded my head. “Sure, Libby.”
As I shut the door and walked around my truck, I glanced back toward the house and saw Luke standing on the porch. I raised my hand.
He nodded as he stared into the truck. “Libby going home with you?”
“Uh…yeah. I thought you were going to bed?” I asked as I opened my door.
Luke started down toward the truck, and I had to admit, I tensed up, expecting him to throw another punch at me.
He walked up to me. Then, he looked around me and into the truck. “Y’all going to the river on Saturday night?”
I wasn’t sure if he was really asking both of us or just Libby.
Libby remained silent in the truck.
“Yeah. I mean, as far as I know, we’ll be there,” I said.
Luke nodded his head, never taking his eyes from Libby. “Night, Lib.”
She turned slightly and looked out the passenger side window. “Good night, Luke.”
Luke frowned and ran his hand through his hair as he looked at me. He gave me a weak smile. “Sorry for hitting you, bro.”
He stuck his hand out, and I shook it.
“I would have done the same thing, dude. No worries.”
“See ya in the morning,” Luke said before walking back to his house.
I jumped in and looked at Libby. It only took me a few seconds to realize my sister was crying.
I knew the reason why she was crying.
Luke.
I started the truck and began driving off. I looked over toward Luke and gripped my steeling wheel harder.
The next time my sister cries over him, I’m going to be the one throwing the first punch.
“Good morning, my handsome man.”
I walked into Banjo’s stall and gave him a handful of oats while he bobbed his head up and down. I ran my hand along his back, and my heart broke. I was going to miss him so much.
Banjo and I would go for a ride at least once a day. He was my everything—next to my parents, Colt, and Will.
“You want to go for a ride, big boy?”
“May I join you?”
I quickly turned to see my father leaning against the wall. I smiled and nodded my head. He winked at me and turned to saddle up a horse. I watched him as he got my saddle and his saddle. My father was so handsome, and Colt certainly inherited Daddy’s good looks. Colt and I both got our parents’ blue eyes and brown hair. Colt favored my father, and I favored my mother. I had to admit, when people told me I looked like my mother, it would make me feel good. To me, she was breathtaking, a natural beauty. My parents made such a cute couple.
“Alex, why are you staring at me with a goofy grin?”
I laughed and began to bring Banjo out of his stall. “I was thinking about how you and Mama make a cute couple with your handsome good looks and Mama’s natural beauty.”
My father grinned and then tilted his head. “What do you want?”